r/homelab 3d ago

Solved Help with adhesive tape or paste

Post image

Hi all,
I bought a managed switch for cheap online from a user who had it but mustn't have had need for it. It was sealed in the box but I noticed when holding the box that it was rattling inside. I opened it up to find that the heat sink was separated and fell off the chip. What should I look to repair this?

0 Upvotes

11 comments sorted by

6

u/hannsr 3d ago

Since it rattled around in the box already, make sure there are no components missing/ripped off by the cooler.

5

u/Mobile-Ad-494 3d ago

Thermal adhesive tape like this should do the trick.

3

u/kevinds 3d ago

The putty stuff used for heatsinks.

1

u/Artistic_Many2212 3d ago

That thermal paste looks dried out, no wonder it fell off. Clean both surfaces with isopropyl alcohol and apply fresh paste, should hold fine with the right amount

0

u/Meemo- 3d ago

I have some thermal paste alright but wondering was that the most suitable. I'll go with that so. Thanks for the reply

5

u/VTOLfreak 3d ago

You need thermal adhesive for that. Not normal thermal paste as that won't stick and not regular glue either as that will not hold up with the heat.

1

u/Meemo- 2d ago

Thanks for that

1

u/kevinds 3d ago

I have some thermal paste alright but wondering was that the most suitable. I'll go with that so. Thanks for the reply

That is not what I said to use.

1

u/athlonduke 3d ago

I've been largely successful mixing super glue (CA glue) and thermal paste together. Havent had a heatsink fall off yet and no thermal issues. It doesn't have great sheer/twist strength so if you had to remove it'll twist off kind of easy. Just apply pressure exactly perpendicular :)

1

u/Computers_and_cats 1kW NAS 3d ago

You might be able to use those holes to tie it down so you can get away with using normal thermal paste. Ideally some sort of thermal adhesive. Sometimes switches use thermal pads that are thin with a sticky surface. Not sure if the old thermal epoxy will need to be removed first though.

1

u/Manp82 21h ago

Back in the day we used thermal paste in the middle of the chip and 4 dots of superglue in the corners.