Socket A copper spacers

[meaty]

When using them would it be best to :
Put thermal grease all over bottom of the copper spacer(between cpu & spacer).
Also would you put thermal grease all over top of spacer?
Where do you put the grease?

 

[Doh!]

Sorry it's not an answer but a question... where did you get the copper spacer?

 

[meaty]

http://3dcool.com

 

[lenjack]

AMD says not to use copper spacers since they will reflect heat back to the core making it run hotter.

 

[lenjack]

AMD says not to use copper spacers since they will reflect heat back to the core making it run hotter.

 

[Aboroth]

Do you have a link to where AMD says not to use a copper spacer?

 

[lenjack]

I don't recall where I got it, but I saw it referenced on 2 websites 10 days ago. Do a search and you might find it here.

 

[DaddyG]

Lenjack,

The heat doesn't get relected back to the core cause the core will be hotter. The heat is reflected back to the heatsink, which is not good as the ceramic base of the cpu is designed to absorb heat. AMD has also informed HSF manufacturers not to anodize the hsf as this also reflects. The spacers are probably OK with Pee3's that put out about 20watts or so but a big bad BIRD cooks at 50watts+. The other problem that I have with spacers is that they have the potential to take pressure off the die/heatsink surface. AMD states that the heatsink must provide 12-20lbs of pressure for good thermal conductivity.

 

[Serville]

I opposed to what AMD said. I also read about this when I just ordered copper spacer. I had a chance to wonder whether I have to use it when it arrived.

I finally used it for comparison.
My system Duron700@1037 is running 53 full load, and 49 idle (I'm in the tropics where the climate is about 32-33 C). I couldn't achieve this without the spacer. It does help some heat transfer to the heatsink.

I've tried it without the spacer, and the temperature is about 3-4 C hotter.

About the NON_CONDUCTIVE thermal grease, yes you should use the thermal grease over all the bottom of the spacer. This is a must, and the warning is also explained clearly with the instruction paper. Or else, you are risking of shorting the CPU. With non-conductive grease, you are much safer.

It is even better to apply to both sides of the spacer , as I did, because it does help lower the temperature.