Quote from: amix on April 30, 2014, 05:42:00 PM

Quote from: anarchyx914 on April 30, 2014, 05:13:34 PM

To everyone that has done this mod, have any of you needed to upgrade cooling on the unit?

I was using thermal compound on mine, and one of mine shorted out and fried the gridseed. Apparently when you remove the pad, the screws compress down and potentially touch the unit.

Are you guys just leaving stock pads on there? I would like to get aftermarket pads, but to upgrade cooling on 50 of my seeds will be like $200 in thermal pads lol.

The thermal interface grease makes me paranoid now because of the 1 unit that fried.

this has been discussed and mentioned about the risks of shortening out componets etc.
there been many discussion about pads or paste or stock! we all know where you stand wolfey

thermal paste is better - but more messy!
the bits that are touching seem to be the crystal - ive dented mine! - and the chip next to it. theres the option to get the rimmel out and take a bit out of the center column on the heatsink.
I say use the thermal paste underside, thats where most heat goes! trim the heatsink, on top, pads - i use a bit of thermal paste as well to help with adhesion to the chips. be warned though

https://bitcointalk.org/index.php?topic=519112.msg6361304#msg6361304 - concerning the underside of the PCB!

to save some pad yher is no reson to cover the whole of the center column in thermal pad. just cover the tops of the chips - 4 small squares! you can make the one near the power supply a bit bigger to cover the crystal and chip.
and i found Zig post as well Wink

EDIT : yeah adding the link to Zig post WOULD help

: https://bitcointalk.org/index.php?topic=519112.msg6365619#msg6365619

hope this helps. theres no clean answer on this topic - just lots of advie and recommendaitons - good and bad

, its really a person preference, until we get test data on temp and paste vs pads vs stock, but i dont see that happening anytime soon

One last thing dont tighen the screw too much risk of short and risk of damage to PCB - i over tighten and dented my crystal!

Where's the ROFL emoticon!??? Grin