- Joined
- Feb 13, 2001
- Location
- Twin Cities
Most of you recall the clamor that ensued following the initial reviews of the Thermosonic ThermoEngine, which revealed a hollow chamber in the middle. Speculations abounded as to what was in the chamber, as well as what should have been in the chamber, though nothing was ever found.
Those of us, working behind the scene generally agreed that there was nothing in the chamber and for good reason. Basically, the heat drawn off the cpu core was coaxed to run up the walls of the chamber, where the fins radiated from. This encouraged the heat to draw out into the fins, as opposed to storing in the mass that would have resulted from a solid core. This was an ingenius idea. Less is indeed, sometimes more.
About a month ago, I embarked upon an experiment to fill that 2-3cc chamber with different materials. Liquids, Solids and Phase Change materials were tried and the results tabulated. These included distiled water, various viscosity oils, various alcohols and solvents, powdered aluminum, copper and silver. Also, Gloubers Salt, Parafin, even Crisco Shortening. I had grand expectiations of finding some magic concoction that would yield some astronomical result. Sadly, not one of these compounds resulted in a temperature change greater than .5C, with most resulting in increased core temperatures.
A week or two ago, I saw a post in these forums, from a fellow who reported that his newly arrived ThermoEngine had no cap on it, where one is observed in the units that ThermoSonic sent out for evaluation. I believe someone responded that perhaps he had missed it or they were mating it so well with the body as to make it undetectable. The thread died of neglect.
Shortly after that, rumors started circulating that Thermosonic was shipping the actual production units with no chamber in the center. Enough samples were analyzed to confirm this to be a fact. These production units did not fare as well in cooling the core as the ones with the chamber in them. No doubt, they were easier (read cheaper) to manufacture without that chamber.
Up to last night, I have been singing praises to their design Engineers and the technical excellence of the approach they took. Now, being convinced that what the reviewers saw is not what the buyers are getting, I must withdraw my accolades and replace them with contemptous mutterings. Reports of several respectable people in the cooling field emailing ThermoSonic for an explanation and getting no response serves only to compound the contempt.
I will no longer be promoting this HSF until more facts emerge as to why ThermoSonic chose this direction. I have tried very hard to control my language in this post, despite feeling somehow betrayed. I have abandoned my project and will be returning the borrowed ThermoEngine to the person who was kind enough to let me use it.
In the mean time, consider the new copper inlayed Taisol, paired up with a good fan. Nothing hidden here and a clip that takes advantage of all three lugs on each side of the socket.
Hoot
Those of us, working behind the scene generally agreed that there was nothing in the chamber and for good reason. Basically, the heat drawn off the cpu core was coaxed to run up the walls of the chamber, where the fins radiated from. This encouraged the heat to draw out into the fins, as opposed to storing in the mass that would have resulted from a solid core. This was an ingenius idea. Less is indeed, sometimes more.
About a month ago, I embarked upon an experiment to fill that 2-3cc chamber with different materials. Liquids, Solids and Phase Change materials were tried and the results tabulated. These included distiled water, various viscosity oils, various alcohols and solvents, powdered aluminum, copper and silver. Also, Gloubers Salt, Parafin, even Crisco Shortening. I had grand expectiations of finding some magic concoction that would yield some astronomical result. Sadly, not one of these compounds resulted in a temperature change greater than .5C, with most resulting in increased core temperatures.
A week or two ago, I saw a post in these forums, from a fellow who reported that his newly arrived ThermoEngine had no cap on it, where one is observed in the units that ThermoSonic sent out for evaluation. I believe someone responded that perhaps he had missed it or they were mating it so well with the body as to make it undetectable. The thread died of neglect.
Shortly after that, rumors started circulating that Thermosonic was shipping the actual production units with no chamber in the center. Enough samples were analyzed to confirm this to be a fact. These production units did not fare as well in cooling the core as the ones with the chamber in them. No doubt, they were easier (read cheaper) to manufacture without that chamber.
Up to last night, I have been singing praises to their design Engineers and the technical excellence of the approach they took. Now, being convinced that what the reviewers saw is not what the buyers are getting, I must withdraw my accolades and replace them with contemptous mutterings. Reports of several respectable people in the cooling field emailing ThermoSonic for an explanation and getting no response serves only to compound the contempt.
I will no longer be promoting this HSF until more facts emerge as to why ThermoSonic chose this direction. I have tried very hard to control my language in this post, despite feeling somehow betrayed. I have abandoned my project and will be returning the borrowed ThermoEngine to the person who was kind enough to let me use it.
In the mean time, consider the new copper inlayed Taisol, paired up with a good fan. Nothing hidden here and a clip that takes advantage of all three lugs on each side of the socket.
Hoot
