Add-on heatsink for the Xiegu X6100

The Xiegu X6100 is a great radio, but gets hot to the touch when used with digital modes. Mine got as hot as 55 degrees Celsius (130 F). Maybe within specs, but for me too much. The root cause is the transceiver’s heatsink. (and off course the heat production inside). The heatsink has an ‘capital I’-profile, with the largest area of the heatsink inside the radio itself! This is where the heat producing components are mounted. The heat tis then transfed to the outside of the X6100. Only the top and bottom of heatsink of the radio are on the outside: this is the only place where the heat is actually dissipated. Or: … should be dissipated. The problem is that these top and bottom heat dissipating surfaces are not very large and have almost no fins. Result: the rig heats up to an unpleasantly high level.

An alternative way to overcome the X6100 heating problem is by adding a fan. Best place i.m.h.o. at the bottom. But a fan consumes power and produces noise.

Another (more elegant?) way is enlarging the effective dissipation surface where it matters most: at the bottom. Preferably easy removable. The heatsink has to be fixed in a reliable way, preferably without drilling holes in the rig itself. By the way: also the back of the Xiegu dissipates some heat and the surface is relative big. However, the back it is not a part of the actual heatsink and just sheetmetal that happens to touch the heatsink where it is screwed on. Only cooling the back of the rig is not a good idea and that is why I did not put a heatsink to the back. But you could if you want, just keep in mind that it will not be as effective.

You can see how I attached the add on heatsink without drilling holes. I used magnets -which I glued on the bottom of the rig- and other magnets in the heatsink. When needed (working digital, that’s when the X6100 heats up most) I can add the auxiliary heatsink easily.

As a prototype I used a standard aluminium heatsink (160 x 25 x 10 mm) I had lying round in my shack. These heatsinks are sold for cooling LEDS. I drilled three 8 mm holes in it and glued 3 strong 8mm diameter Nd magnets flush. Between the magnets I added heat conducting pads (1 mm thickness). I spray-painted the heatsink black on the visible side so it looks niver on a black rig. To the bottom of the X6100 I glued 3, 1mm high same thickness as the heat conducting pads) Nd magnets. This contraption makes the heatsink ‘click’ to the rig nicely and also secures that the heat conducting pads are pressed to the rigs bottom heatsink firmly. This to ensure a goof heat transfer the from the bottom to the add on heatsink. As the add on heatsink has a much larger dissipation surface, its capacity is enlaregd significantly. The rig now stays cool nicely. Because the heatsink itself I used is not very high (just 10 mm) the X6100 can still be used in the tilted position. See the picture below.

By the way: the heat is -off course- also transported to the top side of the rig and -for a part- to the back. The effective area of the top is even tinier then the bottom because of the buttons. I did not put a heatsink on top, but one could do so. Beware: if your X6100 has the paracord carrying handle you must ensure to keep some space between the handle and the top heatsink. Because when the paracord handle rests on the top-heatsink, it more or less acts like a blanket, hampering the heat dissipation on the top of the rig!

And, does it work? Yes, by adding the heatsink the X6100 stays cool, even when using digital modes. Also: with the heatsink added, the X6100 can still be used in the tilted position.