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PC Standards project | CC BY 4.0 | ROCK 5 ITX only 1
ROCK 5 ITX FAN Header: Installation and Verification
An original board-specific checklist for the Radxa ROCK 5 ITX Mini-ITX motherboard | 15 September 2026
Purpose: document a safe cooler fitment and a practical functional check of the board's standard 4-pin PWM FAN header.
This sheet is supporting documentation, not a full motherboard user manual. It does not apply to other ROCK boards.
1. Identify the right interface
Before fitting the cooler, identify the FAN header on the official ROCK 5 ITX interface description. Use a compatible 4-pin
PWM fan with a keyed connector. The Radxa 8418B cooler is the manufacturer-listed example; a different fan needs its own
mechanical, voltage, and current compatibility check.
2. Fit the cooler with power removed
Shut down and disconnect all board power. Let the board cool, use electrostatic-discharge precautions, and avoid pulling on
the fan wires. Apply thermal interface material evenly to the RK3588 SoC as directed by the cooler manufacturer. Align the
cooler with the four mounting holes and check that its cable comfortably reaches the FAN header without crossing a blade or
being pinched by the case.
Secure the fasteners gradually in diagonal order so the board is not twisted. Plug the keyed four-pin cable into the FAN
header only in its natural orientation; do not force it. Inspect the heatsink contact, cable route, and connector seating before
restoring power.
3. Observe function, not just a connector
On first boot, confirm that the fan rotates freely and that the board remains stable under a modest normal workload. If the fan
does not start, isolate power before reseating the connector. Check the cooler's stated 12 V supply requirement and current
against the board and accessory documentation; do not test by swapping pins or improvising a cable adapter.
The current ROCK 5 ITX hardware interface does not provide FAN tachometer readback. Therefore, a missing RPM value in
software is not, by itself, proof that the fan has stopped. Use direct visual/audible observation and temperature/stability checks
appropriate to the system instead of treating an unavailable RPM sensor as an acceptance gate.
Acceptance record
Check Evidence to record
Board and cooler ROCK 5 ITX revision; compatible cooler and fan rating
Mechanical fit Four fasteners seated; board not bowed; cable clear of blades
Electrical fit Keyed 4-pin connector seated without force; power restored after inspection
Functional test Fan starts and spins unobstructed; system stable in a normal workload
Sensor limitation No tachometer readback expected from the current board interface
Attribution and redistribution
Technical reference: Radxa, ROCK 5 ITX - FAN, https://docs.radxa.com/en/rock5/rock5itx/getting-started/interface-usage/fan. Board context: Radxa,
ROCK 5 ITX - Product Introduction, https://docs.radxa.com/en/rock5/rock5itx/getting-started/introduction. Radxa documentation license:
https://docs.radxa.com/en/license.
The checklist and prose here were newly authored for the PC Standards project and released under Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International
(CC BY 4.0). Attribute as: "PC Standards project, ROCK 5 ITX FAN Header Installation and Verification Guide, 2026, CC BY 4.0." No Radxa figures,
logos, proprietary third-party content, or personal data are reproduced.
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