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Electronics => Repair => Topic started by: cvanc on July 30, 2019, 03:43:03 am

Title: Thermal insulating pads: Replace every time, or re-use?
Post by: cvanc on July 30, 2019, 03:43:03 am

I've always replaced them, even when they looked fine, but I wonder if I'm being more conservative than I need to be?  Is it really necessary to replace these every time?

What do you do?  Thanks.

Title: Re: Thermal insulating pads: Replace every time, or re-use?
Post by: TERRA Operative on July 30, 2019, 04:47:38 am

Depends on how lazy I'm feeling and how critical the part is.

Vreg for a relatively low power PSU? usually reuse if it isn't too old. Expensive ASIC or FPGA or other esoteric or critical part? New pads all the way.

Sometimes I'll add a tiny bit of thermal paste to each side of the sil-pad too, it helps stick things in place while I fumble around with the mounting screws etc.