copper shim

[Rafterman223]

thermaltake sells a copper shim that apparently increases heat dissipation, but i also heard from a friend that it can increase temperature. what are your thoughts

-thanks to all who reply

[UnseenMenace]

I would believe that the shim may have great heat dissipation in itself however due to its placement the heat would still be localised around the CPU rather than drawn upwards through the heatsink and as such would actually increase CPU operating tempratures. Its also worth remembering that copper is conductive and as such can short circuit the CPU bridges

[lennytiger]

Welcome to the Forums Rafterman,

A copper shim would not be the best to use as it doesn't allow the heatsink and fan to dissipate heat aswell. If you are careful taking the heatsink on and off you don't need a shim.


Can I just say to the new members out there, think about trying folding@home we need all the help we can get and If your comp is up to it why not give it a go. Head over to the folding@home forum now!!!

[Christoph]

I would have to agree. Shims, as far as I've seen, are a bad idea. They may offer you some protection, but they could also engender a false sense of security. If you're careful and don't let yourself get careless, you'll have no problems with most HSFs.
Welcome! Don't stay here too long; you might end up with a watercooling system. :D

[Kingslayer]

Would you people please explain to me how a copper ship, that is less than 1/32 of an inch in thickness holds heat back?

Please, show me a link with some scientific proof that this happens. Not a review done by some half baked website ran by idiots that only care about keeping the hardware they get...

[RangerJoe34]

whatever you do, do not get a copper shim
they conduct electricity and they hold in heat. if oyu are going to get a shim, get an anodized shim.....these are MUCH better.....you can get them at www.hardcorecooling.com the copper shims dont work as well at all, i have tried both and the copper shims caused temps to go up 2 C. the anodized shim looks cooler also.....

later

[Intraveinous]

They look cooler??? Who cares??? It will be buried under your HSF anyway... :D
I personally have never used a shim, I've killed 1 chip and chipped another, but those were both me deciding that working on my computer after coming home from the bar was a good idea. hehe... I don't know if they hold in heat, help disappate it, or otherwise, but I've never felt the need to have one.
Peace
John

[azhari]

Originally posted by Kingslayer
Would you people please explain to me how a copper ship, that is less than 1/32 of an inch in thickness holds heat back?

Please, show me a link with some scientific proof that this happens. Not a review done by some half baked website ran by idiots that only care about keeping the hardware they get...
I don't remember when or where, but I did read on an OC site about someone measuring temps with and w/o copper shims. Their results showed that WITH the shim, temps were a degree or two higher. Their explanation, which rang true with me considering my background, is that the copper shim spreads the heat very efficiently. Unfortunately, this heat is spread to the cpu packaging just as efficiently as it did to the hsf. So the temperature monitor which was placed next to the cpu, under the hsf and I don't know how he fit it there, was reading more of the heat. This doesn't mean that the core is running hotter, but that the heat is getting to the thermistor more efficiently. So the result is not final. The best way to test this would be to drill a hole clear through the center of the hsf and measure temps on the core directly.

Although I have access to precision drilling machines, I don't have the guts, nor the desire, to experiment with my expensive Swifty :D So If some brave soul tries this, it would be definitive proof of a shims effects. But you will be heating the packaging more too, of this I have no doubt.

[UnseenMenace]

Originally posted by Kingslayer
Would you people please explain to me how a copper ship, that is less than 1/32 of an inch in thickness holds heat back?

Please, show me a link with some scientific proof that this happens. Not a review done by some half baked website ran by idiots that only care about keeping the hardware they get...


A report with evidence was written about this matter for Overclockers.com by the highly respected Steve Foster and can be read Here (http://www.overclockers.com/articles313/index.asp)

Obviously we all have our own opinions however I would be most interested in your views of the report.

[Rafterman223]

dosent the heat from the CPU though come from the core itself, if the shim wasnt covering it i dont quite understand why it would raise temperatures