Replace heat spreader thermal compound?

[core2kid]

Well, if you need someone that does reballing and can replace a GPU, hit me up with a PM. I'm in FL, shipping wouldn't be too bad, especially on just a mobo.

Oh, and the xbox prolly warped and bridged the contacts during the reflow. Leave it in an oven on 80C for 4-6 hours to remove the board warping, then check the contacts again. If they're still bridged then reflow it again but do it quickly. If all else fails, reball it.

4-6 hours at 175F? Won't that damage the board? Should I cover the board? How should I put it in the oven, on an upside down cooking tray (deep one)?

I'll keep you handy. I was thinking of just selling the PS3s but I'm seeing that I can get about $50 for a BD drive and $40 for a system without one. Might just sell them like that. I got 3 working BD Drives.

[core2kid]

Well I removed the IHS and reapplied thermal paste under it. While the console was open, I replaced the fan with a 19 blade fan. I have to say, it's quieter but not significantly quieter. Not sure if it's the extra noise from the bigger fan or what but I can still hear it when 3 feet away from it. Room is about 78F. Got up to level 2 on by updating to 3.72 and sitting at the XMB for 15 mins running at 1080p.

Good, bad? What do you think?

My 2 cents, replace it if you can. Have steady hands otherwise don't do it. Again, I couldn't get it off with my reflow gun, I ended up using my heatgun at the 750F setting for 15 sec. Probably only hit about 150-200C but it came off. Not easily, I had to put a little force but it's enough to not damage the RSX.

[Pereb27]

Level 2 is good. Mine gets to level 2 after 10-15 mins aswell but NEVER higher than that. And if the air in the room is cool enough, it doesn't go above level 1.

EDIT : Although I'm not sure if my understanding of "level 2" is accurate. When I boot up the PS3, the fan is almost completely inaudible at first, but after 5 mins it starts speeding up a bit once, and after another 10 mins it speeds up a little again. However, on the first 5 mins, the fan runs so slow that it would be accurate to call it level 0. Is my thinking correct? xD
Also, the 19 blade fan is quieter but also better. If I left the 15 blade fan, it would get to level 3 instead of level 2.

[core2kid]

Level 2 is good. Mine gets to level 2 after 10-15 mins aswell but NEVER higher than that. And if the air in the room is cool enough, it doesn't go above level 1.

EDIT : Although I'm not sure if my understanding of "level 2" is accurate. When I boot up the PS3, the fan is almost completely inaudible at first, but after 5 mins it starts speeding up a bit once, and after another 10 mins it speeds up a little again. However, on the first 5 mins, the fan runs so slow that it would be accurate to call it level 0. Is my thinking correct? xD
Also, the 19 blade fan is quieter but also better. If I left the 15 blade fan, it would get to level 3 instead of level 2.

I think the fan itself is quieter but the sound of it moving air and the vibration is louder. Remember, I have the CECHH01 where they completely reworked the insides of the system. I have 2 small aluminum heatsinks, not the big single one.

From my understanding, the PS3 never turns the fan off. Bootup is level 1, then you can count on ramp speeds. I think level 2 is significantly louder than level 1. I wasn't next to my console to tell you exactly what level it was, I'm assuming 2. I'll check again when I play.

[Pereb27]

I think the fan itself is quieter but the sound of it moving air and the vibration is louder. Remember, I have the CECHH01 where they completely reworked the insides of the system. I have 2 small aluminum heatsinks, not the big single one.

From my understanding, the PS3 never turns the fan off. Bootup is level 1, then you can count on ramp speeds. I think level 2 is significantly louder than level 1. I wasn't next to my console to tell you exactly what level it was, I'm assuming 2. I'll check again when I play.

Yes, if you think of bootup speed as level 1, mine stays at level 2 or 3 depending on how cool the air is. But level 1 is very slow and definitely won't stay at that, so if you have level 2, it's good.
Yes, they changed a lot in CECHH01, however the Cell is 65nm as opposed to 90 on BC models, so in the end it's pretty much the same.

[blazie151]

Well I removed the IHS and reapplied thermal paste under it. While the console was open, I replaced the fan with a 19 blade fan. I have to say, it's quieter but not significantly quieter. Not sure if it's the extra noise from the bigger fan or what but I can still hear it when 3 feet away from it. Room is about 78F. Got up to level 2 on by updating to 3.72 and sitting at the XMB for 15 mins running at 1080p.

Good, bad? What do you think?

My 2 cents, replace it if you can. Have steady hands otherwise don't do it. Again, I couldn't get it off with my reflow gun, I ended up using my heatgun at the 750F setting for 15 sec. Probably only hit about 150-200C but it came off. Not easily, I had to put a little force but it's enough to not damage the RSX.

It you got the RSX off the board, you got the underside of the chip to at least 220C, cause that's when the lead free solder melts. Doing this with a heat gun is VERY unsafe. Uneven heating can cause damaged or torn solder pads, too much heat too fast can damage more sensitive components (like the capacitors under the motherboard), and too much heat will warp the board and possibly de-laminate the chip or the board. Make sure the underside of the chip doesn't look like it's bubbled up anywhere or else it's fried. As far as having to pry the chip off, any pressure at all will tear the solder pads off and ruin both the board and the RSX BGA chip. When removing those chips, you have to apply heat until the chip freely moves by tapping the side with a small metal object. If the whole chip doesn't slide, then it's not ready to come off. I normally then use a vacuum pen to lift the chip off without spreading solder all around, but others use a pair of tweezers with success. It all depends on how steady your hand it. Oh, also, the use of a preheater is pretty much mandatory because of how large the Cell-BE and RSX are on the PS3. Without a preheater (and a large bga nozzle preferably as well), your pretty much guaranteed to mess up the board, chip, or both.

4-6 hours at 175F? Won't that damage the board? Should I cover the board? How should I put it in the oven, on an upside down cooking tray (deep one)?

I'll keep you handy. I was thinking of just selling the PS3s but I'm seeing that I can get about $50 for a BD drive and $40 for a system without one. Might just sell them like that. I got 3 working BD Drives.

Even surface, nothing underneath the board (no cooking sheet or anything)... What I did was roll up a few pieces of aluminum foil into little balls as close to the same size as physically possible (I spent 10 minutes just getting them all the same height), and use them as standoffs so that you can level the board in the oven. Oh, and 80C for almost any length of time is fine, it's not enough to hurt any components on the board unless you left it that hot for days. I'd be bad if you preheated the over first though, let it heat up gradually with the board already in there. And don't touch the board for 1/2 hour after it's done, just open the oven door and let it cool for that long. As far as the safety of the board; the safe rework preheater temp is between 150C-180C, the lead free solder won't melt till 220C, and most people put their overhead heater and soldering iron on 240C, so you'd be well beneath the threshold for that.



EDIT: Just realized you meant taking off the heatspreader in the first quote, I thought you meant you took off the RSX BGA with a heat gun. My mind is still on work, lol.

[core2kid]

EDIT: Just realized you meant taking off the heatspreader in the first quote, I thought you meant you took off the RSX BGA with a heat gun. My mind is still on work, lol.

lol yea. Still, probably not the best idea to use a heatgun for the reasons above but I've done it so much I've kinda mastered how long to do it. I wouldn't suggest a first timer taking a heatgun and doing it. As for taking the RSX off the board, I'm not even going to attempt it without actually getting a proper reflow station.

By the way, I bought a heatsink/fan combo from a CECHH01 a while back and it came with a 17 blade fan. Is it better to use a 17 blade fan rather than a 19 on the 40GBs? The 19 uses more amperage and seems like it's not circling that much air because of the inside design of the case (Heatsinks are on the right rather than all around)

[core2kid]

For anyone really into cooling the RSX, I suggest one of these (Not for everyone, they're expensive!):
Coollaboratory*Liquid MetalPad - the innovation of cooling for High-End sytems
I put one on the RSX and Cell. What I didn't do that I wish I did was put it under the heatspreadder. It's a PITA to remove it. From what I've heard, it basically molds the chip and heatsink together..

They're amazing. I used one on my 60GB CECHA01 console. I've never heard it above level 2. Even in a closed area (4 inches free on each side and 8 in the back with a little 2 inch diameter hole for wires), the fan speed would hit level 3-4 after an hour or so but it would never overheat (The console heated up faster while playing DVDs somehow)

Before you guys tell me that I'm an idiot for leaving the PS3 in such a small area, it wasn't my idea, it was my dads. After seeing the fans so high a couple times, I swapped the location of my slim and 60GB. Slim does get warm in there but I could care less, I have the extended 2 year warranty. Console is also rarely on. It's a BluRay/DVD/Netflix player for my dad and the occasional games for me. I got 3 other PS3's I can choose from.

[Pereb27]

That metal pad looks really good, I'm tempted to give it a try, how much is it? x)
However i wouldn't recommend putting some on the die, IHS is good however.

[core2kid]

That metal pad looks really good, I'm tempted to give it a try, how much is it? x)
However i wouldn't recommend putting some on the die, IHS is good however.

$16 + shipping. I think I spent $20 on mine. It's for Xbox 360 also so I don't think there's a problem putting it right on the die.
http://www.frozencpu.com/products/70...51&id=6ghuT7jS