(Another) GPU pot insulation guide

[K404]

Thanks to buckeye for prodding me on this one

Prepping a mobo + CPU pot is easy, GPUs are a bit harder because of the angled contact surface

I started insulating my new MousePot today, thought that some pics might give ideas to folk who might have to deal with this in future.

Always check clearances et al before starting





Deal with awkward bits first:



When cutting lengths of neop tape, make sure you cut it slightly longer than the measured distance suggests- if the neop is stretched, it will start to pull back over time and the more layers you have, the worse it will be.





Make sure the tape sits as tightly against brackets, edges etc as possible. Condensation is sneaky.






When putting strips next to each, use a small overlap, then when its roughly applied, pull the top layer back and in, so it fits snug against the strip thats already on.



If done right, the join line all but disappears.





This is how it looks afterwards- it will never be *as* good when there are a lot of corners to deal with, but long straights will fit better.

When a layer is done, LEAVE IT ALONE FOR A WHILE! The neop needs to settle. Adding layers too quickly means its more likely to bugger up when it all settles.







Use as few bits of tape as possible. The fewer join lines the better, and deffo avoid patchworks if you can

This has taken me a few attempts to get "right-" Dan, Busta and Barron have seen my earlier attempts

Layer 2:



I cut a strip in two, so once applied, the seam lines wouldnt match up- brickwork effect. Slightly stronger and doesnt offer a direct set of paths from the pot to the external air.



I chose to cut down the sections at the top + bottom to be flush with the metal so I could use a simple square piece of insulation around the mounting plate- simple join lines create fewer gaps, especially given the height of the studs to hold on the plate.



Next layer goes on, with cut-outs for the corners of the hold-down. Things dont 100% match up here. The thickness + dimensions of the plate are at odds with the thickness of the neoprene by about 1mm, but by the time its finished it shouldnt matter.



One-piece contact surface surround added. Nice tight fit. Next layer will cover the sides of this and the exposed metal






Next layer:

The hold-down plate is now completely surrounded. (although theres a gap between that and the neoprene)





The line in the neoprene is to mark the top of the PCB. Theres some difference in distance between the core and the top of the PCB between different GPUs but not much.






The last couple layers have thrown up a few mistakes because iv been doing this when iv not been fully awake. Still fairly happy with the work overall. Still a few more bits to be added/tweaked.

The only pics missing are of the back of the pot where i built up a few more layers.


Thanks to XS admin for choosing to allow unlimited images per post

Will edit this with a few more pictures of how the pot looks when I can. Maybe in the next few days