Subzero benching prep

[Macsbeach98]

Vaso is messy and a pain to get off Plastidip works good just mask it well where you dont want it.

[Bones]

Only real way to remove ALL the Vaso is in the dishwasher like I did the Sabo.
Dielectric is a better way to go if possible but Vaso works too.

[Shadyreaper]

Dec 27, 2019 19:17:29 GMT -5 Bones said:

Only real way to remove ALL the Vaso is in the dishwasher like I did the Sabo.
Dielectric is a better way to go if possible but Vaso works too.

You could actually use a ultrasonic cleaner with ISO alcohol that would clean all the Vaseline off but in reality use plastidip or LET (liquid electrical tape) 

[osmiumoc]

Stuff arrived, I´m gonna try the modeling clay to help hold thermal probes in place. Its water-free and seems to be non conductive. 

[Macsbeach98]

Modeling Clay (Plastalina) works Ok with dice but with nitrogen temps you will have water forming on the modeling clay the cold does end up going through it.

[osmiumoc]

Wow I made that post months ago. Took me a while, spare time was a bit rare.

Currently planning to go cold for the first time this weekend. Painted a trusty old P5Q-E with the liquid rubber. 

I used the clear one because I really loved the idea to see through and it helped me to learn how to apply it correctly. Three coats of rather thin layers, carefully spread out with a brush. Otherwise you get airbubbles when it dries and shrinks up.


I also made one big oopsie:



No idea how it happened but some of the rubber got into the socket... There was no drop on top of the CPU that I kept in there to protect it from drops, it must have crept in from underneath. I thought I was careful enough and left enough space around the socket but nope.

The red marking shows the area that was affected, nearly flooded half of the socket with the stuff. This gave me a small heart-attack when I saw it but its actually no big deal. I let it dry, put some alcohol on a 2000 grit sandpaper and gently brushed the pins 3-4 times.

Was another of those moments where you are super anxious pressing the power button but it just fired right up. 



Gave it a testrun with just water to check on the VRM temps, which are now coated. I thought it would be really bad but its fine. These dual cores are rather tame in terms of power and the VRM is big enough. 

Man am I glad its running. Everything down to the PCIe slot is covered back and front on the board. Just taped off the connectors and DIMM slots. 

I also got some armaflex and shop-towel ready. 

I'll start with dry ice this weekend and see how it goes. If my method works and everything survives the weekend (I doubt it) I might jump to LN2 but for now I think dice is the easiest way to get my feet wet.

[Macsbeach98]

You will do fine I know what its like getting the paint in the socket it wicks up from underneath beware of it doing that in ram slots too.
In my early days I got red LET into the socket of a P5Q3 Deluxe Wifi so I cleaned it off the pins with Acetone and a soft brush after it ran it cold and pulled it apart it was all over the bottom of the CPU again it was like that for a few runs after it happened I still have the board I am sure if I was to run it now it would still come up in there.

Here is what I am doing now for insulation LET put on with a syringe its quick and easy in the second pic you can see the way I have my foam pads so it seals off the CPU completely that was a Prescott 478 in a 775 adaptor had it running for over 2 hrs at -100 no condensation problems at all.
775 CPUs a good one will run comfortably at -120 a great one will run at -130 my QX9650 locks at -90 they dont go to full pot more insulation is needed on boards that do.
Your insulation methods will change with experience as you work out what works for you.