# Copper plating a steel Heat sync



## Sannta (Jan 19, 2006)

Well, i was contemplating plating a steel heat sync with copper, just to see if it would make a difference in the cooling ability. before i do this, potentially waste my heat sync, and use up my copper, would it really make any difference?


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## Rockn (Jul 29, 2001)

Probably not enough to make any difference in cooling as well as the time and effort trying to plate it. Buy a copper core heat sink.


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## loserOlimbs (Jun 19, 2004)

I agree with Rockn.

I think at best you'll notice the heatsink working better for a minute or two, until the steel can catch up.


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## kiwiguy (Aug 17, 2003)

All the heatsink does it to transfer the heat a short distance, in order that it can be dissapated by a fan. It does not miraculously get rid of heat, just moves it somewhere else.

So I agree with the above, for the first minute of so it might transfer it faster, but unless you also improve the method of then removing the heat from the heatsink (fan to air to vent) little gain will be seen.


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## Sannta (Jan 19, 2006)

Hmm, Doesn't Copper conduct a bit better than steal does? and isnt most of the energy transfer happening at the place of contact? if i was to copper plate it, wouldnt that make it work better, simply because the heat in the copper would conduct to the air a bit faster than a steel contact, and wouldnt the steel transfer the heat to the copper a bit faster than it would the air? (being that it is a gas)

im hoping that my thoughts are making sense here...


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## loserOlimbs (Jun 19, 2004)

Maybe at first, like I said though, very quickly the steel will heat up, then the copper, which will be just as warm as the steel, will act more like insulation then anything else.


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## kiwiguy (Aug 17, 2003)

Again its exactly as LoL above and my post suggests.

It WILL initially cause a faster dissipation to the steel in the heatsink, but the "thermal equilibrium" will quickly be reached when the advantage of the copper would be no longer a measurable advantage. The steel and the copper would quickly reach the same temperature.

I do not believe that the copper plating would then dissipate the heat to the air much better than the steel.

So YES, an initial short benefit, but not a significant sustained one (assuming the heatsink (copper or steel) is a good thermal connection to the CPU die.

If the CPU is cycling cool-hot a lot, the copper would be better at handling the transient change times and relaying the heat quicker into the steel but thats not usually the case.

You would need a good heavy copper plate as well, why not make an all copper one to gain the small advantage?


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## loserOlimbs (Jun 19, 2004)

Or just go buy one...
www.newegg.com
Carries lots of good heatsinks and fans!


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