Is it safe to use the black FOP32 for SocketA CPUs?

[Noriaki]

Is it safe to use the black FOP32 for SocketA CPUs?

I will have the clip from the FOP32-1, but the heatsink body will be the FOP32.

 

[smp]

yeah.. or the black alpha's for that matter?

 

[amdskip]

What's the difference in the clips because I have a black one and a plain aluminum? one.

 

[mechBgon]

To bring the heatsink into contact with the CPU core on a SocketA CPU, the clip has to exert enough pressure to compress the shock pads at the corners of the CPU. AMD approval supposedly requires a non-anodized heatsink, although Alpha manages to get around this somehow. So when the FOP32 was re-designed for AMD approval, it went from black-anodized to silver and also gained the higher-pressure clip.

The black-anodized finish is not really going to make an appreciable difference, but if the heatsink isn't meeting the core properly you will be in trouble. I think you are fine with that setup, Noriaki.

 

[amdskip]

Couldn't u just bend the clip and what about removing the black paint? Will this rust then?

 

[mechBgon]

The blackness is actually not paint, but a thin layer of colored aluminum oxide that's applied using an electrical current in a chemical bath. It won't come off without vigorous methods like sandblasting. Raw aluminum doesn't rust, since it doesn't contain iron, but it does oxidize upon contact with oxygen, coating itself with a microscopic protective layer of aluminum oxide.

I suppose bending the clip to a stronger tension is a possiblity.

 

[amdskip]

coolness

 

[holdencommodore]

The FOP 32(-1??) that I have got is black. Not sure if it is the FOP 32-1 or not. It looks like the one on the Global Win site. It's clip was very tight. Duron 800 is at 35C (case 32C).

 

[NforSa]

the clip actually doesnt need to be that tight, I tried out my old GW FEP-32 (from the k6-2 days) and it compressed the pads just fine

 

[Noriaki]

Yeah I'm not actually concerned about it being Anodized vs non-Anodized (though just a side comment there, Alphas are not on AMD's recommended list, though they work great; not sure what AMD has against Anodized heatsinks...) I'm just wondering as to the actual shape. Someone told me that the black FOP32 has a balancing line for FC-PGA370 chips...I just wanted to know if that was true or what...or maybe they just meant differences in the clip.

 

[Noriaki]

bump for my last Q.

 

[frastini]

the black fop32 has a little lip near the recessed part of the heatsink, if you look at the fop32-1 and fop38 (non annodized) they both do not have that little lip.

it was because of that little lip a good chunk of my duron got crushed. luckly my chip still worked, but i advise filing that lip down before you mount the heatsink

 

[FloridaBoy]

Well.....the clip on my FOP 32-1 gave me fits!!!!! The da$# thing kept on flying off the heatsink when I tried to connect it to the socket....Boing!!!! 3 times! I got tired of removing my artic silver and putting a new coat on the CPU. I finally decided to take a pair of pliers and screwdriver and tightened the clip to the bracket. And it worked, I'm still worried that the spring will pop one day and short my MB or burn up my CPU.

 

[holdencommodore]

frastini:
I had the same problem as you!

My retailer chaimed that it was a FOP32-1, but it has a lip, and it black. Looks like they lied. I chiped my Duron too because the lip did not go over the edge of the socket. At least the Duron still works!!

 

[mlg]

Can I ask who that retailer was? That's worth posting to Reseller Ratings.

 

[holdencommodore]

I'm in Australia, I bought it from the shop, not over the internet...the company has an internet site though... Scorpion Technologies.
I was not sure at the time what the FOP32-1 looked like, as I only had the pic on the Global Win site to go by...

 

[amdskip]

Th black coating will come off easily with a little scrapping. Would it better to leave it on or completely remove it on the bottom. Maybe black absorbs a little more heat???

 

[stiltner]

I've went over this stuff in the HardOCP Forums many times. AMD is on drugs people, why they would approve a non-anodized heatsink over one that is, is beyond me. Aluminux Oxide is non-conductive, but it is fully capable of conducting heat as well if not better than an non-anodized surface. I know, because its my job and I have plenty of customers that make custom heatsinks for industrial uses and would in no way shape or form put one on WITHOUT anodizing it.