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Re: [Amps] Arctic Silver

To: amps@contesting.com
Subject: Re: [Amps] Arctic Silver
From: Steve Thompson <g8gsq72@gmail.com>
Date: Thu, 12 Dec 2013 08:35:33 +0000
List-post: <amps@contesting.com">mailto:amps@contesting.com>
I'll echo other's comments about Arctic Silver, which I've used on numerous high power transistor amps.
Taking for granted that the copper heatspreader and main heatsink 
are milled truly flat, the crucial thing is to get the transistor 
flange flat as well. The majority I've handled are not anywhere 
near flat, and always bowed upwards in the centre (something that 
hasn't improved since the package style first appeared ~30 years 
ago). I use the method mentioned by others - fine emery face up on 
glass. Mirror glass is good, as it tends to be made better and any 
imperfections in the surface show up.
If the copper spreader is thick enough, the heat is spread over a 
large enough area whereby the heat sink compound is less 
significant and the regular white stuff can be used - but even 
that varies in quality. I stick to Dow Corning or Emerson.
Don't assume your copper spreader is flat just because it was 
machined so in the workshop. Most of it is rolled and it's quite 
normal for it to change a bit after the hard outer layer is 
skimmed off (just like timber).
Steve
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