OK to install a heatsink directly over a thermal pad?

[dundundata]

Hello,

I am wondering if it is OK to install a heatsink directly over a thermal pad?

This is not for a PC but for an LCD TV. The main board chip has a thermal pad about 2mm thick (40mm x 40mm). I am not sure what material it is made out of. I would rather not try and remove it.

It is not a normal heatsink install like on a PC motherboard in the sense that there are no holes for pins/screws on the board. My plan is to use some Arctic Silver Thermal Adhesive directly onto the thermal pad and then install a low profile copper heatsink onto it.

The link below shows my board, it's the green one with no heatsink. It looks as though they added one perhaps on a later model judging by some of the other pictures.

http://www.google.com/search?q=BN94...tYHgDw&sqi=2&ved=0CAQQ_AUoAA&biw=1024&bih=616

Thanks!

-D

 

[kriswitak]

I would not do that. I would just go ahead and remove the older thermal pad, place the arctic silver directly onto the main chip and then put the low profile heatsink on it.

If you put the paste right on the pad and then the heatsink on that, it's not going to do much. The heat transfer will be much better if you remove the pad. Worst case scenario, it gets too hot, you can put the pad back on, or buy replacement pads.

 

[dundundata]

Ok thanks. I am really afraid to try and take the pad off. I cannot find another main board anywhere so if I damage something...my TV may be toast. I've no idea what they attached the pad with.

Maybe my best bet would be to get a computer fan and cutout a hole for it in the TV case and just run that.

 

[dundundata]

Best answer selected by dundundata.