Why is there foam tape on my amps heat sink

Z

Zack

Guest
I have a 10 year old AV receiver that I opened to de-dust. I noticed that on
the heat sink there a black foam material running across the top length of
the heat sink. The foam looks like double-sided foam tape, but is sticky on
one side only.

I'm not sure what the intended purpose of this was, and if I should attempt
to repair/replace it with something else as it is cracking off.

I could use regular foam double-sided tape, but imagine that the heat sink
get very hot and the tape would get unsticky very quickly.

Any thoughts on why it would be there in the first place, and what to use to
replace it.

Some pics:
http://tinypic.com/r/2qvfs6q/5
http://tinypic.com/r/53pm61/5
http://tinypic.com/r/2wq60eo/5

Thanks
 
On Monday, October 14, 2013 11:40:16 AM UTC-4, Zack wrote:
I have a 10 year old AV receiver that I opened to de-dust. I noticed that on

the heat sink there a black foam material running across the top length of

the heat sink. The foam looks like double-sided foam tape, but is sticky on

one side only.



I'm not sure what the intended purpose of this was, and if I should attempt

to repair/replace it with something else as it is cracking off.



I could use regular foam double-sided tape, but imagine that the heat sink

get very hot and the tape would get unsticky very quickly.



Any thoughts on why it would be there in the first place, and what to use to

replace it.



Some pics:

http://tinypic.com/r/2qvfs6q/5

http://tinypic.com/r/53pm61/5

http://tinypic.com/r/2wq60eo/5



Thanks
Click to expand...

Hmm well the tape could be for electrical insulation if the heat sink and the panel behind it are at different voltages. The only other idea I have is to control the air flow.. is there a fan or air holes somewhere?

George H.
 
On Monday, October 14, 2013 12:51:35 PM UTC-4, Zack wrote:
"George Herold" <gherold@teachspin.com> wrote in message

news:af527dc3-8022-43d9-8552-cb950c97513a@googlegroups.com...

On Monday, October 14, 2013 11:40:16 AM UTC-4, Zack wrote:

I have a 10 year old AV receiver that I opened to de-dust. I noticed that
snip.. double spaces
Click to expand...

Some pics:
http://tinypic.com/r/2qvfs6q/5

http://tinypic.com/r/53pm61/5

http://tinypic.com/r/2wq60eo/5



Thanks
Hmm well the tape could be for electrical insulation if the heat sink and
the panel behind it are at different voltages. The only other idea I
have is to control the air flow.. is there a fan or air holes somewhere?



George H.

Thanks for your reply.

If you look at the first picture, there is a black hood to the right of my
text. Under the hood is a fan. It doesn't look like the fan actually blows
into the heat sink as the other side of the fan appear closed (unless the
holes are on the bottom face, which I cant see).

Do you think I should try to replace the tape with something? what?
Click to expand...

Geesh, I have no idea. What's it do? You might see if it's an electrical insulator.

1.) measure resistance from heat sink to back panel thing..
or 2.) (a bit more dangerous) measure voltage while the power is applied.

You could try your question at sci.electronics.repair

George H.
 
"George Herold" <gherold@teachspin.com> wrote in message
news:af527dc3-8022-43d9-8552-cb950c97513a@googlegroups.com...
On Monday, October 14, 2013 11:40:16 AM UTC-4, Zack wrote:
I have a 10 year old AV receiver that I opened to de-dust. I noticed that
on

the heat sink there a black foam material running across the top length
of

the heat sink. The foam looks like double-sided foam tape, but is sticky
on

one side only.



I'm not sure what the intended purpose of this was, and if I should
attempt

to repair/replace it with something else as it is cracking off.



I could use regular foam double-sided tape, but imagine that the heat
sink

get very hot and the tape would get unsticky very quickly.



Any thoughts on why it would be there in the first place, and what to use
to

replace it.



Some pics:

http://tinypic.com/r/2qvfs6q/5

http://tinypic.com/r/53pm61/5

http://tinypic.com/r/2wq60eo/5



Thanks

Hmm well the tape could be for electrical insulation if the heat sink and
the panel behind it are at different voltages. The only other idea I
have is to control the air flow.. is there a fan or air holes somewhere?

George H.
Click to expand...

Thanks for your reply.

If you look at the first picture, there is a black hood to the right of my
text. Under the hood is a fan. It doesn't look like the fan actually blows
into the heat sink as the other side of the fan appear closed (unless the
holes are on the bottom face, which I cant see).

Do you think I should try to replace the tape with something? what?
 
"Zack" wrote in message
news:zoOdncT3dqvsjcHPnZ2dnUVZ_o6dnZ2d@earthlink.com...

I have a 10 year old AV receiver that I opened to de-dust. I noticed that on
the heat sink there a black foam material running across the top length of
the heat sink. The foam looks like double-sided foam tape, but is sticky on
one side only.

I'm not sure what the intended purpose of this was, and if I should attempt
to repair/replace it with something else as it is cracking off.

I could use regular foam double-sided tape, but imagine that the heat sink
get very hot and the tape would get unsticky very quickly.

Any thoughts on why it would be there in the first place, and what to use to
replace it.

Some pics:
http://tinypic.com/r/2qvfs6q/5
http://tinypic.com/r/53pm61/5
http://tinypic.com/r/2wq60eo/5

Thanks


It could be for vibration resistance and/or to prevent the heatsink from
shorting against the case.

Shaun
 
"Zack"
I have a 10 year old AV receiver that I opened to de-dust. I noticed that
on the heat sink there a black foam material running across the top length
of the heat sink. The foam looks like double-sided foam tape, but is sticky
on one side only.

I'm not sure what the intended purpose of this was, and if I should
attempt to repair/replace it with something else as it is cracking off.

I could use regular foam double-sided tape, but imagine that the heat sink
get very hot and the tape would get unsticky very quickly.

Any thoughts on why it would be there in the first place, and what to use
to replace it.

Some pics:
http://tinypic.com/r/2qvfs6q/5
Click to expand...

** Does not the top cover rest on this tape??

Stopping the lid from vibrating.


.... Phil
 
"Zack" <N@NE.nothing> wrote in message
news:WPadneU6Yca1vMHPnZ2dnUVZ_g6dnZ2d@earthlink.com...
"George Herold" <gherold@teachspin.com> wrote in message
news:af527dc3-8022-43d9-8552-cb950c97513a@googlegroups.com...
On Monday, October 14, 2013 11:40:16 AM UTC-4, Zack wrote:
I have a 10 year old AV receiver that I opened to de-dust. I noticed
that on

the heat sink there a black foam material running across the top length
of

the heat sink. The foam looks like double-sided foam tape, but is sticky
on

one side only.



I'm not sure what the intended purpose of this was, and if I should
attempt

to repair/replace it with something else as it is cracking off.



I could use regular foam double-sided tape, but imagine that the heat
sink

get very hot and the tape would get unsticky very quickly.



Any thoughts on why it would be there in the first place, and what to
use to

replace it.



Some pics:

http://tinypic.com/r/2qvfs6q/5

http://tinypic.com/r/53pm61/5

http://tinypic.com/r/2wq60eo/5



Thanks

Hmm well the tape could be for electrical insulation if the heat sink and
the panel behind it are at different voltages. The only other idea I
have is to control the air flow.. is there a fan or air holes somewhere?

George H.

Thanks for your reply.

If you look at the first picture, there is a black hood to the right of my
text. Under the hood is a fan. It doesn't look like the fan actually blows
into the heat sink as the other side of the fan appear closed (unless the
holes are on the bottom face, which I cant see).

Do you think I should try to replace the tape with something? what?
Click to expand...

Presumably, its being there hasn't caused any problem so far, you might not
like finding out what it was preventing if it was removed!

I'd go for replacing it with something as similar as I could find.

It obviously cost something to put it there in the first place - the
manufacturer probably wouldn't have put it there if they could get away with
not doing.
 
"Zack" <N@NE.nothing> writes:

< I have a 10 year old AV receiver that I opened to de-dust. I noticed that on
< the heat sink there a black foam material running across the top length of
< the heat sink. The foam looks like double-sided foam tape, but is sticky on
< one side only.

I've found that some people like to cover any identifiable
markings/stampings, etc. with the thermal `white paste'. Also when
trying to remove the heat sink the `paste' has a tendancy to tear the pins off of cpu's.

I also believe that some people believe that the thermal paste is a
magical item that makes heat go away. I just spent half a day scrubbing
the wite paste off the back of an aluminum block that I would like to
use as a heat sink. It's kinda like bolting a plastic fan to a GPU - yes
it moves the air but if the air is hot enough the pastic will melt. I've
found it better to direct air or water through the fins; heat usually
goes up.

< I'm not sure what the intended purpose of this was, and if I should attempt
< to repair/replace it with something else as it is cracking off.

Then again your talking to someone that uses closepins to keep their
transformer from vibrating too much :)

< I could use regular foam double-sided tape, but imagine that the heat sink
< get very hot and the tape would get unsticky very quickly.

I believe this is the general idea - keep it sticky and some people
(like myself) usually keep away from it.


< Any thoughts on why it would be there in the first place, and what to use to
< replace it.

To keep something from vibrating or running very hot?

As an indicator? I use the glue gun sometimes to make sure that a
heatsink didn't get too hot. It's like wax but comes off very easily
with a dab of alcohol.
 
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