Liquid Metal Repaste of Razer Blade 2016 + GPU overclock

Razer Blade 2014 with gtx870m, it is a 100W chip so it runs hotter than a 970m or a 1060.

 

Nice work!! Now just undervolt your CPU for even lower temps!

During gaming do the fans ever reach max speed? I noticed with mine the fans rarely reached full speed after Conductonaut. I believe the cooling system is configured to maintain GPU temps at 85-86 ºC without even attempting to keep them lower. So after improving the heat transfer with liquid metal the fans don't need to work as hard to keep the temps at that level. It wasn't until I overclocked the GPU that the fans started maxing out again..

 

My CPU is undervolted -80mv.

And yes, my fans are quieter now, they used to run full speed all the time since my GPU was always at 85-87c but now they only kick in about once every 2 minutes, as soon as my GPU reaches 85c they go full blast and it takes around 10 seconds to cool it down to 80c.

With turbo boost off my CPU temps are always on the low to mid 70s while gaming.

 

45 minutes of Aida64 + Furmark, room temperature was 20c. This was done on a flat surface with no ventilation.

Average temps: CPU 85c / GPU 83c, this is with fans spinning at around 80% (full speed starts at CPU 95c, which didn't happen during my test).

Temperatures before Conductonaut: CPU 95c (99c spikes and thermal throttle) / GPU 87c (it could reach 90c on a hotter day)



So yeah, im pretty happy with my results, they are not as good as 2016/2017 Blades but take into consideration this laptop is running Haswell (runs hotter) and a GTX870M which is a 100W GPU, it runs hotter than the GTX970M (90-95W) or a GTX1060 (80W).

Lifting the laptop 1 inch results in a 5-10c decrease in CPU temps (75-80c) and GPU goes down immediately to 80c, which turns down the speed of the fans.

 

I decided I want to repaste my RB, but I don´t feel confident enough using the LM yet, so I am opting for Kryonaut....hopefully it will help a bit compared to stock....let´s see. Since I live in Brazil, the stuff will take a while to arrive with free shipping. If I don´t get decent results, I will attempt this method.
Thanks a lot for sharing.

 

Let us know, I'm tempted as f too

 

OP may i ask if you had any issues with the LM dripping as you put the heatpipes back down on the CPU/GPU? How thick was the poster putty applied? And.. do you move your laptop around a lot or is it mostly stationary? I'm thinking of giving this a try to get my Haswell/970M blade's temperatures down to an acceptable level instead of just going for a newer model with fan controls (would be like $1000 extra after selling this one xx; ). However i've never worked with LM before, and this laptop acts as as my daily driver for college, so it's in and out of a bag quite a bit.

 

<-- Not OP, but i carry my Blade around all day on my backpack because this is my secondary computer, it is meant to be with me all the time when i move from home to work, work to class, then class to home and son on. No problems so far and temps are the same as when i first applied it!

Im from Chile, it took 2 weeks to arive at my door so it wasnt a big deal (bought it from Amazon)

 

Happen to have any advice on the application process? Ive found lots of videos on LM with a typical heatsink but no dice on direct to heatpipe like the blade has.

 

Just add a bit more of LM on the CPU/GPU die since there is a bigger gap between the heatpipes and the chip on a heatpipe-direct configuration than on a normal flat copper surface. (Don't use TOO MUCH or it will cause LM leaks that can damage your motherboard)

 

how do you go about sealing around it? Did you do it like OP with poster putty or did you use electrical tape? And how do you know how much to use with the putty since it looks as if the putty would reduce the contact further?

 

I didn't have problems with the LM dripping after reinstalling the heatpipes and nothing squeezed past the poster putty either. So if there was any excess LM it wouldn't matter because the putty sealed it in anyway.

The putty thickness I applied was roughly 2 mm or .10 inch in diameter. The putty won't reduce the contact unless perhaps it's cold during the install (keep in mind the putty is more malleable when warm). If you're concerned about that you could use a hair dryer on the heatsinks after you've reinstalled them which would heat up the putty allowing it to fully compress and mold around the chips.

I've taken the laptop in and out of my backpack for school many times and the temps have remained stable. I've also opened up the laptop several times since then just to make sure nothing has squeezed past the putty. So far everything is the same as when I first applied the Conductonaut.

 

Check page 5 of this thread to see how i avoided contact with electric components and aluminum.

 

Couple more questions just to be sure i've got down what to do, don't wanna brick the laptop ><; was the JB weld epoxy mixed with the hardener before or after dilluting it with achohol? And does surface tension prevent the LM you applied on the heatsink side from dripping?

 

I added the alcohol last after the epoxy was already mixed together, but the order shouldn't matter. You could skip diluting with alcohol altogether as well. It's not necessary unless you want a thinner application on the aluminum.

I did not add extra LM on the heatsink. I applied a lot to the CPU and GPU and pretty much used a normal amount on the heatsink.

If you are concerned about dripping or spilling LM during the install I'd recommend disconnecting the battery beforehand. That way nothing will be damaged in case you spill. Just be sure to clean it up before reconnecting the battery!

 

I think RTV is a better choice, it's removable unlike JB.

 

Interesting use of blue-tack. How did you come across using it in this way if you don't mind me asking? What exact brand are you using? the MSDS on locktight's version of the stuff says that it shouldn't be stored above 45 degrees C but, that it also not combustible. Heat causes chemical changes in practically everything, I'm concerned 60-70C would harden the tack, cause it to loose it's viscosity and run, ect.

 

Fantastic idea. Particularly since you could probably just slather it all on and razer-blade (pun intended) out the sections you want

p.s. This post was 100% just for the joke. Don't slather it on..

 

****linmg ****itty **** ****. Apparently one tube of conductonaut wasnt enough, temps got worse by 10+C, now thermal throttles during stress test a LOT

EDIT: and the blue tack got everywhere when i tried taking the heatsink back off, including a couple of the sillystring-like strings getting on the CPU die

 

That's a real bummer...it seems like the heatsink is not making a flush contact.

Sent from my SM-G930F using Tapatalk

 

time to start saving for a new laptop i guess..

 

I don't recall what brand I used. It was left over from reflowing a PlayStation 3 chip a few years back. The poor man's method involves heating the motherboard over 300F in the oven for a few minutes to melt the socket solder. The tack was used to insulate some components on the board that would otherwise be damaged by the excessive heat. I don't remember the exact article I read that suggested using the tack for this purpose but It worked really well.

 

I agree

 

i managed to get most of the blue tack removed and the CPU is now abck to ~85-90C duringn stress test at least..hopefully none of the metal has leaked though since i had to remove most of the putty

 

1 tube is enough

it improved temp by 4c on the blade 1060, but the heatsink is bent

I will be getting a replacement shortly to better compare the temperatures

 

Could someone reccomend a course of action?. should i try applying more LM or just retire the laptop? The temperatures are still worse than when i started, at least on the CPU( idle at 60-70C, up from 55-65, which didnt have near as much LM as the GPU, and i wound up not really having enough to put on the heatpipes. I also cant remove the blue tack from the crevice around the GPU die where OP put their first layer.

 

Careful not to put too much LM....also since you removed the blue tack...make sure to put something else like eletrical tape around the chipsets to protect the circuits from shorting. If your heat sink is uneven you can try just using normal thermal paste just to get it back to where it was.

 

Ive taped all around the dies and over the nearby stuff, its just the bits exposed in that crevice between the GPU die and the metal square around it is only protected by blue tack still

 

use RTV to protect crevice

gpu - use 33+ tape all around the transistor
cpu - use kapton tape to protect around the center die


use more LM than what you think is necessary on the GPU die and GPU heatpipe

use normal paste on CPU, no point in LMing the CPU

 

I can't remove the blue tack from the crevice, any tools catch on the metal bits. atm i'vr put 33+ around the CPU die and around the GPU, but over the blue tack since i cant seem to remove it.

 

rip
in
peace


pic?

 

Ive already taped over it, not feeling like opening it back up again until have time to try salvaging it, but it looked like a messier version of OP's pic when they put the first layer of blue tack in the ridge around the GPU.

 

Does anyone know if

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Razer-Blade...044051?hash=item41c355a493:g:YaYAAOSw42JZAiHP

is cross compatable with

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Razer-Blade...567505?hash=item3f71865091:g:9UAAAOSw5cNYFsGL

I have a haswell / 970M blade with the latter heatsink type, thinking i might ought to replace that as well since its covered with blue gunk now, but unsure if they're cross compatable or not since i think the newer GPUs dont have that metal ring around them?


Also, is https://www.amazon.com/Permatex-821...8&qid=1496514539&sr=8-3&keywords=RTV+silicone what you mean by RTV, @Mobius 1 ?

 

The best way to cleanup leftover blue tack is by using blue tack... Take some tack, roll it up into a ball, gently pat down the area that needs cleaning with the ball. The tack in the crevices should stick to the ball. Keep dabbing/patting and it should clean up those pesky hard to reach places in no time!

*end of infomercial*

 

Meanwhile, I still get roasted from time to time over at Razer because I DARED TO QUESTION THEIR CRAPPY THERMAL PASTE APPLICATION.

 

Still peaking at 90C in intel XTU stress test and idling at 60C. Am i missing something on how to apply this stuff? 90% of it seems to stick to /absorb into the cotton swab, if i dont press hard it sticks, if i press hard it absorbs, if i put it like in the other two poster's posts it spills out all over the tape, if i dont, i get 97+C temps.


EDIT: getting 90C with 96C spikes in FFXIV also, really need some help here, what did i do wrong?

EDIT2: at this point would it be better to try to clean everything up and just give in? i cant find any documentation outside this thread for LMing a direct to heatpipe cooler, and im getting negative improvements on the CPU it seems versus both OP's and not OP's applications. This is stressing me out to no end. I've tried with the blue tack, 33+, and both, and while the GPU temps seem to be fine the CPU keep getting worse and worse, any more and i may have to sell the laptop for parts. I cant play a single game without losing turbo clocks and therefore a lot of framerate, stress test temps are now at 95C peak, and no matter how i apply the LM it wont stick to the copper heatpipes, it just smears and leaves a dull grey residue and soaks up into the black cotton swab thing. If i apply enough to make a metallic finish like in OP's pics it spews all over the place, but if i use blue tack the heatsink doesnt seem to contact the CPU, and the blue tack melts and gets on everything. I have one syringe of conductonaut left if am to try cleaning up and starting from scratch one last time before going back to regular paste.

 

It sounds like the LM isn't making good contact with the copper heat pipe. The LM will soak into the cotton swab a little bit but most of it should easily stick to the copper during application, especially with the amount of pressure you're describing. You will need to clean the copper more thoroughly to remove the surface oxidation. You can remove it chemically by rubbing it with something acidic like soldering flux or vinegar (google how to clean copper for more methods). Or you can use physical abrasion by scrubbing it with metal wool. After it's a nice bright copper color, give it a final wipe down with rubbing alcohol before applying the LM.

 

While im at it should i remove the blue tack and 33+ so i can just start the sealing from scratch? And can you bychance link a recommended soldering flux to use for this?

 

This is the flux paste I used. It's really cheap at home Depot.
http://www.homedepot.com/p/Oatey-H-20-1-7-oz-Water-Soluble-Solder-Paste-Flux-301302/100177185

You might as well clean up the tack and tape while you're at it, but I wouldn't stress too much about that.

 

On the note of ensuring it's airtight to prevent the LM drying to a crispy powder, could RTV also perchance be used instead of the blue tack to make a slim gasket around the dies?

 

If your next application fails to improve...I would say just call it a day...clean everything and use normal thermal paste just to get the machine working again. If you are in fact not getting a good contact between the heatsink and die normal thermal paste might be better than LM for that.

Sent from my SM-G930F using Tapatalk

 

Decided to try some stuff with the LM that was already in the laptop, removing the tack and tape around the CPU and redoing the tape, and also somehow getting the LM to spread over the other heatpipe seems to have dropped the CPU temps a good bit from what they were. 5 minute stress test peaked at like 92 but was mostly around 83-88 and the fans are not fully ramping up though most of it. The heatpipes are definitely a dull color as if theyve been oxidised, and rubbing the exposed pipes above the fans for a bit brightened them up noticably, so hopeful that the flux will help. I cant get the LM to stick to the GPU pipes at all.

Idle seems to still be around 60C

Could that lack of that sticking to the heatsink be the source of the extra 10-20C of heat versus what you and Revolutionx are getting?

I've also bought a used spare heatsink for going back to normal paste, afraid the JBweld may effect thermals negatively since on the haswell CPU setup the CPU actually goes over the aluminum a bit.

And @Vistar Shook isnt the whole point of doing this because of the poor contact and using the LM to make up for it?

 

This is what it all looks like, after my probably 20th time opening it and trying to figure out what to do. Still waiting on stuff to arrive. I thought maybe that i had the LM on the CPU side of the heatsink in the wrong spot but doesnt seem it was that.. what all should i be doing differently?

 

Yes, I believe that would also work.

The pics you posted show very poor LM contact to the heatsink which confirms my suspicion. The GPU heat pipe is better but not great either. The copper definitely needs to be cleaned because the surface oxidation can act as an insulator. (It's possible thermal paste is less affected by that vs LM due to specific additives but that's purely speculation.)

 

Not really...as far as know LM works best when there is a nice flush contact between the heatsink and die. When it is uneven and or has gaps, a high viscosity paste is sometimes better and easier even though the thermal conductivity is not the best.

 

Ok so while waiting for stuff to arrive i had the idea to suck up a drop of the LM on the blade and put it in an old HP DM4 thats been lying around that had a shiny copper heatsink, the LM stuck and spread in an almost beautiful way so im really hopeful cleaning the blade heatsink will help.

 

Not sure if this is a troll post or what...That is absolutely terrible. That is bar none, the worst paste job I have ever seen and I mean this truthfully.

Clean ALL of that up. Post pics when it's clean and we can proceed.

 

Not a troll post, just a noob flailing around trying to do something new with no instruction outside of some forum posts, thats what it looked like afer 20 something trial-and-error attempts at figuring out what was wrong. The supplies to clean it up should be arriving today, i hope.


EDIT: got the soldering flux but.. not quite sure how this is gonna clean the copper now that i have it.. am i supposed to let it sit and then remove it? after a few applications and then removals the black ring around where the GPU was is still there, and the dark spots left by the LM have gotten lighter but i cant get them off. The copper is still dull


EDIT2: Decided to try something that's worked well on pots before, vinegar mixed with some salt seems to polish the copper a lot better than the flux paste, but theres still some grey spots where the LM was


EDIT3: i think its about as good as im gonna be able to get it without further instruction, gonna start on trying to get the blue gunk out from around the GPU die

 

Still have a bit of the gunk to remove but this is what it looks like so far @LVNeptune

Not sure what to be doing next

 

A-are the spots in the red circles supposed to be like that, particularly the smaller one?.. i think something may have broken while removing the blue tack.. Anyone? I think i'm gonna be sick..