CPU Heat Sink

Ok, I took apart an old computer and removed the 2" heat sink. Now, if I glued this to the back of my Azoo Mini (which is made of plastic) will it bring the temperature down? And what sort of glue is recommended? Or will I have to be a guinea pig again?

Hate to tell you this buddy..... It won't do anything for cooling.... that would only work metal to metal transfer of heat. It will not transfer any heatcooling from glass/plastic.....

That's not necessariy true. While it is true that it won't cool much, the heat sink will "cool" any material regardless of composition; at least for general uses.

Obviously, the surface area of the heat sink is designed to be greater allowing a higher air/surface interface.

While it's true that metal to metal contact of two surfaces will trasfer heat energy faster since metal is a beter conductor, as long as the heat sink is being cooled (fan or any air flow lower than that of the heatsink) the heat sink will still act as a "heat sink" or heat drain for what ever surface it's touching.

Plastic is generally an insulator, so it doesn't conduct heat well. But we all know that it does get hot over lights after period of time. An air cool heat sink that's in contact with this plastic, in an area where the air is cooler than the plastic, will work as prescribed.

dsy,

sorry, i missed this thread. i agree with dazur (like i mentioned to you directly). the plastic is a much better insulator than glass. i've only recommended the cpu cooler on glass tanks.

i was only recently able to roughly compare it's ability (due to our recent crazy weather of hot/cold). it came out to about a 6F~8F cooling effect for a 15H tank and 120W of vho in a hood. during the 'test', the temp stopped at around 74F but that was where i had turned the heater down to. ambient room temp was around 76F~78F but this has always historically resulted in mucher higher temps for my tank(s), because of the addt'l light energy.

hey thats kinda cool, how much do these things cost?

www.tigerdirect.com/applications/Category/category_slc.asp?Id=0505

or any radioshack should carry them. they should run you around $30 (fan, heat sink, and adapter).

Tiny - How did you fix it to the glass?

hmmm imma try this out... did you glue it to the tank? does the heat sink get hot when its on the glass?

I would put a dab of thermal paste on the heat sink, and then CA on the corners. Thermal paste is CPU paste that is available at any computer store for about 50 cents. CA is just super glue.

i just glued it onto the glass with super glue. nothing fancy for me (i.e. i couldn't get the thermal paste to gel X) ).

That fish looks demonic

oh, he is, he IS! he's killed about six scarlet hermits. if he wasn't so expensive himself i woulda whacked him by now. friggin orchid!

so this would work just as well as a chiller? i think ill give it a shot!

Isn't this about the same as just blowing the little fan directly on the surface water? Good for maybe 1-2 Deg's

How is that little heatsink/fan able to pull that much heat from such a large glass surface?

matt,

it seems to be working well being able to pull a 15g tank's temp down 6F~8F from an ambient of about 77F (i.e. tank temp of 73F~74F, it usually runs 2F~4F hotter than ambient). the ice probe says it's good for about 10F reduction itself but it's $60~$80 more.

the real test comes when ambient temp is about 85F and the vho's are blazing away. i've always needed a desk fan in the late spring, summer, and early fall but so far so good (altho the weather hasn't been horrible yet).

the benefit of this over the desk fan (assuming this will work) is the lack of evaporative cooling and the constant topoffs. it's a direct thermal conduction. altho i now have an auto topoff switch (physh's) with a 5g reservoir. X) never have the stuff when you truly need it, only when you don't.

Tiny,

Ya I here you about the evaporation. For those extreme heat days, I have a 3" fan blowing on the flowing water on top of my AQ300.

I love your idea and going to definitely give it a try.

I wonder if I took an 8" fan an attached it to my 72G. What can I use as a giant heat sink?

Thanks Matt

speaking of which, i got a couple of things for my 72g too! (great minds think alike or was it the sale price that got you too? )

www.tigerdirect.com/applications/SearchTools/item-details.asp?sku=P261-4010

www.tigerdirect.com/applications/SearchTools/item-details.asp?sku=Z19-1050

actually the first one, the big blue heat sink, ain't all that big but it's easy to put on. the second one is bigger but i'm trying to figure a way to use it. :

Tiny

I just fell in love with that tank. Paid $1,000 (tank, stand, built in over flow, ehiem filter, & light strip). Some day I hope to convert it over to a Reef.

What did you pay for yours? FW or salt?

Yes somithing like that but bigger. I was thinking it could be mounted to the bottom of the tank in the cabinet.

i paid about $400 for the tank/stand/lightstrip. actually, i wanted them to take the lightstrip back and give me a credit but they would only give me $20 credit so i said 'ef-it' i'll take it anyway. (it's still in the box in a corner)

it's a standard owfront tank tho, no drilled overflow. i use the cpr overflow (eh, it's ok). it's my main tank right now (attached pic) but it's getting real crowded. (i should be getting a 300g sometime next year woohoo! )

on the heat sink, you could probably just get some heat sinks and use the fan more effectively too. it doesn't get so bad with my 72g tho because it's in the basement so i'm still thinking about how to set the cooling units up.

Hi there....

This may be a bit of a newbie question but would you mind posting pics of the CPU cooler...is it just another CPU cooling fan....and if it is....which model would be suitable to cool a 15-18 gallon?...

Been having quite a bit of problem with heat (living in a hot and humid country doesnt help either) and have been looking around for cooling options......this sounds pretty viable but i'm having trouble getting the whole picture...mind posting a couple of other pics? and a step by step process of setting it up....

Would really appreciate that......if not....no worries....

Computer Peltier (Thermo-Electric Chiller - TEC) heat pumps are quite common in the world of cpu overclockers. They are used in conjunction with a fan and heat sink and i see no reason as to why they coudn't be thermal pasted and super glued onto a glass tank like you're doing with the fans and heat sinks.

The Ice Probe unit is advertised as only consuming 50 watts... Hmm... I question the amount of heat u're moving as the unit uses less than 50 watts, and is not/cant be 100% efficient... I have seen computer peltiers rated at over 100 watts, and some go for as low as $30 at computer shows. These are the same solid-state coolers as in coleman 12V fridges... I wonder if you could cannibalize one of those, fit with a fan... Obviously for these peltier coolers u'd need to rig your own power supply and beware!!! no controller....

-Anthony

as low as 30 bux? whats average? link to site that sells em please

take a look at a computer show, or i came up with these

http://www.electronickits.com/kit/complete...ltier/ck500.htm

http://www.dangerden.com/mall/Pelts/peltiers.asp

http://www.directron.com/watercooling.html

NOTE: if the peltier does not include a heat sink/fan, it NEEDS one. I wonder about the ice probe... it's over $100 and uses a <50 watt peltier element... Some of those above are well above 100 watts.