Chrome Heat Sinks

more_power · 29th May 2002, 02:13 PM

I have some mobile audio amplifiers and they are a bit scuffed up. I was thinking of stripping the powder coating and having them chromed. How much less effective will the heat sink be as far as dissapating heat? I will have fans in place, but was wondering if anyone had any numbers on the insulating properties of chrome?

peranders · 29th May 2002, 03:01 PM

Hi!

The colour of a heatsink is more important the hotter it get, but in numbers in not sure about the difference. Compare a black car vs. a white in the sun! If you have convection cooling it's a minor importance but if radiation is the main cooling it's very important.

In your case I think it's no big deal of the colour of the heatsink.

mpopovics · 29th May 2002, 03:11 PM

Hi!

The chrome on the aluminium usually much more thick, and it is like a "cover" on it.

It is looking good, but the heat-dissipating efficiency will be less, for sure.

Please think, that you "cover" with a material your heatsinks. It is like you close it to some box.
I'm NOT recommend to do it, if the amps running with high wattage.
On higher heatsink temperature the chrome will be not nice after a time period.

BR,

Aud_Mot · 29th May 2002, 09:46 PM

Years ago Audio Amature (now AudioXpress) had an article on heatsink 101.

The relevent part: If your heatsink is not black anodized, and you cannot get it anodized, PAINT it black - the color makes a difference.

Mick Jagger sang it best: "I see a chrome heatsink and I want to paint it black."

(Sorry)

Aud_Mot

Nelson Pass · 29th May 2002, 11:32 PM

Most of the cooling comes from direct contact with
air, not from radiation, so a chrome heat sink is
somewhat less effective than a black one, but not
be so much that you can't use chrome sinks.

I say go for it.

JoeBob · 30th May 2002, 12:50 AM

The convection of air against the heatsink does most of the cooling, so color won't really matter. Just check what the thermal resistance of chrome is, I'm gathering it's pretty low but I'm not sure, if it is high then don't, if it's low enough for your needs go for it, it'll look cool.

peranders · 30th May 2002, 12:56 AM

The surface is important when we talk radiation as I and the rest of us says but have also in mind that in case you didn't know: the heat conductivity is related to the electrical conductivity with one exception! Don't use stainless steel for example.

Today question is: What material conducts heat very well but is a bad electrical conductor, in fact an isolator? The answer is revealed thursday!

mlloyd1 · 30th May 2002, 01:27 AM

Peranders:
Do you refer to mica?
mlloyd1

Quote:

Originally posted by peranders
Today question is: What material conducts heat very well but is a bad electrical conductor, in fact an isolator? The answer is revealed thursday! [/B]

Keld · 30th May 2002, 01:49 AM

Quote:

Today question is: What material conducts heat very well but is a bad electrical

this maybe:
the same as the surface of anodized al-sinks:aluminiumoxide

Keld

GRollins · 30th May 2002, 02:03 AM

Geoff had a link once upon a time which gave information on heatsink colors and anodized vs. paint. I can't remember the thread off hand, but I think it was in the Everything Else category. It might be useful to look there.

Grey

29th May 2002, 02:13 PM	#1
more_power diyAudio Member Join Date: Apr 2001 Location: Connecticut	Chrome Heat Sinks I have some mobile audio amplifiers and they are a bit scuffed up. I was thinking of stripping the powder coating and having them chromed. How much less effective will the heat sink be as far as dissapating heat? I will have fans in place, but was wondering if anyone had any numbers on the insulating properties of chrome?

29th May 2002, 03:01 PM	#2
peranders Electrons are yellow and more is better! diyAudio Member Join Date: Apr 2002 Location: Göteborg, Sweden Blog Entries: 4	Hi! The colour of a heatsink is more important the hotter it get, but in numbers in not sure about the difference. Compare a black car vs. a white in the sun! If you have convection cooling it's a minor importance but if radiation is the main cooling it's very important. In your case I think it's no big deal of the colour of the heatsink. __________________ /Per-Anders (my first name) or P-A as my friends call me

30th May 2002, 12:56 AM	#7
peranders Electrons are yellow and more is better! diyAudio Member Join Date: Apr 2002 Location: Göteborg, Sweden Blog Entries: 4	The surface is important when we talk radiation as I and the rest of us says but have also in mind that in case you didn't know: the heat conductivity is related to the electrical conductivity with one exception! Don't use stainless steel for example. Today question is: What material conducts heat very well but is a bad electrical conductor, in fact an isolator? The answer is revealed thursday! __________________ /Per-Anders (my first name) or P-A as my friends call me

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29th May 2002, 03:11 PM	#3
mpopovics diyAudio Member Join Date: Apr 2002 Location: Hungary	Hi! The chrome on the aluminium usually much more thick, and it is like a "cover" on it. It is looking good, but the heat-dissipating efficiency will be less, for sure. Please think, that you "cover" with a material your heatsinks. It is like you close it to some box. I'm NOT recommend to do it, if the amps running with high wattage. On higher heatsink temperature the chrome will be not nice after a time period. BR,

29th May 2002, 09:46 PM	#4
Aud_Mot diyAudio Member Join Date: Apr 2002 Location: California	Years ago Audio Amature (now AudioXpress) had an article on heatsink 101. The relevent part: If your heatsink is not black anodized, and you cannot get it anodized, PAINT it black - the color makes a difference. Mick Jagger sang it best: "I see a chrome heatsink and I want to paint it black." (Sorry) Aud_Mot

29th May 2002, 11:32 PM	#5
Nelson Pass The one and only Join Date: Mar 2001	Most of the cooling comes from direct contact with air, not from radiation, so a chrome heat sink is somewhat less effective than a black one, but not be so much that you can't use chrome sinks. I say go for it.

30th May 2002, 12:50 AM	#6
JoeBob diyAudio Member Join Date: Nov 2001 Location: Montreal, Canada	The convection of air against the heatsink does most of the cooling, so color won't really matter. Just check what the thermal resistance of chrome is, I'm gathering it's pretty low but I'm not sure, if it is high then don't, if it's low enough for your needs go for it, it'll look cool.

30th May 2002, 02:03 AM	#10
GRollins diyAudio Member Join Date: Feb 2001 Location: Columbia, SC	Geoff had a link once upon a time which gave information on heatsink colors and anodized vs. paint. I can't remember the thread off hand, but I think it was in the Everything Else category. It might be useful to look there. Grey

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