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From: john larkin <jl@glen--canyon.com>
Newsgroups: sci.electronics.design
Subject: Re: Effect of colour in SSD heatsinks
Date: Sun, 01 Jun 2025 17:05:32 -0700
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On Mon, 2 Jun 2025 02:01:24 +0530, Pimpom <Pimpom@invalid.invalid>
wrote:

>On 02-06-2025 01:06 am, john larkin wrote:
>> On Sun, 1 Jun 2025 22:10:57 +0530, Pimpom <Pimpom@invalid.invalid>
>> wrote:
>> 
>>> I'm thinking of installing simple heatsinks on the SSDs in my desktop
>>> and other computers. The SSDs are seldom subjected to heavy write loads
>>> and can do very well without the add-on heatsinks. But the peace of mind
>>> they bring is well worth the price of UD$1.10 apiece in a pack of 5.
>>>
>>> Here's an example: https://tinyurl.com/mpjar5bw There's a choice of
>>> three colours on Amazon India - black, gold and plain aluminium. How
>>> much of a difference, if any, will the colour make when fitted inside a
>>> computer case? I expect that cooling will be mostly by convection than
>>> by radiation.
>>>
>>> This is more of an academic interest than of practical requirement
>>> because, as I said, the heatsinks are not a necessity.
>>>
>> 
>> Radiation cooling is tiny for low temp differences, so the finish
>> doesn't matter much.
>> 
>> Plastic packaged ICs usually have a tiny hot spot, visible on a
>> thermal imager. The real virtue of a heat sink is that it spreads the
>> heat laterally. A piece of flat aluminum woud work about as well.
>> 
>> The 1 mm "conductive adhesive" will dominate theta.
>> 
>> 
>Yes, I'm thinking of replacing those pads with the much thinner ones 
>intended for mounting TO-247 devices. Larger uncut sheets will be ideal 
>but I don't know if I can get them here.
>

Best to use silicone grease or epoxy. Theta goes as thickness and
grease or epoxy squash down to microinches.

Our Amazon has tons of Chinese thermal pad stuff in various
thicknesses. Most claim about 7 w/mK and I've tested some that was
actually about that.

Mica is good too. Specific theta is poor but it's very thin. And it's
super cheap.

Here's my Insult program:

https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fi/p1uw2fs6920m1vrave4ly/INSULT.EXE?rlkey=gzxdjdpd9xdy6mby09yecgkkf&dl=0