Best way to attach video ram sinks?

[gbkinum1]

I asked this question in my other thread but it got closed for some reason. Boiler was trying to explain to me, but I wasn't entirely sure what he meant. So the tiny dot of superglue makes sense, but where does the thermal compound go?

 

[spasmolytic46]

Do not put superglue on your videocard! Not even a little tiny drop! Do put a little tiny drop of thermal paste in between the ram and the heatsink. Let it set for the appropriate amount of time (check the makers instructions) before use.

 

[bucknutty]

What exactly are you trying to do? Are you replacing the heatsink on your card? or adding after market heat sinks to the ram in addition to the gpu heatsink?

If you are replacing the heatsink they are normally screwed to the board. A drop of a thermal transfer paist goes on the GPU. The ram makes contact to the heat sink through thermal transfer pads that look like white sticky tape. Many less expensive video cards dont even attach the ram to the heatsink.

If you are adding aftermarker heatsinks to the ram to go along with the heatsink on the gpu then i would get the little square ones that come with the sticky on them. You just peel and stick. Zalman makes some nice expensive ones but you can get generics on the internet for like $2 for 8.

They also make special thermal compound that also acts a glue. You basically glue the heat sink on with it.

I would not use superglue because it dries like a hard plastic. I would think it would be more of an insulator and keep the heat in.

 

[gbkinum1]

Sorry I should have given the other details from the other thread before I posted here. I'm adding my GPU to my water cooling loop with a universal block, I'm trying to attach video ram heatsinks to the VRM + Vram because they will no longer have the stock cooling. My understanding is that the "thermal adhesive" is essentially permanent, and using a tiny tiny drop of superglue to attach them means I could probably take them off and reuse them in my next setup.

 

[bucknutty]

I like the peel stick heat sinks. You can wiggle and twist them off if you have to. Clean the ram surface with alcohol after you remove them.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16835708012

I have never seent he super glue method.

 

[delluser1]

http://www.frozencpu.com/products/10223/thr-75/3M_8815_Thermally_Conductive_Adhesive_Transfer_Tape_-_2_x_2.html

 

[rubix_1011]

Superglue works perfectly fine if you use very small, controlled amounts. It's less permanent than thermal adhesive.

My understanding is that the "thermal adhesive" is essentially permanent, and using a tiny tiny drop of superglue to attach them means I could probably take them off and reuse them in my next setup.

Yes. If you use very small, controlled amounts, this will be the result, which is desired.

You cannot simply use thermal paste to stick RAMsinks, they will just fall off.

 

[spasmolytic46]

Superglue works perfectly fine if you use very small, controlled amounts. It's less permanent than thermal adhesive.

My understanding is that the "thermal adhesive" is essentially permanent, and using a tiny tiny drop of superglue to attach them means I could probably take them off and reuse them in my next setup.

Yes. If you use very small, controlled amounts, this will be the result, which is desired.

You cannot simply use thermal paste to stick RAMsinks, they will just fall off.

I'm doing it right now (thermal paste) and have been for almost 2 years straight, on the original application.

 

[rubix_1011]

I guess if you were using a very sticky thermal paste, you could, but not all TIM is like that.

 

[spasmolytic46]

Well I guess consider it an endorsement for Matrix Thixotropic (by Arctic Silver). It survived being moved from one case to another as well a 10 mile house move in almost 2 years.

 

[wolfram23]

I used some thermal adhesive. It's just a sticky version of thermal paste. It hardens up nicely, but it's not as tough as super glue. I redid several of the sinks (long story) and they twisted off fairly easily, the adhesive gets kind of brittle.

 

[gbkinum1]

From the sounds of it, it is still possible to reuse the thermal heatsinks with thermal adhesive.. so I'll probably just use the stuff the kit comes with. Thanks for all the replies!

 

[gbkinum1]

Best answer selected by gbkinum1.

 

[rubix_1011]

You use anything, really, and as long as you are careful, you should be able to remove the heatsinks. It really depends- how diligent you are with the application of the thermal adhesive as to how easy you remove them, later.