Predator Helios 300 - PH315-54-760S - Thermal Pad Replacement

Nowaki

Does anyone know the correct thickness(es) of the thermal pads used in various places on the motherboard for the PH315-54-760S? I am going to need to remove the heatsink for the CPU/GPU for repasting, and I will need to replace the thermal pads at the same time since they are typically destroyed in the process of removing the heatsink from the motherboard.

Any insight is appreciated.

JackE

>>>I will need to replace the thermal pads >>>

If it was mine, I'd only use a thin layer of a good paste like Kryonaut or ArcticMX4. Finger smeared on the two surfaces with maybe a tiny dab in the middle of the heatsink for good measure but not to overflow on snugging the thermal module screws. No pads.

AnhEZ28

@Nowaki those are thermal putty. They can still be reused even if the heatsink is disassembled. If have managed to clean those, you can replace the thermal putty with 1.0mm thermal pad.

JackE

Thermal pads not mentioned in the specsheets that I have access to. But if pads are used anyway, pad thickness when squished between the heatsink & CPU/GPU usually determines the gap. The thinner the pad, the better the heat transfer.

The only reason I'd consider using a pad is if the contact surfaces aren't flat & fully kissing each other when the thermal module screws are snugged down. And even then, I'd instead use a thin sheet of finger-kneaded thermal putty to fill possible voids. Electrician's non-hardening clay sealing putty from HomeDepor or Lowes seems to do a good heat transfer job in cases where the mating surfaces aren't too good.

JackE

>>>I will need to replace the thermal pads >>>

If it was mine, I'd only use a thin layer of a good paste like Kryonaut or ArcticMX4. Finger smeared on the two surfaces with maybe a tiny dab in the middle of the heatsink for good measure but not to overflow on snugging the thermal module screws. No pads.

Nowaki

JackE said:

>>>I will need to replace the thermal pads >>>

If it was mine, I'd only use a thin layer of a good paste like Kryonaut or ArcticMX4. Finger smeared on the two surfaces with maybe a tiny dab in the middle of the heatsink for good measure but not to overflow on snugging the thermal module screws. No pads.

Really? Interesting. The gap isn't too large? The gaps above the RAM and VRE chips that interface with the heatsink in previous PH315 designs (such as the PH315-51/52) have been measured to be 1.0 to 1.5 mm in size. That would be a bit much for paste, wouldn't it? Or is the 54 using a different design for the heatsink interface? I did see video of someone disassembling a PH315-54 and the material covering the RAM and VRE's did look more like a paste than a pad (the person who took it apart said the pads had "melted" but I was really skeptical of that).

Nowaki

Sorry to double post, it wouldn't allow me to edit my reply again. For anyone who has access to the service manual does it indicate the thickness of the thermal pads and/or what the thickness of the pads is for the various locations on the motherboard?

AnhEZ28

@Nowaki those are thermal putty. They can still be reused even if the heatsink is disassembled. If have managed to clean those, you can replace the thermal putty with 1.0mm thermal pad.

JackE

Thermal pads not mentioned in the specsheets that I have access to. But if pads are used anyway, pad thickness when squished between the heatsink & CPU/GPU usually determines the gap. The thinner the pad, the better the heat transfer.

The only reason I'd consider using a pad is if the contact surfaces aren't flat & fully kissing each other when the thermal module screws are snugged down. And even then, I'd instead use a thin sheet of finger-kneaded thermal putty to fill possible voids. Electrician's non-hardening clay sealing putty from HomeDepor or Lowes seems to do a good heat transfer job in cases where the mating surfaces aren't too good.

Nowaki

Thank you both, AnhEZ28 & JackE, you have both been very helpful. I had no idea that the OEM's these days were using "thermal putty". I am not at all familiar with it. JackE, an excellent observation regarding the height of any thermal pad used, what they are like after being compressed indicates the thickness to be used (i,e. if the compressed pad measures 1.1 mm, then it was originally a 1.5 since it needed to be compressed. and a 1.0 mm pad would be insufficient to match the gap after compression). I think this will provide me with enough information to complete the project. Of course, if it ends up being too much, I will just send it in for service since the people who do this all the time are likely better at it than I am.