Solder temp wire to heatsink

[Thekio1984]

My pc has wires for temperatures of cpu, hdd & system that need connecting up...instead of using thermal tape to attach the 'cpu' wire to the heatsink, could i solder it instead?

 

[shotgun10ga]

Best thing to use is thermal tape.

 

[Thekio1984]

I get that, but would solder work, the pc is just guna sit there, not be moved or knocked, surely a lil slither of solder would be enough to hold it & not remelt?!?

 

[Mr5oh]

The lowest melting solder I know of melts at 360 F / 180 C roughly, which your heat sink will never see. I did a quick Google search and still the lowest I could is 114 C, which again your heat sink is not likely to see. Seems like it should work fine.

 

[nukemaster]

I am not sure if the temperature sensor can even take the heat of soldering. Can you get an image of the sensor/wire you want to solder.

It is also harder to get a good solder connection to a heatsink because you need enough heat to get it upto a high enough temperature for the solder to stick properly.

 

[Thekio1984]

I am not sure if the temperature sensor can even take the heat of soldering. Can you get an image of the sensor/wire you want to solder.

It is also harder to get a good solder connection to a heatsink because you need enough heat to get it upto a high enough temperature for the solder to stick properly.

these..

soldered in kinda like..

 

[nukemaster]

I think you may melt the plastic. If that happens you will short out the sensor giving you wrong readings or worse damaging the device it is connected to.

the actual sensor is the tip of that device.

 

[Thekio1984]

so does the plastic stay on?!? Im guna try a blob on 1side, slide the sensor wire in, but further in, then carefully mould another blob next to it, as long as the wire insulation doesnt melt right through, it should be ok i wrekon & itll just get a lil hot for a second or two & i doubt itll cause a short, if the pc is unplugged & i dont think any currents got through a heatsink, so im guessin its how careful i can be & wether the solder i have would melt, but it seems to me to be a viable option...sorry if bit noobish, have never had these wires in a pc before & ty for ya help/advice

 

[nukemaster]

The problem is solder sticks best when something is well heated. If not many times it will just form a ball that does not stick.

If you can get it to stick and not melt the insulation for the sensor it should work, I would just tape it down. that is safer and does not have the risk of a ball of solder falling into your system later.

You also want the tip in contact with the heat source for the more accurate measurement. Placing the sensor in the air flow path like that may not get the results you want. Do you see any other flat place or even a spot on the heatpipe to attach it(I am still a fan of tape since it can be removed without damage).

 

[CountMike]

It's plastic and you can't solder that. Inside is a Thermistor or Heat sensitive diode, it's solid state and will brake immediately if subjected to such heat. There are heat conducting glues used to stick coolers to chips, use that instead.
http://www.ebay.com/bhp/thermally-conductive-adhesive

 

[Thekio1984]

Ok this was the results....
Solder hasnt melted, but the heat messed up the sensor...so now its just slotted between heatsink & cpu socket, well as close to the cpu as i could see & get to without removing them..& tbh, temps only differ between about 5c, close enough i guess, thats the led display (on front of case) & cpuid's hwmonitor...only issue is that ive had to use the system sensor for the cpu..2 outta 3 aint bad..hdd & cpu temps right there...roughly

 

[nukemaster]

It was made pretty clear off the start that heat was going to damage the sensors.

Glad to see you are at least getting some use out of it.