Insulation questions

[Bravo]

Hi

I was wondering if anybody has any decent guides/articles/links that could get me on the road to insulating my Ti4200.

I intend to use an 80watt TEC on it, and want to make sure no water forms :)

[Torinalth]

have you insulated a cpu before? if so it is the same thing, just for a GPU...... neoprene around the area up to the waterblock. user RTV or silicone to seal the edges of the neooprene, use dielectric grease ( non conductive) on the back of the GPU and RTV or silicone a piece ov neoprene to that area.

need anything else?

Torinalth

[Bravo]

Never.

I understand about using Silicon (RTV), Neoprene, and installation, but i am yet to find a worthy guide related to GPU cooling (most of the Procooling articles with regard to insulation are done with Socket370 processors)

[Torinalth]

well aply the same ideals.....

no need for dielectric grease except for mayve to go around the pins of te GPU sides and on the back of the card..... then just use neoprene to create a barrier around the GPU..... prett simple... but I dont know a site offhand to relate to you.

[BermudaTriad]

yeah, what the hell is the dielectric grease for? grease doesn't dry, and i don't want grease just sitting exposed to all that dust and crap.

tape off the important stuff like capacitators, memory, and the gpu, and coat the board with a spray-on conformal coating, like MG Chemical's Acrylic Lacquer Conformal Coating. This will essentially waterproof your card. if you're planning on using a TEC, really all you need is to surround the TEC and everything below it in at least 1/8" of neoprene... just cut a gasket out of a sheet. Unless you're running a chiller, you won't really need to insulate the backside of the card beyond the conformal spray, but it's probably a good idea to slap a sheet of neoprene on there.

[dmitriyaz]

does anyone know of a cheap good conformal coating that can just be peeled off later, without one being able to tell if it was ever there?
either spray-on of goo-type. preferably both :)
thanks

[mdzcpa]

Originally posted by dmitriyaz
does anyone know of a cheap good conformal coating that can just be peeled off later, without one being able to tell if it was ever there?
either spray-on of goo-type. preferably both :)
thanks

This is what I use on my TEC cooled vid cards:
http://www.liquidninjas.com/mdzcpa/reviewphotos/TECupgrade/Picture_031.jpg

It's insulates electrically, is 100% water proof, and peels right off:).


BTW, here's a good "how-to" on insulation for a GPU (http://www.liquidninjas.com/reviews.php?op=showcontent&id=20&page=7)

[docah]

Hey mdzcpa Where's ya pick that stuff up? I'm from around detroit... never seen that stuff before at any of the hardware places i visit.

[mdzcpa]

Originally posted by docah
Hey mdzcpa Where's ya pick that stuff up? I'm from around detroit... never seen that stuff before at any of the hardware places i visit.

docah,

I picked this stuff up at a Murray's autoparts store:)

[dmitriyaz]

thanks mdcpa :)
i see it says "vapors harmful", whats that all about?
is it only when curing?

[mdzcpa]

Originally posted by dmitriyaz
thanks mdcpa :)
i see it says "vapors harmful", whats that all about?
is it only when curing?

Yep...it smells pretty bad until it dries...kinda like turpentine. Once its dry there are no issues whatsoever:) Best part is that it peels off great if need be.

[Wayne H]

I use Acrylic Coating its perfectly clear and you cant even tell its there so if you have to rma they will neevr notice

[dmitriyaz]

mzcpa: last question :)
what color and how transparent is that stuff?
thanks

Wayne:
how easy it is to get it off?
and stupid question, but if you can't notice its there, how do you know that its there?
how much is that stuff and where to get it?
and last but not least, does it cure like regular RTV silicone, at room temperature/humidity?

[Wayne H]

Well you cant get it off at all once its on it stays on but i cant see it being a problem because its very clear and you cant see it.
You cant tell its there realy unless you were the person that put it there its cheap about £3 i dunno where you could get it in the US but i got it from http://www.maplin.co.uk.

[dmitriyaz]

i just thought of something:
regular acrylic is known to cause static electricity,
hence they sell those completely acrylic cases as "for display purposes only";
are you sure there won't be similar type of problem with acrylic coating?
thanks

[Wayne H]

Thats a good point im not to sure about that i have never had any problems but i spose there is a possibitly you may get some. I think it is made to coat circut baords for what every reasons but still:confused:

[dmitriyaz]

ooh,
it is MADE for coating circuit boards?
that changes everything,
could you link me? :)

[Wayne H]

Here is a link to it in the Uk im not sure where you could get it in the US assuming you live there but this should give you an idea what o look for PCB Laqure (http://www.maplin.co.uk/products/module.asp?CartID=021101233720144407&moduleno=29005&modulecode=)

[Wayne H]

Actually that links wrong its for different stuff but its called Acrylic Coating and its made for use with circut boards so just search it up and im sure you will find a reseller your local electronics store will proberly sell it aswell.

Wayne

[mdzcpa]

Originally posted by dmitriyaz
mzcpa: last question :)
what color and how transparent is that stuff?
thanks




It's not transparent at all...it comes in a variety of colors (red, blue, yellow, etc). Here...images speak a thousand words:)
http://www.liquidninjas.com/mdzcpa/reviewphotos/TECupgrade/Picture_038.jpg
http://www.liquidninjas.com/mdzcpa/reviewphotos/TECupgrade/Picture_039.jpg
http://www.liquidninjas.com/mdzcpa/reviewphotos/TECupgrade/Picture_066.jpg http://www.liquidninjas.com/mdzcpa/reviewphotos/TECupgrade/Picture_063.jpg