Replacement heatsink screws for laptop?

[ShangWang]

I have the Acer Nitro 5 AN515-53.

https://imgur.com/a/qdex3iv

View: https://imgur.com/a/qdex3iv

The laptop I got had overtightened screws, I had no choice but to yank it out because there was just no other way. Where would I find replacement screws for my model? Does anyone know where I can buy them cheap?

I'm looking for the small stainless steel ones. What size are they and does it matter what material they are made of? I'm pretty sure they're M2*4 according to this forum with a similar model to mine:
Nitro 5 AN515-52 heatsink screw size — Acer Community

However I can't find any online which has the same exact screw, this kit seems to have M2*4 but they're made of "Alloy steel" and are black.
QTEATAK 300Pcs Laptop Notebook Computer Replacement Screws Kit for Lenovo Toshiba Gateway Samsung HP IBM Dell Sony Acer Asus SSD Hard Disk SATA : Amazon.ca: Electronics

 

[lvt]

However I can't find any online which has the same exact screw, this kit seems to have M2*4 but they're made of "Alloy steel" and are black.

It doesn't matter what they are made from, for your laptop a screw is a screw, be it alloy, steel or copper.

 

[ShangWang]

It doesn't matter what they are made from, for your laptop a screw is a screw, be it alloy, steel or copper.

Thank you, would it not matter for a heatsink? Is the heat generated from the CPU not enough to even come close to disforming any of the screws/having the screws conduct electricity in an unwanted way?

 

[USAFRet]

Thank you, would it not matter for a heatsink? Is the heat generated from the CPU not enough to even come close to disforming any of the screws/having the screws conduct electricity in an unwanted way?

No, it does not get that hot.

 

[ShangWang]

No, it does not get that hot.

Thanks, I had thought that there must have been a reason for screws to be made of different materials. Does this not matter and is only so people can identify screws better?

 

[USAFRet]

Thanks, I had thought that there must have been a reason for screws to be made of different materials. Does this not matter and is only so people can identify screws better?

Hardness, to ward off deformity and stripping.

If it got hot enough to deform the screws, it would absolutely melt all the surrounding non metallic stuff.
PCB, case, etc.

 

[ShangWang]

Hardness, to ward off deformity and stripping.

If it got hot enough to deform the screws, it would absolutely melt all the surrounding non metallic stuff.
PCB, case, etc.

Thanks! In general do you know what material screws are used for external screwing and internal screwing as well as for heatsinks? Would it be more important for heatsink screws to be more hard?

 

[USAFRet]

Thanks! In general do you know what material screws are used for external screwing and internal screwing as well as for heatsinks? Would it be more important for heatsink screws to be more hard?

I do not know the specific alloy.
Something something steel.

Cheapness comes into play here.

 

[lvt]

No, it does not get that hot.

Indeed, you need 600°C (1100°F) to melt a copper screw.

 

[ShangWang]

Indeed, you need 600°C (1100°F) to melt a copper screw.

Hi, I didn't want to make another thread so I thought I'd ask here.

Specifically for most laptop heatsinks, are screws just supposed to hold down heat sinks? They don't contribute to the pressure they add onto the heatsink, and tightening them all the way does not affect that pressure?

I noticed there are sticky pads surfaces on the heatsink which are in contact with dies around the heatsink which are supposedly thermally conductive, and would help prevent the heatsink from moving.
Do you know what these dies are?

https://imgur.com/a/qr35IUe

View: https://imgur.com/a/qr35IUe

 

[lvt]

Hi, I didn't want to make another thread so I thought I'd ask here.

Specifically for most laptop heatsinks, are screws just supposed to hold down heat sinks? They don't contribute to the pressure they add onto the heatsink, and tightening them all the way does not affect that pressure?

I noticed there are sticky pads surfaces on the heatsink which are in contact with dies around the heatsink which are supposedly thermally conductive, and would help prevent the heatsink from moving.
Do you know what these dies are?

https://imgur.com/a/qr35IUe

View: https://imgur.com/a/qr35IUe

Those pieces are thermal pads of various thickness depending on the location.

You need to tighten the screws but do not use excessive force, when you feel that the screwdriver won't be able to turn further, give it a last push and stop there.

 

[ShangWang]

Those pieces are thermal pads of various thickness depending on the location.

You need to tighten the screws but do not use excessive force, when you feel that the screwdriver won't be able to turn further, give it a last push and stop there.

Thanks! I made sure all screws on my heatsink couldn't turn further, but one is stripped so it was difficult tightening it.

I tightened it as much as I could with it being stripped until I couldn't turn it anymore. I'm assuming it's fine if one screw isn't as thoroughly tightened as all the others as long as the head makes contact and doesn't move?

 

[lvt]

I tightened it as much as I could with it being stripped until I couldn't turn it anymore. I'm assuming it's fine if one screw isn't as thoroughly tightened as all the others as long as the head makes contact and doesn't move?

It's a small surface so you will be fine, but if you are concerned about the stripped screw, you can use a product called Loctite (metal to metal application), apply a bit of Loctite on the stripped screw so it won't move.

 

[ShangWang]

It's a small surface so you will be fine, but if you are concerned about the stripped screw, you can use a product called Loctite (metal to metal application), apply a bit of Loctite on the stripped screw so it won't move.

Oh, no. I want to be able to remove it again in the future! Thank you though.

 

[lvt]

Oh, no. I want to be able to remove it again in the future! Thank you though.

It's removable with appropriate force.

It's a glue after all.

 

[ShangWang]

It's removable with appropriate force.

It's a glue after all.

I see, though I personally don't wanna risk having issues removing it.

Just curious though is loctite usually safe and common to use on heatsink screws? Does it melt from heat?

 

[lvt]

Make sure you use Loctite 242 Blue, it's removable.

 

[lvt]

Just curious though is loctite usually safe and common to use on heatsink screws? Does it melt from heat?

Yes Loctite is made to use on screws.

The 242 Blue can endure 150°C (300°F).

 

[ShangWang]

Make sure you use Loctite 242 Blue, it's removable.

Yes Loctite is made to use on screws.

The 242 Blue can endure 150°C (300°F).

Thank you, though I'm more concerned about the pressure it applies on the heatsink.

I don't think the glue would help with that, but as you said it's a small surface so I'm assuming it has little impact on the effectiveness/even pressure applied on the heatsink to have negative impact on cooling or thermal paste distribution if the head seems to be in contact and the heatsink doesn't budge.

 

[lvt]

I don't think the glue would help with that, but as you said it's a small surface so I'm assuming it has little impact on the effectiveness/even pressure applied on the heatsink to have negative impact on cooling or thermal paste distribution if the head seems to be in contact and the heatsink doesn't budge.

If the heat-sink assembly doesn't move after you tightened three screws, you have nothing to worry.

 

[ShangWang]

If the heat-sink assembly doesn't move after you tightened three screws, you have nothing to worry.

Thank you, that seems to be the case for me it takes a LOT of effort to get the heatsink to move because of the sticky thermal pads for the other dies it touches.

I was told every single screw is necessary but I guess not really if it's that hard to get off, and assuming it doesn't move at all I guess it wouldn't tamper with how the thermal paste is distributed/how well it conducts heat. No issues so far.

Edit: Although is it possible for thermal paste re-form distribute unevenly overtime or will it pretty much stay the same if it doesn't move? Pressure changes won't affect it?

 

[lvt]

Thank you, that seems to be the case for me it takes a LOT of effort to get the heatsink to move because of the sticky thermal pads for the other dies it touches.

I was told every single screw is necessary but I guess not really if it's that hard to get off, and assuming it doesn't move at all I guess it wouldn't tamper with how the thermal paste is distributed/how well it conducts heat. No issues so far.

Edit: Although is it possible for thermal paste re-form distribute unevenly overtime or will it pretty much stay the same if it doesn't move? Pressure changes won't affect it?

Personally, on a setup like this, two screws would be enough for me as long as they are placed diagonally.

Let's think how often people drive their cars with missing nuts on the wheels, one of the wheel runs on the remaining 3 nuts until someone spots it or when the car comes in for periodical service.

 

[ShangWang]

Personally, on a setup like this, two screws would be enough for me as long as they are placed diagonally.

Let's think how often people drive their cars with missing nuts on the wheels, one of the wheel runs on the remaining 3 nuts until someone spots it or when the car comes in for periodical service.

Thanks! Sorry for rambling on but this should be the last thing I'm wondering:

Is it possible for thermal paste re-form/distribute unevenly overtime or will it pretty much stay the same?

Overall thermal paste doesn't change form overtime and a single screw not being super tight doesn't affect that nor makes heat conductivity/how dry the paste gets/less efficient faster overtime?

 

[lvt]

Is it possible for thermal paste re-form/distribute unevenly overtime or will it pretty much stay the same?

Overall thermal paste doesn't change form overtime and a single screw not being super tight doesn't affect that nor makes heat conductivity/how dry the paste gets/less efficient faster overtime?

We are talking about thermal pads, not thermal paste (like on Desktop computer).

A piece of thermal pad will dry overtime but it won't "run out" of place in case of an uneven surface.

And as we talked above, the CPU die where you install the thermal pad is a very small area under a large heat-sink plate, so the fact that one of the screws is missing or loose doesn't affect its function at all.

 

[ShangWang]

We are talking about thermal pads, not thermal paste (like on Desktop computer).

A piece of thermal pad will dry overtime but it won't "run out" of place in case of an uneven surface.

And as we talked above, the CPU die where you install the thermal pad is a very small area under a large heat-sink plate, so the fact that one of the screws is missing or loose doesn't affect its function at all.

Thank you, sorry for going off topic but I was actually asking about the thermal paste. Do you know the answer?