Phase change material for CPU cooling -- what melting temperature is best?

  • Thread starter Thread starter larrymoencurly
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larrymoencurly

AMD recommends the use of phase-change material instead of thermal
paste for the CPU heatsink, and one of the products they recommends
melts at 55C. What would happen if I used something that melted at
50C or 60C instead?

If anybody says that I should use high-performance thermal paste
instead, please tell me how I can get some for free like the phase
change material. ;)
 
larrymoencurly said:
AMD recommends the use of phase-change material instead of thermal
paste for the CPU heatsink, and one of the products they recommends
melts at 55C. What would happen if I used something that melted at
50C or 60C instead?

If anybody says that I should use high-performance thermal paste
instead, please tell me how I can get some for free like the phase
change material. ;)
Click to expand...

I hope $5 doesn't break the bank. :)

Dashi
 
larrymoencurly said:
AMD recommends the use of phase-change material instead of thermal
paste for the CPU heatsink, and one of the products they recommends
melts at 55C. What would happen if I used something that melted at
50C or 60C instead?

If anybody says that I should use high-performance thermal paste
instead, please tell me how I can get some for free like the phase
change material. ;)
Click to expand...

There are more issues.

1) AMD says warranty is voided if you use something other than
phase change material on their list.

2) They sent me a couple of "pads" of phase change material when
I had to remove a heatsink to remove a processor so I could RMA
the motherboard. The pads they sent came with no (zero, nada) directions
for applying. It wasn't straightforward. The material would not
come free from the backing and stick nicely to the heatsink. How
the hell is it supposed to work and where does one get more if one
wants to maintain the warranty?

Don
 
1) AMD says warranty is voided if you use something other than
phase change material on their list.
Click to expand...

I wanted to get some for free. ;) I found the melting temperatures
of some of the AMD approved products , and they ranged from 45C
(Honeywell PCM45) to 58C (Chomerics T725).
2) They sent me a couple of "pads" of phase change material
when I had to remove a heatsink to remove a processor so I
could RMA the motherboard. The pads they sent came with no
(zero, nada) directions for applying. It wasn't straightforward.
The material would not come free from the backing and stick
nicely to the heatsink. How the hell is it supposed to work
and where does one get more if one wants to maintain the warranty?
Click to expand...

Maybe one of the manufacturers, like www.berquistcompany.com, has
instructions.

You may be able to remove it with a razor and spread it on the
heatsink like butter -- really hard, dry butter. That's what I did
when I had to buy a used heatsink (Fry's runs out of good, cheap ones
whenever they advertise a mobo with CPU for $50 or less). I packed it
down with a screwdriver and then smoothed it with razor.
 
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