Heatsink modding

[loko]

I'm not sure if I did a right thing by buying a Silver Alumina Thermal Adhesive to connect heatsink with metal plate. On official webpage it says:
"It is NOT intended to be used between a CPU and the CPU heatsink. On a CPU please use a thermal compound such as Arctic Silver 5, "
What do You guys think?

There is no such problem, because you will not use the thermal adhesive paste between the CPU and the CPU heatsink, but between the removable metal plate and the heatsink. All that matters is that the thermal adhesive paste does not stick directly to the CPU, because in the case you decide to remove the permanently attached heatsink you could probably damage the CPU.

In my opinion it is more reasonable to firstly remove the metal plate, stick heatsink and than remove overdosed Thermal Adhesive.

Since you will remove the metal plate, you should probably also replace the crappy thermal pads with better ones, preferably Phobya (Ultra or XT) or Fujipoly (Extreme or Ultra Extreme).

[michalw2]

Did you change the power supply?
Maybe you have malfunction in your PMIC or a very bad cpu!

Thanks for all advices!
I've already implemented passive cooling (2xheatsinks, thermal pads) but unfortunately to my surprise I'm not satisfied with results. Temp can get to 70+ 'C when playing 1080p 60fps video (with GFX boost turned off). But I was so convinced that final results will be great that I've forgotten to check the temp with original setup. Now I can't compare. I don't have baseline. Crap.
Also I've got the feeling that the bottom metal plate of the box is even warmer now than it was before.
But I think that it's a symptom of using thermal pad which job is to absorb as much a heat as possible. So I think it's a good symptom.
I'm planning to place bigger thermal pad to cover more area at the bottom (on the opposite side of CPU).
But anyway - say if I want to install active cooling. Do I connect 5V or 12V power cable (depends of a fan) inside or outside the box? Nowhere I can see any socket I could use inside the box. I could use USB port for power (but 5V only).

[Trhuster]

Thanks for all advices!
I've already implemented passive cooling (2xheatsinks, thermal pads) but unfortunately to my surprise I'm not satisfied with results. Temp can get to 70'C when playing 1080p 60fps video (with GFX boost turned off). But I was so convinced that final results will be great that I've forgotten to check the temp with original setup. Now I can't compare. I don't have baseline. Crap.
I'm planning to place bigger thermal pad on the opposite side of CPU.
But anyway - say if I want to install active cooling. Do I connect 5V or 12V cable (depends of a fan) inside or outside the box? Nowhere I can see any socket I could use inside the box. I could use USB port for power (but 5V only).

If you solder like on pic in link below it will give you 5V, i did the same and it works great.

http://www.freaktab.com/showthread.php?22473-Heatsink-modding&p=276359&viewfull=1#post276359

[scropion86]

Thanks for all advices!
I've already implemented passive cooling (2xheatsinks, thermal pads) but unfortunately to my surprise I'm not satisfied with results. Temp can get to 70'C when playing 1080p 60fps video (with GFX boost turned off). But I was so convinced that final results will be great that I've forgotten to check the temp with original setup. Now I can't compare. I don't have baseline. Crap.
I'm planning to place bigger thermal pad on the opposite side of CPU.
But anyway - say if I want to install active cooling. Do I connect 5V or 12V cable (depends of a fan) inside or outside the box? Nowhere I can see any socket I could use inside the box. I could use USB port for power (but 5V only).

fan is not useful i tried it and no actual effect i tried it with laptop small 5V and only make it faster to drop from high temp but it's not preventing it from get overheat

[Trhuster]

fan is not useful i tried it and no actual effect i tried it with laptop small 5V and only make it faster to drop from high temp but it's not preventing it from get overheat

It helps alot, my temps went from 80c to 60c with fan.

[michalw2]

It helps alot, my temps went from 80c to 60c with fan.

Trhuster - can You please provide model name of this fan?

[Trhuster]

Trhuster - can You please provide model name of this fan?

I can not, it is from a old graphicard and has no name. It is around 50mm in diameter.

[scropion86]

I can not, it is from a old graphicard and has no name. It is around 50mm in diameter.

did you fix it with the attached heatsink body , i think no room for that in the box

[Trhuster]

did you fix it with the attached heatsink body , i think no room for that in the box

Yes i cut up a hole in the case. But a fanblower like sogoku_vn uses in link below is a more elegant solution. I just used stuff i had laying around.

http://www.freaktab.com/showthread.php?22473-Heatsink-modding&p=276359&viewfull=1#post276359

[geppetto61]

Hi and sorry for some questions about the Thermal Pads:

1. I see they come with different thickness up to 4 mm. The thicker the better ?
2. Then i guess one side is sticky and i have to peel off some kind of plastic foil in order to place it ?
3. Brand is important ? or any would do just fine ?
4. If understand rightly pads are for the bottom and heatsinks for the top metal cover above the cpu. Have i got it right ?

Thanks a lot indeed.

[no_spam_for_me]

1. no, thinner is better... if I remember correctly you need 1mm to replace the one between CPU etc. and metal plate/cover


2. maybe, but they also exists without any adhesive (which you can use at 1.)

3. no, but W/mk (higher is better)

4. If you want to use it a botton (under the PCB) you need 5mm because auf the space/room between pcb and case (of course also 5 x 1mm is possible)... if you want to use it for heatsink at the metal plate/cover then thinner is better and adhesive at both sides...

[vertical]

Not sure if it mentioned already but what are the dimensions of the metallic plate that covers the CPU, RAM etc?

[geppetto61]

1. no, thinner is better... if I remember correctly you need 1mm to replace the one between CPU etc. and metal plate/cover

This weekend i will look inside and try to understand the unit better.
I think that this thermic issue is really the key point because with the right bios settings this unit is very ok as a multi-purpose little but complete PC.
Maybe it is limited for 3D video gaming or video editing ... but those are high end applications.
But for HTPC it is fantastic, thermal issue aside.

2. maybe, but they also exists without any adhesive (which you can use at 1.)
3. no, but W/mk (higher is better)
4. If you want to use it a botton (under the PCB) you need 5mm because auf the space/room between pcb and case (of course also 5 x 1mm is possible)...

yes i would like to do this, even if the thermal pad then will close the ventilation holes below the unit.
We cannot have everything i understand.

if you want to use it for heatsink at the metal plate/cover then thinner is better and adhesive at both sides...

I think i will put the adhesive side against the box both below and above the motherboard.
I would prefer not to stick anything to the components on the board.
Maybe i am wrong i have to check but this thermal pads could work more efficiently if slightly compressed.
So maybe 2mm above the motherboard and 5mm below should work just fine, and sticked both to the case. As a first move i will open and look at the circuits.
perfectly clear. Thanks a lot indeed !

[Kyrie]

OK, I have got cheap thermal pad (5 mm) and waiting for heatsink.

Thermal pad at bottom side is fantastic!

Without thermal pad normal temperature was about 60 °C. LinX (Linpack, best CPU burn software) warmed up SoC up to 86 °C (trottling) in 1 min 30 sec.

With thermal pad normal temperature is about 50 °C. LinX needs 15 min 25 sec to burn (up to trottling) SoC!

AIDA and software 1080p decoding can not warm up CPU anymore.

[geppetto61]

OK, I have got cheap thermal pad (5 mm) and waiting for heatsink.
Thermal pad at bottom side is fantastic!

Hi ! could you please post a link to the actual product ? Thanks a lot

Without thermal pad normal temperature was about 60 °C. LinX (Linpack, best CPU burn software) warmed up SoC up to 86 °C (trottling) in 1 min 30 sec.
With thermal pad normal temperature is about 50 °C. LinX needs 15 min 25 sec to burn (up to trottling) SoC!
AIDA and software 1080p decoding can not warm up CPU anymore.

very nice ! which SW do you use to monitor the T of the cores ?
I am very willing to pay for it, if it is reliable of course.
I am using Core Temp ... and i have got already bad opinions about its reliablity.
The T stays around 35C max for all 4 cores ... so maybe i am laughing while heading for destruction. I am very ignorant ...
Thanks a lot.