Maintaining MX480 Cooling System Components
Maintaining the MX480 Air Filter
Purpose
For optimum cooling, verify the condition of the air filters.
Action
Regularly inspect the air filter. A dirty air filter restricts airflow in the unit, producing a negative effect on the ventilation of the chassis. The filter degrades over time. You must replace the filter every 6 months.
Caution Always keep the air filter in place while the device is operating. Because the fans are very powerful, they could pull small bits of wire or other materials into the through the unfiltered air intake. This could damage the components.
The shelf life of polyurethane filter varies from two years to five years depending on the storage conditions. Store in a cool, dry, and dark environment. Wrap the media in plastic and store in an environment with relative humidity between 40%- 80% and temperature between 40° F (4° C) to 90° F (32° C). Note that if the material flakes, or becomes brittle when rubbed or deformed, it is no longer usable.
Replacing the MX480 Air Filter
Removing the MX480 Air Filter
Do not run the router for more than a few minutes without the air filter in place.
Always keep the air filter in place while the router is operating, except during replacement. Because the fans are very powerful, they could pull small bits of wire or other materials into the router through the unfiltered air intake. This could damage the router components.
To remove the air filter (see Figure 1):
- Attach an ESD grounding strap to your bare wrist and connect the strap to one of the ESD points on the chassis.
- Loosen the captive screws on the air filter cover.
- Remove the air filter cover.
- Slide the air filter out of the chassis.

Installing the MX480 Air Filter
To install the air filter (see Figure 2):
- Attach an ESD grounding strap to your bare wrist and connect the strap to one of the ESD points on the chassis.
- Locate the up arrow and ensure that the air filter is right side up.
- Slide the air filter straight into the chassis until it stops.
- Align the captive screws of the air filter cover with the mounting holes on the chassis.
- Tighten the captive screws on the air filter cover.

See also
Maintaining the MX480 Fan Tray
Purpose
For optimum cooling, verify the condition of the fans.
Action
Monitor the status of the fans. A fan tray contains multiple fans that work in unison to cool the router components. If one fan fails, the host subsystem adjusts the speed of the remaining fans to maintain proper cooling. A red alarm is triggered when a fan fails, and a yellow alarm and red alarm is triggered when a fan tray is removed.
To display the status of the cooling system, issue the
show chassis environment
command. The output is similar to the following:user@host> show chassis environment
Class Item Status Measurement Temp PEM 0 OK 40 degrees C / 104 degrees F PEM 1 OK 40 degrees C / 104 degrees F PEM 2 Absent PEM 3 Absent Routing Engine 0 OK 36 degrees C / 96 degrees F Routing Engine 0 CPU OK 32 degrees C / 89 degrees F Routing Engine 1 OK 35 degrees C / 95 degrees F Routing Engine 1 CPU OK 32 degrees C / 89 degrees F CB 0 Intake OK 33 degrees C / 91 degrees F CB 0 Exhaust A OK 32 degrees C / 89 degrees F CB 0 Exhaust B OK 36 degrees C / 96 degrees F CB 0 ACBC OK 35 degrees C / 95 degrees F CB 0 SF A OK 49 degrees C / 120 degrees F CB 0 SF B OK 43 degrees C / 109 degrees F CB 1 Intake OK 33 degrees C / 91 degrees F CB 1 Exhaust A OK 30 degrees C / 86 degrees F CB 1 Exhaust B OK 37 degrees C / 98 degrees F CB 1 ACBC OK 34 degrees C / 93 degrees F CB 1 SF A OK 46 degrees C / 114 degrees F CB 1 SF B OK 43 degrees C / 109 degrees F FPC 1 Intake OK 37 degrees C / 98 degrees F FPC 1 Exhaust A OK 32 degrees C / 89 degrees F FPC 1 Exhaust B OK 35 degrees C / 95 degrees F FPC 1 QX 0 TSen OK 50 degrees C / 122 degrees F FPC 1 QX 0 Chip OK 58 degrees C / 136 degrees F FPC 1 LU 0 TCAM TSen OK 50 degrees C / 122 degrees F FPC 1 LU 0 TCAM Chip OK 43 degrees C / 109 degrees F FPC 1 LU 0 TSen OK 50 degrees C / 122 degrees F FPC 1 LU 0 Chip OK 51 degrees C / 123 degrees F FPC 1 MQ 0 TSen OK 50 degrees C / 122 degrees F FPC 1 MQ 0 Chip OK 53 degrees C / 127 degrees F FPC 1 QX 1 TSen OK 48 degrees C / 118 degrees F FPC 1 QX 1 Chip OK 51 degrees C / 123 degrees F FPC 1 LU 1 TCAM TSen OK 48 degrees C / 118 degrees F FPC 1 LU 1 TCAM Chip OK 47 degrees C / 116 degrees F FPC 1 LU 1 TSen OK 48 degrees C / 118 degrees F FPC 1 LU 1 Chip OK 53 degrees C / 127 degrees F FPC 1 MQ 1 TSen OK 48 degrees C / 118 degrees F FPC 1 MQ 1 Chip OK 54 degrees C / 129 degrees F FPC 2 Intake OK 34 degrees C / 93 degrees F FPC 2 Exhaust A OK 38 degrees C / 100 degrees F FPC 2 Exhaust B OK 34 degrees C / 93 degrees F FPC 2 QX 0 TSen OK 47 degrees C / 116 degrees F FPC 2 QX 0 Chip OK 51 degrees C / 123 degrees F FPC 2 LU 0 TCAM TSen OK 47 degrees C / 116 degrees F FPC 2 LU 0 TCAM Chip OK 47 degrees C / 116 degrees F FPC 2 LU 0 TSen OK 47 degrees C / 116 degrees F FPC 2 LU 0 Chip OK 51 degrees C / 123 degrees F FPC 2 MQ 0 TSen OK 47 degrees C / 116 degrees F FPC 2 MQ 0 Chip OK 51 degrees C / 123 degrees F FPC 3 Intake OK 30 degrees C / 86 degrees F FPC 3 Exhaust A OK 39 degrees C / 102 degrees F FPC 3 Exhaust B OK 47 degrees C / 116 degrees F FPC 3 I3 0 TSensor OK 46 degrees C / 114 degrees F FPC 3 I3 0 Chip OK 51 degrees C / 123 degrees F FPC 3 I3 1 TSensor OK 43 degrees C / 109 degrees F FPC 3 I3 1 Chip OK 46 degrees C / 114 degrees F FPC 3 I3 2 TSensor OK 42 degrees C / 107 degrees F FPC 3 I3 2 Chip OK 45 degrees C / 113 degrees F FPC 3 I3 3 TSensor OK 40 degrees C / 104 degrees F FPC 3 I3 3 Chip OK 41 degrees C / 105 degrees F FPC 3 IA 0 TSensor OK 41 degrees C / 105 degrees F FPC 3 IA 0 Chip OK 40 degrees C / 104 degrees F FPC 3 IA 1 TSensor OK 41 degrees C / 105 degrees F FPC 3 IA 1 Chip OK 43 degrees C / 109 degrees F FPC 4 Intake OK 31 degrees C / 87 degrees F FPC 4 Exhaust A OK 38 degrees C / 100 degrees F FPC 4 Exhaust B OK 47 degrees C / 116 degrees F FPC 4 I3 0 TSensor OK 49 degrees C / 120 degrees F FPC 4 I3 0 Chip OK 53 degrees C / 127 degrees F FPC 4 I3 1 TSensor OK 48 degrees C / 118 degrees F FPC 4 I3 1 Chip OK 50 degrees C / 122 degrees F FPC 4 I3 2 TSensor OK 48 degrees C / 118 degrees F FPC 4 I3 2 Chip OK 51 degrees C / 123 degrees F FPC 4 I3 3 TSensor OK 44 degrees C / 111 degrees F FPC 4 I3 3 Chip OK 45 degrees C / 113 degrees F FPC 4 IA 0 TSensor OK 48 degrees C / 118 degrees F FPC 4 IA 0 Chip OK 42 degrees C / 107 degrees F FPC 4 IA 1 TSensor OK 47 degrees C / 116 degrees F FPC 4 IA 1 Chip OK 47 degrees C / 116 degrees F FPC 5 Intake OK 37 degrees C / 98 degrees F FPC 5 Exhaust A OK 45 degrees C / 113 degrees F FPC 5 Exhaust B OK 31 degrees C / 87 degrees F FPC 5 QX 0 TSen OK 54 degrees C / 129 degrees F FPC 5 QX 0 Chip OK 59 degrees C / 138 degrees F FPC 5 LU 0 TCAM TSen OK 54 degrees C / 129 degrees F FPC 5 LU 0 TCAM Chip OK 59 degrees C / 138 degrees F FPC 5 LU 0 TSen OK 54 degrees C / 129 degrees F FPC 5 LU 0 Chip OK 62 degrees C / 143 degrees F FPC 5 MQ 0 TSen OK 54 degrees C / 129 degrees F FPC 5 MQ 0 Chip OK 54 degrees C / 129 degrees F FPC 5 QX 1 TSen OK 48 degrees C / 118 degrees F FPC 5 QX 1 Chip OK 52 degrees C / 125 degrees F FPC 5 LU 1 TCAM TSen OK 48 degrees C / 118 degrees F FPC 5 LU 1 TCAM Chip OK 53 degrees C / 127 degrees F FPC 5 LU 1 TSen OK 48 degrees C / 118 degrees F FPC 5 LU 1 Chip OK 51 degrees C / 123 degrees F FPC 5 MQ 1 TSen OK 48 degrees C / 118 degrees F FPC 5 MQ 1 Chip OK 52 degrees C / 125 degrees F Fans Top Rear Fan OK Spinning at intermediate-speed Bottom Rear Fan OK Spinning at intermediate-speed Top Middle Fan OK Spinning at intermediate-speed Bottom Middle Fan OK Spinning at intermediate-speed Top Front Fan OK Spinning at intermediate-speed Bottom Front Fan OK Spinning at intermediate-speed
Replacing the MX480 Fan Tray
Removing the MX480 Fan Tray
To prevent overheating, install the replacement fan tray immediately after removing the existing fan tray.
To remove the fan tray (see Figure 3):
- Attach an ESD grounding strap to your bare wrist and connect the strap to one of the ESD points on the chassis.
- Loosen the captive screws on the fan tray faceplate.
- Grasp the fan tray handle, and pull it out approximately
1 to 3 inches.
Warning To avoid injury, keep tools and your fingers away from the fans as you slide the fan module out of the chassis. The fans might still be spinning.
- Press the latch located on the inside of the fan tray to release it from the chassis.
- Place one hand under the fan tray to support it, and pull the fan tray completely out of the chassis.

Installing the MX480 Fan Tray
To install the fan tray (see Figure 4):
- Attach an ESD grounding strap to your bare wrist and connect the strap to one of the ESD points on the chassis.
- Grasp the fan tray handle, and insert it straight into
the chassis. Note the correct orientation by the
this side up
label on the top surface of the fan tray. - Tighten the captive screws on the fan tray faceplate to secure it in the chassis.
