Question: Installing VGA Silencer

[Chalky]

Ok, here is the deal answer me these questions overclocking experts!

The Arctic Cooling VGA Silencer has a clip that holds the heatsink to the
GPU or atleast the GPU shim. Now, I haven't dismantled my card yet to
install this thing, but am I correct in assuming that the Silencer heatsink
will not make actual contact with the GPU because there is a shim that
surrounds the GPU that prevents contact. Rather, there is a gap that must be
filled in with some kind of thermal conducting compound. (I've never done
anything like this before, obviously). Now, because there is a clip that
holds the heatsink on the board, I do not need to use an adhesive, or sticky
compound, correct? I'm not gluing the heatsink to the GPU--the compound is
just for conducting heat. Therefore, I can use something that may have
better conductive properties, like Arctic Silver 5--which is a "grease,"
instead of the silicon compound that comes with my cooler. Correct?

Now, here is where I am confused. How much of this silver grease should I
squirt on there? Does it get blobbed on so that it makes solid contact with
the GPU, and if so will it ooze out? If I use to little and the contact is
not solid, won't I fry my GPU when I fire it up? Am I basicially just
filling in the gap as much as possible? Once installed, is this stuff stable
or is it going to be oozing out on my board?

Someone give me some detailed advice here, this step seems perilous.

G

 

[Lou]

Ok, here is the deal answer me these questions overclocking experts!

The Arctic Cooling VGA Silencer has a clip that holds the heatsink to the
GPU or atleast the GPU shim. Now, I haven't dismantled my card yet to
install this thing, but am I correct in assuming that the Silencer heatsink
will not make actual contact with the GPU because there is a shim that
surrounds the GPU that prevents contact. Rather, there is a gap that must be
filled in with some kind of thermal conducting compound. (I've never done
anything like this before, obviously). Now, because there is a clip that
holds the heatsink on the board, I do not need to use an adhesive, or sticky
compound, correct? I'm not gluing the heatsink to the GPU--the compound is
just for conducting heat. Therefore, I can use something that may have
better conductive properties, like Arctic Silver 5--which is a "grease,"
instead of the silicon compound that comes with my cooler. Correct?

Now, here is where I am confused. How much of this silver grease should I
squirt on there? Does it get blobbed on so that it makes solid contact with
the GPU, and if so will it ooze out? If I use to little and the contact is
not solid, won't I fry my GPU when I fire it up? Am I basicially just
filling in the gap as much as possible? Once installed, is this stuff stable
or is it going to be oozing out on my board?

Someone give me some detailed advice here, this step seems perilous.

G

No, I am not an overclocker nor an expert, but I did install an Arctic VGA
silenser.
I read an old post about a big gap with the shim in place, but when I took
off the stock HSF on my ATI 9800 PRO I put a strieght edge (good quality
steel ruler) accross the GPU and shim and there was no gap. I used a very
thin layer of Artic Silver 3 (because thats what I already had and most
posts I read claim it to be better).

If you do have a gap on your card and its really big (say as big as a few
pieces of paper) then I would try to get a thin (thinner than the gap) piece
of metal, preferable copper and use it to fill the gap rather than taking
the shim off.

Lou

 

[Kent_Diego]

The Arctic Cooling VGA Silencer has a clip that holds the heatsink to the
GPU or atleast the GPU shim. Now, I haven't dismantled my card yet to
install this thing, but am I correct in assuming that the Silencer heatsink
will not make actual contact with the GPU because there is a shim that
surrounds the GPU that prevents contact. Rather, there is a gap that must be
filled in with some kind of thermal conducting compound. (I've never done
anything like this before, obviously). Now, because there is a clip that
holds the heatsink on the board, I do not need to use an adhesive, or sticky
compound, correct? I'm not gluing the heatsink to the GPU--the compound is
just for conducting heat. Therefore, I can use something that may have
better conductive properties, like Arctic Silver 5--which is a "grease,"
instead of the silicon compound that comes with my cooler. Correct?

The clip (bracket) goes on back of card transfers the force of the screw
heads to circuit card behind the GPU. There is a gap caused by the shim
height. I put a big glob of the supplied thermal paste on the GPU and
carefully tightened the screws. Line up the heatsink's screw hole by eye.
It works great.

-Kent

 

[GTX_SlotCar]

I put a bead of Arctic Silver 5 about the size of a BB on the center of the
chip. I'm sure it's more than what was needed. The gap is about as thick as
a piece of paper (7 to 8 mils).

Gary

 

[Debug]

I put a bead of Arctic Silver 5 about the size of a BB on the center of the
chip. I'm sure it's more than what was needed. The gap is about as thick as
a piece of paper (7 to 8 mils).

Gary

I read the latest Zalman VGA heatpipe is designed to overcome this
issue. Doesn't sound good filling up a gap with thermal paste. Thermal
paste is supposed to be applied very thinly and is just to fill in the
micro pits and not a gap.

 

[J. Clarke]

I read the latest Zalman VGA heatpipe is designed to overcome this
issue. Doesn't sound good filling up a gap with thermal paste. Thermal
paste is supposed to be applied very thinly and is just to fill in the
micro pits and not a gap.

The Zalman comes with two transfer blocks, a small one with a raised center
intended for the ATIs that have the shim, and a wider flat one for other
chips that need more contact surface.

 

[Hans van den Tillaart]

Since the thermal compound is a bit sticky but no glue u can do the
following:
Apply a drop on the GPU and push the silencer on it . Then pull it off to
see the spot you have created.After that apply more drops until you see
there's everywhere contact! It's that simple. ( i removed the shim of my
9800SE after playing a game to heat up the GPU, a very dangerous situation!!
but succeeded).

Hans van den Tillaart

----- Original Message -----
From: "Chalky" <[email protected]>
Newsgroups: alt.comp.periphs.videocards.ati
Sent: Tuesday, March 02, 2004 4:05 AM
Subject: Question: Installing VGA Silencer