Thermal pads

[DNRDustin]

When I put the blocks on my vrm's and nb a few months back I got either 14kw or 17kw thermal pads. I've decided to remove the blocks from my loop and put the stock heatsinks back on, temps weren't what I had hoped for. So, is the kw rating a ploy? Should I get expensive pads again, or will anything do? Suggestions? I think ek sent some non conductive paste with the CPU block I got from them. Should I use that in conjunction with the thermal pads?

 

[trents]

Was there any improvement in temps with the water blocks?

 

[DNRDustin]

Yes on the nb, no on the vrm. Ambient has changed, that may have some to do with it, but vrm temps went up about 10c on average under load. That's close to what I saw with stock sinks and no active cooling on the vrm's. I have fans over that block as well. Everybody told me but I didn't believe them. It was cool project-wise, but not temp/performance-wise. Maybe if the copper block had channels cut things would be different, but as it stands actively cooled stock sinks outperforms incorporating those components into my loop.

 

[devlos]

I removed the pads from my vrm and just used a very small dab of paste everywhere it needed them put heatsinks back on without any pads. That did bring temps down by like 6c as far a what I measured in software. To touch it still felt warm. And using a fan on those headaches helps a whole lot more.