High quality thermal paste + something good for potting drivers?

[RaceR86]

I have some cheap stuff for low current lights. Used Noctua NT-H1 in the past, which is good. Ive been using Artic silver 5 lately, which is good. But Im soon empty. Im considering to buy a 12g tube of Artic silver 5. But with shipping a tube starts closing in on 30$ quite soon. Which I find expensive..

When it comes to potting drivers, and attaching heatsinks, I have been using Fujick on a few occasions. But it smells crap, and its not really the best solution. So anyone have better options where you get a decent amount for a decent price. Buying several 1,75g Artic Alumina Ceramic tubes is a bit on the expensive side IMO..

Any cheaper options with good quality? (Links that includes international shipping please).

[Ouchyfoot]

I’ve never potted a driver as of yet, so I’m always tuned into these threads.
What’s best for anchoring larger diameter wires securelt to their trace pads?

[Chloe]

Have you tried searching Ebay? The little syringes are expensive but it doesn’t last that long once opened.

[nikanon]

I’m waiting for answers on this one too.
I use some thermal paste from the computer department (at least I think it is), but it is non-adhesive, so not the best option.

And I would like to avoid Fujik as well.

[Old-Lumens]

If you google potting compounds for electronics, there's a bunch out there. Really, most of them aren't all that much better than air. You might consider looking at finding some diamond powder and mixing it with whatever potting compound you decide on. It might at least take heat away better, but you would have to use a lot and I am sure it's expensive.

ebay

Also, there's boron nitride powder that is just a little less than diamond powder for conducting heat and it's non-conductive to electricity.

google

ebay

You might find that Fujik is just as good, once you load it with diamond powder or boron nitride powder, but you would have to do some testing.

[Ouchyfoot]

OLs super long links scrunched this whole page up on my ipad.

[Hopback]

Loads of stuff on the net showing that lapping the sink and device has more influence on thermal transfer than the quality of compound used.

If you can get a mirror-like surface, a cheap compound will be all you need.

[StyXSIS]

Maybe this thread will give you more ideas

High Performance Potting Epoxy - Interested?

I've built a few XM-L based lights now... a couple Mag conversions and several single 18650 Li-Ion based units as well. All were built for duty use - so I had been potting drivers and leds with Arctic Alumina epoxy - and it works well except the cost -- for my mini production needs AA is expensive on a per flashlight basis. So, after some research I believe I have come up with a simple resin-based clear potting epoxy and hexagonal boron nitride powder combination that will not only outperform …

[texaspyro]

For thermal compound try Antek Formula 7 diamond paste…

[Chloe]

@Hopback

Loads of stuff on the net showing that lapping the sink and device has more influence on thermal transfer than the quality of compound used.

If you can get a mirror-like surface, a cheap compound will be all you need.

It’s definitely worth lapping the surfaces. I noticed during testing my Tank007 E09 got a few degrees hotter after I cleaned out the thermal compound and polished what was originally anodized aluminium. Before final assembly I also added a tiny amount of Arctic Silver 5 compound (just enough to make the metal a dull grey).

[Old-Lumens]

@Ouchyfoot

OLs super long links scrunched this whole page up on my ipad.

Well, that’s what you get with an ipad. It looks fine on my 27" monitor,

I fixed it.

[Old-Lumens]

This post might be interesting info.

This also.