FTTC - Great but now the BT VDSL modem overheats!

[qweezy]

Hi,

Had FTTC installed nearly a week ago.  Getting a great consistent 38mb connection, but my VDSL box is overheating badly now.

Everything has been fine since last thursday, but the box fails to connect unless I have a desk fan blowing on it constantly.

The DSL light will flash quickly, go out then flash quickly again.  At first I thought it may be a connection issue, but I remembered the BT Engineer said that the boxes should have a fan inside to keep them cool, but dont.  With my desk fan blowing on it all seems fine.

Obviously this isn't a good long term solution.  Any way I can get hold of a new VDSL box or one from another manufacturer that wont overheat

Thanks.

[Lance]

The only way I'm aware of is to log a problem with support. A BT engineer will be dispatched with a new modem.

Do you have the modem mounted on the wall as designed to do?

[qweezy]

Okay thanks.

The modem was placed on a flat shelf on its 'feet'.

Currently its working turned upside down with the fan blowing in through all the bottom vent holes.  Surely wall mounting would be covering all of the bottom vents?

[Lance]

I've not got one so wouldn't know. It's just all the advice I've seen suggests they should be mounted.

In any case, overheating seems to be a common problem.

[zappaDPJ]

I have mine on a stand (orientated as if it was on a wall). It does still get quite warm but it's with acceptable levels I feel.

[Bill]

Surely wall mounting would be covering all of the bottom vents?

No, the rubber feet keep it spaced off the wall and you get much better air circulation via the "side" vents.

Seems to be a problem with the later modems, I was fairly early in the take-up of FTTC and mine's been no bother mounted either way

[.Griff.]

As Bill said I've heard more and more complaints about the VDSL2 modems overheating recently.

However like Bill I got in early on FTTC and my modem barely get warm at all so I can only assume there's a manufacturing issue with the later modems?!?!?

[qweezy]

Its really quite weird.....

The DSL light will start to flash literally less than 10 seconds after I turn the desk fan off....... And then come back on 10 seconds after the fan is turned back on.

[.Griff.]

I'd give Idnet a call tomorrow.

"If" all the stories about overheating modems are correct then Idnet should have no problem sourcing a replacement for you from Openreach.

[Bill]

"If" all the stories about overheating modems are correct

They seem to have some basis- when I had an OR engineer around (unrelated fault) the first thing he wanted to do was swap the modem. His own words (more or less)- "I always bring a spare modem to a customer fault, 90% of the time it fixes the problem".

Took a bit of persuading to get him to test the line first!

[jm_paulin]

As Bill said I've heard more and more complaints about the VDSL2 modems overheating recently.

My ADSL is fairly recent (1 month ago) and modem is not even warm.... But it is wall mounted...

JM

[mervl]

New-style modem installed Thursday, engineer left it flat on a wooden shelf which I noted after a couple of hours was very warm. I tried raising it over a tray, to little effect on the warmth of the modem; so after this research I've wall mounted it tonight and hey presto half an hour later it's almost completely cooled. Given this temperature difference I'm not surprised they're liable to fail when left flat.

[.Griff.]

New-style modem installed Thursday, engineer left it flat on a wooden shelf which I noted after a couple of hours was very warm. I tried raising it over a tray, to little effect on the warmth of the modem; so after this research I've wall mounted it tonight and hey presto half an hour later it's almost completely cooled. Given this temperature difference I'm not surprised they're liable to fail when left flat.

What's "new style" about the replacement modem? Different design? Can you take a photo at all?