What is that nasty stuff behind the ICM and plate?
04-05-2010, 01:11 PM
#5
Sorry to dredge the thread, but I had a specific question about this. I saw the same crud when I did the cooling mod a couple of weeks ago. my grease was a bit waxy but felt soft enough to do the job so I left it, not knowing its thermal and electric insulating properties.
Specifically:
Joe, you said dielectric grease. Is this because it A) helps insulate the ICM electrically from the backing plate and B) acts adequately as a thermoconductor to allow the backing plate to do its job as a heatsink?
I had thought about using some of thet arctic silver stuff that PC modders use for high temp overclocking. It does have micro metal flake in it. Do you think this would have potential to cause a problem with the ICM?
Specifically:
Joe, you said dielectric grease. Is this because it A) helps insulate the ICM electrically from the backing plate and B) acts adequately as a thermoconductor to allow the backing plate to do its job as a heatsink?
I had thought about using some of thet arctic silver stuff that PC modders use for high temp overclocking. It does have micro metal flake in it. Do you think this would have potential to cause a problem with the ICM?
04-05-2010, 02:15 PM
#7
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Dielectric grease I believe is a semi-conductor allowing the electric current to only flow one way. This helps insulate the metal components and helps prevent any quirks at the icm.
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04-05-2010, 02:41 PM
#9
It's neither silicone or dielectric.
It's Thermal Paste
From wikipedia
Thermal grease (also called thermal gel, thermal compound, thermal paste, heat paste, heat sink paste, heat transfer compound, or heat sink compound) is a fluid substance, originally with properties akin to grease, which increases the thermal conductivity of a thermal interface by compensating for the irregular surfaces of the components. In electronics, it is often used to aid a component's thermal dissipation via a heat sink.
The metal plate behind the ICM is a heat sink with cooling fins. The thermal paste (can be found at radio shack and is usually sold with a replacement ICM) conducts the heat to the cooling fins to keep the ICM cool. Most ICM failure is due to the paste drying up and not allowing the ICM to stay cool.
It's the exact same paste used behind a PC processor chip stuck to it's cooling fins/fan combo unit.
Apply a thin coat to the entire back of the ICM, press it to the cooling plate and wiggle it a little bit to evenly distribute the paste between the two and then tighten to the correct torque settings (don't remember at this time)
It's Thermal Paste
From wikipedia
Thermal grease (also called thermal gel, thermal compound, thermal paste, heat paste, heat sink paste, heat transfer compound, or heat sink compound) is a fluid substance, originally with properties akin to grease, which increases the thermal conductivity of a thermal interface by compensating for the irregular surfaces of the components. In electronics, it is often used to aid a component's thermal dissipation via a heat sink.
The metal plate behind the ICM is a heat sink with cooling fins. The thermal paste (can be found at radio shack and is usually sold with a replacement ICM) conducts the heat to the cooling fins to keep the ICM cool. Most ICM failure is due to the paste drying up and not allowing the ICM to stay cool.
It's the exact same paste used behind a PC processor chip stuck to it's cooling fins/fan combo unit.
Apply a thin coat to the entire back of the ICM, press it to the cooling plate and wiggle it a little bit to evenly distribute the paste between the two and then tighten to the correct torque settings (don't remember at this time)
04-05-2010, 04:51 PM
#13
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While dielectric grease may have some similar properties to thermal grease (like what is used on computer CPUs), dielectric grease is not the same and is not the correct thing to use on the back of the ICM. Thermal grease is.
04-05-2010, 07:43 PM
#14
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Correct - a-mundo!
It's thermal paste. I used some Arctic Silver I had lying around from modding my rig.
FWiW - I removed the ICM from contacting the head. I've read a few interesting posts from guys who seemed to think it ran cooler. Most electrical components last longer/run better cooler, so in theory - it makes sense.
Not sure, but it has not caused me any problems by spacing it off of the head. The way I figure it, the added air circulating around it has to be cooler than a constant 160 degrees.
It's thermal paste. I used some Arctic Silver I had lying around from modding my rig.
FWiW - I removed the ICM from contacting the head. I've read a few interesting posts from guys who seemed to think it ran cooler. Most electrical components last longer/run better cooler, so in theory - it makes sense.
Not sure, but it has not caused me any problems by spacing it off of the head. The way I figure it, the added air circulating around it has to be cooler than a constant 160 degrees.
