Pro/Forums - View Single Post

lmg · 07-30-2005, 06:06 PM

I need to build a tray for my notebook computer (AMD Athlon 64 3200+), and I'm considering ways of passively keeping the notebook cooler. (I don't want fans.) None of the commercial notebook coolers really appeal to me. I'm undervolting the CPU with RMClock and don't really have any thermal problems, but the bottom surface of the notebook tends to get pretty hot, especiall underneath the 7200RPM hard drive where the air gets up to 36C at idle.

What I'm considering is placing a large plate of 1/8" thick copper underneath the laptop. There would be 3 or 4 solid copper blocks raising the laptop off the copper plate by about 1/2". These blocks would contact the laptop at the hottest spots, hopefully acting as heat sinks. I would put thermal pads between the laptop and the blocks to prevent scratching the finish. I also thought it might make sense to cover the top of the copper plate with an insulator like sheet cork, the idea being that any heat conducted to the plate would not be radiated right back up into the laptop.

Does this make sense, or am I on the wrong track or just wasting my time?

07-30-2005, 06:06 PM	#1
lmg Cooling Neophyte Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: USA Posts: 1	Notebook heatsink idea I need to build a tray for my notebook computer (AMD Athlon 64 3200+), and I'm considering ways of passively keeping the notebook cooler. (I don't want fans.) None of the commercial notebook coolers really appeal to me. I'm undervolting the CPU with RMClock and don't really have any thermal problems, but the bottom surface of the notebook tends to get pretty hot, especiall underneath the 7200RPM hard drive where the air gets up to 36C at idle. What I'm considering is placing a large plate of 1/8" thick copper underneath the laptop. There would be 3 or 4 solid copper blocks raising the laptop off the copper plate by about 1/2". These blocks would contact the laptop at the hottest spots, hopefully acting as heat sinks. I would put thermal pads between the laptop and the blocks to prevent scratching the finish. I also thought it might make sense to cover the top of the copper plate with an insulator like sheet cork, the idea being that any heat conducted to the plate would not be radiated right back up into the laptop. Does this make sense, or am I on the wrong track or just wasting my time?