Troubleshooting • pi5 running insanely hot (80C +) with 40% cpu load

Hi all, I have a pi5 with a passive aluminum heatsink (this to be specific: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0CN8NQC47)

Idle, it's around 42C.

When running my python script (which I intend to have running 24/7), it's about 40% usage per core. `top` usually shows ~150% (so 35-40% per core).

I don't know if it's relevant, but I'll mention the python script is using opencv to continually monitor the image coming from the connected camera v3 module.

I was running a pi 3 b+ before on the same script, and that hit 250%, so the pi5 is doing significantly better.

I thought I'd be able to get away with passive cooling and stay in the 60-70C degree range, but after running the script for only 20 or 30 minutes, I hover between 80 and 85C.

I'm seeing `vcgencmd measure_clock arm` that throttling begins at about 80C. Interestingly it actually doesn't seem to throttle it that much.

I realize I can get a fan, but I'd love to be able to passively cool for noise reasons, and have something in the 60C degree range. 80C+ seems insanely hot for something not even running at 50% cpu usage.

Is the pi5 just a heat machine?

Statistics: Posted by darnitdiy — Thu Mar 07, 2024 12:33 am

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