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Thermal Adhesive Tape

T

TekRok

2[H]4U
Joined
Dec 9, 2005
Messages
2,279
Can anyone recommend the best thermal tape that is used for video cards memory chips?
I want to replace the tape EK sent with their GPU block.

Any recommendations on whats best?
 
STOP.

You don't use the tape on the memory, that is not what it is for.

Use normal thermal paste on the memory chips like you do on the GPU.

The tape is for other parts like the voltage regulators.

Here is what you do to a R9 290:

Place thermal paste on the orange dots.

Place thermal tape on the blue dot on the lower left and on the blue line.

kKT8ivb.jpg
 
Spazturtle said:
STOP.

You don't use the tape on the memory, that is not what it is for.
Click to expand...

Tape is fine, many cards use tape....you need to know the thickness and as long as its correct there will be no issues


iGrooCk ....check Frozen CPU..they have a good assortment....not sure which is best though...in the past I have used Fujipoly with good results
 
Why would you want "fine" cooling when you can have good? Use paste for the memory chips and you will get better cooling.
 
Spazturtle said:
Why would you want "fine" cooling when you can have good? Use paste for the memory chips and you will get better cooling.
Click to expand...

He's watercooling his gpu. They come with thermal pads for the memory and he wants something else. Fujipoly pads are fantastic for that (and for vrm's too).

Edit: To add; he'll end up cooking his chips using thermal paste (if it has a large gap), hence the need/use for thermal pads.
 
I always thought aftermarket water cooling block manufacturers insisted that pads are used because it allows the block to fully cover each chip.

Which paste is best these days? I planned to use this http://www.amazon.com/Coollaboratory-Liquid-Thermal-Interface-Material/dp/B001PE5XAC when I am going to take off the blocks and also put it on the CPU. Should I use that for the memory chips or get something thicker?
 
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Still the ones they mention, you should always use non-conductive thermal pastes around GPUs, just looks at the number of small electrical parts right next to the die.

If you can make sure non of the thermal paste touches any of the caps around the die then Coolaboratory will work, but people have had bad experiences with it on GPUs.
 
iGrooCk said:
I always thought aftermarket water cooling block manufacturers insisted that pads are used because it allows the block to fully cover each chip.
Click to expand...

pretty much my experience also... the pad will also compress to give good contact and most of the time there is too much of a gap for paste to even work...

iGrooCk said:
EK recommends to use those makes UNDER the adhesive pads.
Click to expand...

Exactly...be careful who's advice you take...as you can clearly see,not all of it is good....:)
 
Its very easy to test, put thermal paste on a memory module, attached the block, take it off, if their is paste on the block then it makes contact.

iGrooCk said:
EK recommends to use those makes UNDER the adhesive pads.
Click to expand...

Thats for the VRM, this is because the VRMs are not flat like the GPU or memory chips.
 
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Spazturtle said:
Its very easy to test, put thermal paste on a memory module, attached the block, take it off, if their is paste on the block then it makes contact.
Click to expand...

That just bad advice...the instructions clearly state that you should use thermal pads....every water block I have ever installed used pads....if they wanted you to use paste they would tell you ...paste will not work as the clearance is just too great for it to be effective.....and that is why they give you pads....
 
Crosshairs said:
That just bad advice...the instructions clearly state that you should use thermal pads....every water block I have ever installed used pads....if they wanted you to use paste they would tell you ...paste will not work as the clearance is just too great for it to be effective.....and that is why they give you pads....
Click to expand...

You must not have used a lot of waterblocks then, here is a video that shows installing a waterblock on a 290/290x and using thermal paste on the memory modules: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XvD1s83u_hQ

Also how is it bad advice, I explained a perfectly valid test to see if thermal paste would work.

Also the GPU never came with instructions telling you to watercool it, so I guess you shouldn't watercool it even if watercooling gets better temps.
 
Spazturtle said:
You must not have used a lot of waterblocks then, here is a video that shows installing a waterblock on a 290/290x and using thermal paste on the memory modules: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XvD1s83u_hQ

Also how is it bad advice, I explained a perfectly valid test to see if thermal paste would work.

Also the GPU never came with instructions telling you to watercool it, so I guess you shouldn't watercool it even if watercooling gets better temps.
Click to expand...
He has a point and so do you, but you miss the fact that memory chips, even with pads stay a cool 37c under my current waterblocks. That is load temp, along with the main chip being 29c. Cooling memory modules even with pads is good enough, I was making this thread mainly to ask which to use because I dont like to reuse the old when I take off a component, just like you wouldnt use old paste when you take off a CPU block.
 
Spazturtle said:
You must not have used a lot of waterblocks then, here is a video that shows installing a waterblock on a 290/290x and using thermal paste on the memory modules: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XvD1s83u_hQ

Also how is it bad advice, I explained a perfectly valid test to see if thermal paste would work.

Also the GPU never came with instructions telling you to watercool it, so I guess you shouldn't watercool it even if watercooling gets better temps.
Click to expand...

So the aquacomputer block does not use pads?

I was just about to get the EK block.
 
Justintoxicated said:
So the aquacomputer block does not use pads?

I was just about to get the EK block.
Click to expand...
Doesnt seem to. But then again I think its to make sure there is enough coverage between the block and memory. I didnt use paste with my EK blocks because the pads were provided, but I could always test paste to see if its makes good contact.
 
Spazturtle said:
You must not have used a lot of waterblocks then, here is a video that shows installing a waterblock on a 290/290x and using thermal paste on the memory modules: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XvD1s83u_hQ
Click to expand...
unless he is using that block, that video is meaningless
.
Spazturtle said:
Also the GPU never came with instructions telling you to watercool it, so I guess you shouldn't watercool it even if watercooling gets better temps.
Click to expand...

no, the card did not come with instructions on how to water cool it...but the water block did....and he clearly states that it came with tape, so replacing it with tape would be the right move and replacing it with paste would be bad advice
 
Spazturtle said:
Aquacomputer are german and know how to machine stuff unlike EK who are know for having issues with GPU blocks in the past.
Click to expand...

Are you talking about the nickle plating fiasco?

The aquacomputer does not have a nice backplate though :(

Both coolers look to have similar design.
http://www.frozencpu.com/products/i...ng_Block_-_Acetal_EK-FC_R9-290X_-_Acetal.html

http://www.frozencpu.com/products/i...uid_Cooling_Block_-_Copper_Acrylic_23580.html

Perhaps the op could try with regular paste and see if it makes contact on the memory.

I would be interested to know if it does.

Both cards use pads for the VRMs though.

The memory probably does not really need anything beyond pads anyways right? The EK block is cheaper and looks better to my eyes.
 
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Spazturtle said:
That and recently there have been complaints on this very forum of the quality of their milling.
Click to expand...
Arguable. No issues here with nickel. EK is more popular than other brands because they distribute more. The more people use your product the more issues will arise, but it doesnt mean its EK's fault. Majority of the issues can be resolved by an RMA or a return. I know which person youre talking about in terms of milling problems, I saw the thread. He jumped the gun to bitch on the forum instead of contacting EK first.
 
iGrooCk said:
Arguable. No issues here with nickel. EK is more popular than other brands because they distribute more. The more people use your product the more issues will arise, but it doesnt mean its EK's fault. Majority of the issues can be resolved by an RMA or a return. I know which person youre talking about in terms of milling problems, I saw the thread. He jumped the gun to bitch on the forum instead of contacting EK first.
Click to expand...

Well I'm wanting to go with the EK block personally due to looks mostly, and no plexy, but if the Aquacomptuer block does not require tape/pads it might be preferable. However I don't like the plexy top (lot sof past experiences with it cracking) so I would probably still go with EK.

Where's aquacomputers direct die Haswell solution? I'm loving my EK block for that one!

OP if you try paste only on memory please post your results!
 
Justintoxicated said:
Well I'm wanting to go with the EK block personally due to looks mostly, and no plexy, but if the Aquacomptuer block does not require tape/pads it might be preferable. However I don't like the plexy top (lot sof past experiences with it cracking) so I would probably still go with EK.

Where's aquacomputers direct die Haswell solution? I'm loving my EK block for that one!

OP if you try paste only on memory please post your results!
Click to expand...
BTW, Heatkiller, which is another great brand uses thermal pads as well. If you look at their youtube videos, several models, if not all, use pads. Its also made in Germany just like Aqua.

Aqua seems to be the only one using paste on memory chips. This doesnt mean its better or worse. As I have mentioned, my Memory is 40c max load under gaming, or 50c when mining. The main chip, which is most important stays at 29c idle and 43c load.
 
iGrooCk said:
BTW, Heatkiller, which is another great brand uses thermal pads as well. If you look at their youtube videos, several models, if not all, use pads. Its also made in Germany just like Aqua.

Aqua seems to be the only one using paste on memory chips. This doesnt mean its better or worse. As I have mentioned, my Memory is 40c max load under gaming, or 50c when mining. The main chip, which is most important stays at 29c idle and 43c load.
Click to expand...

Gosh I need to figure out this mining stuff...
Yea but I prefer compound over pads any day, but it would require tighter tolerances to get that to work.
 
Justintoxicated said:
Well I'm wanting to go with the EK block personally due to looks mostly, and no plexy, but if the Aquacomptuer block does not require tape/pads it might be preferable. However I don't like the plexy top (lot sof past experiences with it cracking) so I would probably still go with EK.

Where's aquacomputers direct die Haswell solution? I'm loving my EK block for that one!

OP if you try paste only on memory please post your results!
Click to expand...

EK pretty much make the best CPU blocks, I love the 2 EK CPU blocks on my 2P server.
 
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