Heat sink grease

oldschool · 2018-04-12T05:37:18+00:00

When mounting power transistors and chips to a heat sink they often use heat shrink grease to help dissipate the heat. Over the years I have replaced or added this grease which I purchased at Radio Shack. One tube lasted many years for the occasional times I needed it. I dont need any right now, but I do not have any more on hand for the next time i need it. Anyhow, I understand this grease is pure 100% silicone grease. I've seen it in both clear and white. I just tuned up my car and replaced the plugs and wires. The auto parts store guy suggested using something called "Spark Plug boot grease". It was only $3 and I know all too well how plug wires tend to get stuck on the plugs and by the time I get them off, I ripped off the terminal inside the boot. So, I bought and used this grease. (which I know also repels moisture from getting into the plug boots). There is a lot left in the tube and I was just putting it away so I can find it the next time I need it. I was reading the package and it says 100% pure silicone grease. Hmmmm, wouldn't this be the same stuff used to mount semiconductors to heat sinks? It sure does look the same too... If it's the same, I'll have some for heat sink use too, and in that case, it gets put in with my electronics repair stuff, rather than in my garage. I doubt it's affected by cold weather, but keeping it in the house will keep it at room temp all year long, rather than freezing in the garage in winter. I thought I'd post this to see if anyone has used this for semiconductors on heat sink, grease, or is there some reason NOT to use this stuff for that purpose? (If this is the same stuff, it's a heck of a lot cheaper to buy it at an auto parts store).

Heat sink grease

Apr 12, 2018 42 Replies

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Mike S 8 years ago

I don't know the correct physics, just read a bit...

Satellite observations The alternative is an indirect method that uses satellites fitted with radar altimeters. These spacecraft can infer the shape of the ocean bottom from the shape of the water surface above. Because water follows gravity, it is pulled into highs above the mass of tall seamounts, and slumps into depressions over deep trenches.

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The Hidden Earth: Undersea Mountains by the Thousands

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Clifford Heath 8 years ago

Makes perfect sense to me. Consider, the material of the mount must be more dense than water. If its mechanical strength evaporated it would droop down to form a level plain. So there's more mass between the peak and the center of the earth, and more between mean sea level and the center also. More mass, more gravity. It'll pull the sea surface towards itself.

Clifford Heath.

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~misfit~ 8 years ago

Interesting, thanks.

Shaun. "Humans will have advanced a long, long way when religious belief has a cozy little classification in the DSM*." David Melville (in r.a.s.f1) (*Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders)

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