[Gllug] CPU heatsink question

[Chris Bell]

On Fri 07 Mar, Pine wrote:
> 
> I came across your discusion about CPU heatsinks dated Tue Jan 15 2002
> and have the following comments. Silicone oil in any form can be a bad
> think where electronics and contacts are concerned. In general little is
> known about the adverse affect of silicone compounds. Interesting and
> vital information can however be found on the Electrolube web site. Look
> under contact cleaners and silicone. Also look at their non silicone
> thermal compound. I am a satisfied user of their products.
> Regards, Pine
> 
   Don't get confused about oils, solvents, silicon grease and contacts. Any
oil or grease on electrical contacts (that is connectors, etc), may slow or
even prevent corrosion but is likely to collect and hold unwanted debris.
   Many oils degrade with time, so that they become another part of the
problem. Cleaning using solvents can cause serious damage to electronic
components, especially electrolytic capacitors because of damage to their
seals. Gold flashed contacts often have microscopic holes in the thin
coating, and some solvent cleaners can find a way under the surface, then
vapourize so rapidly that they explode under the surface and lift the gold.
Cleaning gold flashed edge connectors using some types of eraser can be the
best option, the old green ball-pen erasers and some modern plastic ones can
clean gently without themselves leaving a deposit trail.
   Silicon grease has been used for many years to bridge thermal gaps
because it is an electrical insulator relatively unaffected by extreme
temperatures, chemical attack, and solvents. It may not be the best
possible, filling the grease with a metallic powder may give better thermal
conduction, but it can move during temperature changes and still be better
than an air gap. Used in this way there is no need to get it anywhere near
electrical contacts.


-- 
Chris Bell


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