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How to insulate mobo for SS phase unit

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moocow

Member
Joined
May 14, 2003
This is just your basic normal insulation guide for using a Single Stage phase unit.

Generally speaking, if you are running a single stage phase unit the amount of cold that travels from side to side is very limited. Cold will travel through the processor to the backplate. But aside from that there is not much to worry about. My guide is kind of overkill, but it doesn't hurt to protect everything around the cpu socket area.
This insulation method can also be used for Dry ice and Ln2, but with those other cooling types I would use much more armaflex, eraser, and paper towels.


To start out you will need the following:
1. Lots of artists eraser. - I just buy them in bulk so I can have a couple of boards insulated at once, or it also allows me to use thick layers of eraser.
2. Armaflex - This stuff is like neoprene foam. It keeps cold from traveling and limits condensation buildup.
3.Shop paper towels- I buy these since they are thicker than normal paper towels. You can also use normal paper towels, shamwow, toiler paper or whatever else you've got sitting around. This is to just soak up any built up water that forms on the eraser.

-First off you want to insulate the socket area on the motherboard.

I generally just fill the whole socket area with eraser all the way to any heatsinks and shove eraser down into any cracks to keep mosfets and other components from getting wet. Most of them will be able to keep themselves warm so you do not have to worry about them getting too cold on the other side of the heatsink.

P1010113.jpg


Next off you want to insulate the backside of the motherboard. I usually just do it around the area where the backplate sits and the mounting holes are. You can extend farther than that for colder cooling methods, but for a single stage mount it is fine.
One of the nice things about eraser is that you can keep using it. You might notice that the eraser I use is a bit dirty, but that is due to it being almost three years old :D

P1010116.jpg


After insulating the back of the motherboard you want to insulate the backplate a bit. I am using the mounting pieces from my F1 CPU pot instead of the mounting from my SS unit but the principal is the same.
In this case I am using the included piece of rubber to keep the cold from spreading to the backplate as much. You can also use armaflex or frost king in place of the rubber.

P1010119.jpg
P1010118.jpg

After that you want to slide the backplate and insulation onto the back of the motherboard

P1010121.jpg

The rods should stick up through the board and be ready to go.
After that I go ahead and cut out a piece of paper towel to fit in the cpu socket area. This soaks up any moisture that shows up on top of the artists eraser. Generally speaking, you want to cut a hole bigger than the cpu socket to mount the phase head (or cpu pot).
P1010122.jpg
P1010126.jpg


Then comes the armaflex. Make sure to cut the hole big enough to fit the evap head as well as whatever insulation covers it. If you are using a cpu pot, a good idea is to cut the insulation so that it covers the bottom portions of the cpu pot in a layered fashion.
With phase, you don't really need to do that. But if you feel like over-insulating to be extra safe you sure can. Personally, I don't feel the need so I have skipped that.

P1010128.jpg


Depending on who makes your Phase unit the insulation might differ. My phase uses some sort of fiberglass insulation inside of a clamshell. If the head of your single stage is bare, you can go ahead and insulate it with tube-shaped armaflex. Just make sure to get a good fit so there is a seal.

P1010129.jpg

A good tip to ensure that your mount is good is to press down the evap head then move it around and check the thermal paste. If everything looks good go ahead and tighten it down using the included mounting hardware provided, or whatever mounting hardware you might be using.

P1010132.jpg

Once it is tightened down everything should be ready to go. Flip the switch and you will be able to bench for hours without worrying about having to maintain a cpu pot.
P1010133.jpg
 
I'd recommend using far less kneaded rubber, you only need a thin layer. The thicker it is the more cold will flow through it and the further the frost/condensation will reach.
 
looks like a mess XD

i also use alot less and dont use any on the back just the neoprene on the backplate

same way on ln2 also
 
Frost creep on ln2 dom? Or do you keep it loaded to stay warm?

I know my mosfet heatsinks and stuff frost over usually.
 
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I'd recommend using far less kneaded rubber, you only need a thin layer. The thicker it is the more cold will flow through it and the further the frost/condensation will reach.

On Ln2 maybe. On Phase? Not really. The amount of cold that travels is pretty much non-existent.

This is just a slap insulation+ eraser in there to get it insulated. Not trying to be neat and tidy or anything of the sort.
 
Frost creep on ln2 dom? Or do you keep it loaded to stay warm?

I know my mosfet heatsinks and stuff frost over usually.

i use 2 deltas blowing on the mb so dont get any frost build up

but did have trouble with the 1st dimm slot fixed it with eraser was pita to take out lol

but i just put enough on the cpu side to cover the caps all around the cpu area to the dimm and pci-e
 
I know, that it's a bit old thread, but I belive that this info might be useful. When benching on phase change I use only armaflex sheets, bo kneader erasers etc. due to mess, which it leaves. Everything is fine, but don't let the platform to get warm. When you start your phase cooler, it will have to work all the time. And it always worked for me ;)
 
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