What's a good thermal potting compound?

Flashlight Modding and DIY Parts
1

I want to pot my driver in the pill. What's a good thermal potting compound to use, that isn't too expensive?

(and does potting compound really help a lot, or just a little bit?)

2

I didn't have a good idea yet, but i search some information about that, potting compound is also referred to as encapsulants. There is several type like Epoxy, silicone, polyurethane and thermal potting compound. the thermally conductive compounds which are very effective in controlling heat built up in electric assembly are used. The heating areas in the device or sinks are bond with Epoxies, urethanes and silicones to encapsulate power supplies and individual components and protect motors from overheating. The heat from the heat generating enclosure is made to uniformly travel away or to air through a pathway made from the thermally conductive potting compounds.

3

What's potting and are there any differences than our regular thermal grease/epoxy application?

I used Fujik Thermal Compound in several high power lights I built and I must say it seems to transfer heat really quick to the body. It isn't a glue/epoxy type compound though. It keeps the star on the pill for a few minutes but you have to assemble the light in this time and some pressure should be held on the star to hold pieces in one place. I use it when the reflector presses on the star. I use another heatsink plaster if there is no contact and I want my start to hold on to the pill by itself. Haven't tested if this one is better than the grease above as I never needed to glue an XML led like I did with the grease.

4

Potting in this case refers to covering the entire component side of the driver with some sort of liquid that seeps around all the components and then sets. It should then conduct heat away front he board rather better than an air gap would.
I’ve never used it for that purpose so I don’t really have any suggestions.

5

Ah, thanks, I missed the "driver" word reading the post. Thermal grease could be just too liquid then.

6

I am on th search too,

I have found a few on RS components…including one that is corrosive to copper…so watch out for those types!

This one seems the next in line

7

If you do a search for “potting compound” you’ll get some good discussions. I’ve used RTV silicone and know others have used JB Weld for budget compounds.

8

Well, what if you took those tiny silicone beads in the packages that say ‘do no eat’ that they put in all your food and pill containers and mixed that with some JB Weld?? Sounds genius to me :beer: