jameskelsey Posted August 21, 2009 Share Posted August 21, 2009 I got my H50 today and decided to clean off the TIM and inspect the base. It looks like it could use a lapping and I had a couple questions. Is lapping a option to improve heat transfer or is their a reason it should not be done on the H50? Would lapping void the warranty? Any input would be appreciated. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Corsair Employees RAM GUY Posted August 21, 2009 Corsair Employees Share Posted August 21, 2009 Lapping the H50 should be no problem and you will not void the warranty. We have not tested lapped vs unlapped so I would not know if the difference would be significant. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jameskelsey Posted August 22, 2009 Author Share Posted August 22, 2009 Thanks for the info, I don't have much extra time right now but I think I'm going to test it stock with my Phenom II 550 unlocked to 4 cores and then lap it later and compare. I'll post my results but it may be several weeks from now. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Yellowbeard Posted November 23, 2009 Share Posted November 23, 2009 Did you ever lap your H50 block? Just curious to see the results if you did. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JoeSchmuck Posted November 24, 2009 Share Posted November 24, 2009 I have lapped both my processor and heatsink (not the H50) and used Antec Formula 5 Silver Thermal Compound and the heat transfer was great. There are a few things you need to know about lapping: 1) keep your surface flat. I used a piece of tempered plate glass. 2) keep your obejct flat. 3) keep the sandpaper wet and use a high 800 grit. It will take a long time to sand but you shouldn't be in a hurry. 4) KEEP you object FLAT! It's worth repeating. If you cannot maintain it flat, you will round the surface likely making things worse. 5) Pull towards you in one direction a few times then rotate the device and pull towards you again. Go slow. Use a razorblade to check for light passing through the low spots. Use high quality thermal compound, just a dab will do. -Joe Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
heliman41 Posted November 25, 2009 Share Posted November 25, 2009 I have lapped both my processor and heatsink (not the H50) and used ******** Formula 5 Silver Thermal Compound and the heat transfer was great. There are a few things you need to know about lapping: 1) keep your surface flat. I used a piece of tempered plate glass. 2) keep your obejct flat. 3) keep the sandpaper wet and use a high 800 grit. It will take a long time to sand but you shouldn't be in a hurry. 4) KEEP you object FLAT! It's worth repeating. If you cannot maintain it flat, you will round the surface likely making things worse. 5) Pull towards you in one direction a few times then rotate the device and pull towards you again. Go slow. Use a razorblade to check for light passing through the low spots. Use high quality thermal compound, just a dab will do. -Joe Joe, As Yellowbeard asked, what was your results? Can you tell us before & after results with the room temps the same? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JoeSchmuck Posted November 27, 2009 Share Posted November 27, 2009 Joe, As Yellowbeard asked, what was your results? Can you tell us before & after results with the room temps the same? Yellowbread was asking a previous poster and I just happened to post my lapping experience. I lapped my CPU and Heatsink about a year ago so I don't recall anything other than lowering the temps from mid to high 60's C (don't recall the room temp). RealTemp reports 25 to 29C normal use, and 40C when running Prime95. Room Temp is 21.1C and the computer is located in a cabinet but it does breath. I believe I dropped overall by around 20C by lapping. The first time I lapped the CPU and heatsink it wasn't perfect and although it was better, it's wasn't good enough. I took everything apart and did it again but slower and more careful to ensure flat surfaces. Before someone laps something, find out how flat it is. If you can't determine how flat it is then you need to figure this out first or you will likely mess it up. My tools to verify flatness, a new razor blade and small piece of plate glass (not a glass plate). With water on the plate glass you can see if the CPU disperses all the water (looking through the glass that is). The razor allows you to see high or low spots easy and I used it to lay a very very thin film of heatsink compound. Hope this helps, Joe Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
heliman41 Posted November 27, 2009 Share Posted November 27, 2009 Thanks Joe. Im pretty lucky, I checked my Phenom 550 BE with a razor & a backlight & it was about as flat as one could ask for. I actually was expecting to have to lap it big time. I OCed from 3.1 to 3.8 GHZ & the operating temps have hardy changed at all except about 10c higher at full load at around 45c. Of course my processor is a 45nm 80w engine so its power consumption is pretty low as well as temps, a main reason I bought it in the first place, knowing it would OC easily. I doubt id lap it as it dosen't get hot anyway. The gain wouldnt be much since its already flat. Ive got a Phenom 9850 quad @2.5 GHZ which is seriously convex but its steppings dont make a lap worthwhile either sadly........................... Out of boredom I may lap the slow quad eventually and slap it in my sys. just to see IF I can reach 3.0 but I doubt it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JoeSchmuck Posted November 27, 2009 Share Posted November 27, 2009 Yea, it would be nice if all CPUs came perfectly flat. Sounds like your 550BE was spot on. Running at 45C is very nice. You never mentioned the heatsinks and how flat they were. Apparently the one on your 550BE is doing it's job fine since 10C is really a minimal jump up from idle to max. I have been an avid non Intel CPU owner up until last year when I purchased my second Intel CPU, the E8500. The one before that was the 8080 and it didn't need to be lapped because it was in a plastic case and didn't generate much heat. Times have changed. I'm still a huge AMD fan. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
heliman41 Posted November 27, 2009 Share Posted November 27, 2009 Im running a Corsair H50 no aircool heatsinks here. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
1badmojoe Posted December 15, 2009 Share Posted December 15, 2009 Wow Great info to know that lapping the H5O has no impact warranty wise, this alone sells me on getting one..almost for sure. I agree with JoeShmuck's process to enshure flatness of course it dosn't hurt to use finer sandpaper and polishing compound on a buffer wheel. [EDIT] Buffer wheel attachment for a dremel>.<...NOT...the big powered ones attached to a bench w/grinder on the other end Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SonDa5 Posted December 18, 2009 Share Posted December 18, 2009 I want to see how this works out as well. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SportedWood Posted December 22, 2009 Share Posted December 22, 2009 Wow Great info to know that lapping the H5O has no impact warranty wise, this alone sells me on getting one..almost for sure. I agree with JoeShmuck's process to enshure flatness of course it dosn't hurt to use finer sandpaper and polishing compound on a buffer wheel. just a word of caution, be careful around a buffer wheel make sure you know what your doing. I had a buddy round out IHS a few years ago :eek: was badddddddd Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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