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FrozenGate by Avery

No Thermal Paste

SwearBear

SwearBear

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Hey, all. Here's a question I've got. Can stuff like Liquid Metal Filler (compound mainly used for small body repairs on cars, in case someone doesn't know) or toothpaste be used as thermal paste? Right now I'm leaning toward Liquid Metal Filler as it has actual metal particles in it. Sounds like surang-wrap-instead-of-condom kind of thing, but it's better than nothing, right? I wanna fill in some microscopic gaps between module and heatsink.

P.S. As you may have guessed I don't have any thermal paste.
 





SwearBear said:
Hey, all. Here's a question I've got. Can stuff like Liquid Metal Filler (compound mainly used for small body repairs on cars, in case someone doesn't know) or toothpaste be used as thermal paste? Right now I'm leaning toward Liquid Metal Filler as it has actual metal particles in it. Sounds like surang-wrap-instead-of-condom kind of thing, but it's better than nothing, right? I wanna fill in some microscopic gaps between module and heatsink.

P.S. As you may have guessed I don't have any thermal paste.
Click to expand...

WOW :crackup: I have never hear of that. TMI
 
SwearBear said:
I could, but I'm a devout follower of MacGyver.
Click to expand...

Go find a large and old dead CRT monitor (TV or computer I dont care).
They have alot of power devices with thermal grease used.. so you can scrape away some of that grease and use it on your diode.
just note that it sometimes contains berylium oxide.. which is rather bad for you (really bad).

A simple alternative is as said..
cough up 4 bucks for a tube of silicon thermal paste, you wont find a good and easy substitute for thermal paste other then thermal paste.
 
DO NOT USE SILICONE THERMAL PASTE !!!!!!!!!

The silicone part of the paste will migrate onto your diode window if it's anywhere close to it, I use non-silicone thermal paste.
I use Fujipoly sarcon SPG-26NS non-silicone thermal grease. fujipoly.com

and yes you could use epoxy metel filler but rember it's most likely conductive so you must keep it away from your wireing and diode leads.

Peace All...
 
I have a question about this also but its for between heatsink and the host body. Would arctic silver 5 thermal compound appreciably increase the duty cycle of a laser or would it be a waste of money for only a small increase?
 
That will only increase the transfer rate from your diode to the heatsink, what will increase your duty is reliant on the mass and surface area of your heatsink.
(also how its bieng cooled etc).

I never personally used arctic silver for lasers.. but the idea is the same for any grease, just to transfer heat from the heatsource to the heatsink more effectivly.
 
Now another one. Does a 150mw Blue Ray even really need a heatsink? That thing doesn't seem to get that warm even when it's only inside an AixiZ module.
 
Yes it needs a heatsink.
The aixiz is just a piece of chromed brass IIRC, it may not feel hot to you, but trust me, the source of the heat (your diode) is alot hotter. You may not notice it now, but your probably slowly degrading that diode and shortening its lifespan.

Id say most lasers indeed need a heatsink (there are some exceptions where the modules simply dont create enough heat to be a worry in very low powered lasers).
 
Don't take a risk with something that may contain BeO. Now, generally you can see some red or purple coloration in compounds that use BeO but it's not a sure-shot. The thing is, if you have a reaction to BeO, it's a one shot thing, and for the rest of your life you'll be undergoing treatment for it.

Berylliosis is not something to mess with.
 
GBD said:
Yes it needs a heatsink.
The aixiz is just a piece of chromed brass IIRC, it may not feel hot to you, but trust me, the source of the heat (your diode) is alot hotter. You may not notice it now, but your probably slowly degrading that diode and shortening its lifespan.

Id say most lasers indeed need a heatsink (there are some exceptions where the modules simply dont create enough heat to be a worry in very low powered lasers).
Click to expand...

Roger that. I've already killed a diode due to overamperage. Last thing I need is to kill another one.

aryntha said:
Don't take a risk with something that may contain BeO. Now, generally you can see some red or purple coloration in compounds that use BeO but it's not a sure-shot. The thing is, if you have a reaction to BeO, it's a one shot thing, and for the rest of your life you'll be undergoing treatment for it.

Berylliosis is not something to mess with.
Click to expand...

I'll bet there's none to be found in newer TVs, probably from around 80s. They really started controlling hazardous substances like asbestos, lead, phosphorus, etc. in the last few decades. So that's probably not even going to be an issue. Thanks for the concern though.
 
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