Stratux3D-printed Stratux cases
Print your case in PETG, ABS or ASA, not PLA. Get the files from the stratux-cases repo, and match the case to your Raspberry Pi model.
Where the case files are
The 3D-printable designs live in the stratux-cases repository on GitHub. They were moved out of the main Stratux repository to keep it small. Printable designs are also on Thingiverse.
The repository includes:
- Long cases with fan options
- Nano/Nanopi compact cases
- Pi Zero cases
- Single-board and three-layer stacked cases
- Mounts for antennas, RAM, suction cups and GoPro-style systems
Files come as .STL (print-ready), .STEP, SolidWorks .SLDPRT/.SLDASM sources and reference images.
Which filament
| Filament | In a hot cockpit or car |
|---|---|
| PLA | Avoid. It deforms or melts in the heat and gets brittle with age. |
| PETG | Good choice |
| ABS | Good choice |
| ASA | Good choice. One owner reports a case lasting a year on a dash. |
| Annealed high-temp PLA | Works, but is fussy to get right |
Fit by Raspberry Pi model
Port positions changed after the Pi 3, so choose a case made for your board.
- Pi 3B / 3B+: the standard fit. The 3B+ is a drop-in replacement for the 3B and uses the same image.
- Pi 4: fits the standard Stratux case. You lose access to the HDMI ports, and you may need to trim the HDMI cutout slightly. A Pi 4 also draws more power and runs hotter, with no real gain for Stratux.
- Tight or divided cases: cases with dividers between the USB and Ethernet ports won't fit anything newer than the Pi 3, and very tight variants may not fit a Pi 4 either.
- Pi 5: it boots and runs Stratux, but fan control doesn't work. It adds only power draw and cost.
- Pi Zero 2 W: it has its own case designs in the repo. Use a USB hub or HAT, and note the micro-USB power port.
See What's inside a Stratux for the full Pi comparison.
Fans and ventilation
- The 1090 radio is the main heat source in a Stratux, not the CPU. A bulky heatsink doesn't help much.
- Design the airflow to exhaust air over the Pi and draw fresh air in around the radios.
- Fan speed follows CPU temperature, so you don't need an extra sensor. The fan turns on at about 55 °C.
- Wiring a fan straight to the Pi header (pin 4 for 5 V, pin 6 for ground) runs it at 100% all the time, and it bypasses temperature control.
- Make sure your fan mount never lets the fan touch the blade or short out.
Keeping the fan turning slowly
The minimum fan duty cycle is a hidden advanced setting:
- Open the web UI and tap the version number several times to enable Developer Mode.
- On the settings page, find Minimum fan duty cycle %. It only shows when the AHRS sensors are enabled.
- Enter a value from 0 to 100. The default is 0, which works. A value above 0 keeps the fan spinning slowly so it doesn't keep switching on and off.
Mounting notes
If you replace the stock suction cups with a RAM mount, attach it with the supplied screws or through the existing suction-cup holes. Don't drill the case, because the plastic is brittle. Strong suction cups left in the sun for hours can deform plexiglass canopies.
For more on heat and power, see Power and status lights. For antennas, see Stratux antennas.
Get help
Questions about a print or a fit problem? Ask in the Discord.