insulating a delided cpu

[kohit7]

The title says it all. Im finally installing a peltier cooler and i need to know if i need to insulate my delided cpu. My best guess would be to just use a thin layer of dielectric grease that wont interfere with the exposed dye. This is my first time consulting you guys on this project and i would like your input

 

[m0r7if3r]

I'd think you don't need to, at least not for the top side of it. How are you cooling it currently?

 

[kohit7]

Im on a custom waterloop with an apogee hd block

 

[m0r7if3r]

You don't use any sort of insulation for that do you? The metal on that block will be just as conductive as anything else...

 

[kohit7]

the condensation is what i'm worried about

 

[EarthDog]

How cold will the pelt get? If it can cause condensation you will absolutely need to insulate it.

 

[kohit7]

yes condensation is an issue. I have insulated using weather stripping, silicone and dielectric grease. i figure i could just put a thin layer of the grease and that should be fine.

 

[ChanceCoats123]

Dielectric grease should be just fine. Or if you want a less messy approach, knead-able eraser is always an option.

 

[m0r7if3r]

I thought you were talking about insulating the top side of the CPU (hence mentioning that it's delidded and talking about the dye)? Are you talking about insulating the socket? Or the mobo? You shouldn't need to insulate the dye, as I believe that it's already insulated if you were using some sort of metal heatsink directly on it before. Everything else should be insulated as normal.

 

[kohit7]

I was referring to the exposed pcb around the dye. I'm going to be installing a TEC and I was worried about the condensation getting to it.

 

[m0r7if3r]

I was referring to the exposed pcb around the dye. I'm going to be installing a TEC and I was worried about the condensation getting to it.

Can you post a pic? The PCB around the dye should be lacquered, from my understanding of how they do things...someone correct me if I'm wrong here.

If you want to be extra careful, you could tape off the dye and pins and use silicon conformal on the whole thing.

 

[EarthDog]

Water could get under the chip. He should insulate for sub zero...though not very far around the socket.

 

[m0r7if3r]

Well yes, as I said before, everything else should be insulated as normal. OP is talking about insulating the top of the CPU (specifically the PCB portion surrounding the dye)...I think...I might be way off base here?

 

[EarthDog]

He is. And on a delided chip, that should also be covered, yes. Dieelectric grease would be fine.

 

[kohit7]

thank you guys for answering my question. I was sure that the dielectric grease was good enough but I just wanted to double check so I wasn't missing anything critical. I think with my current setup, I won't be getting any condensation at all. If not, very little then.