Hardware Exchanging thermal paste?

[N3w_Typ3]

Hi, Thanks for your reply.

I will do most of it expect pulling off the IEM shield. (I will remove the Copper thing thoug.)

Since if I damaged the IEM shield, it will be hard to put back properly.

 

[driverdis]

I took the copper plate off and used one of those IC Diamond thermal graphite pads. Best decision ever. Far better heat transfer than the little piece of copper. but to answer you, yes. MX4 will work just fine.

I second this, I did this with Thermal Grizzly’s Carbonaut pad (not as good as the IC Diamond pad but still good enough). I also used their Minus 8 brand 0.5mm thermal pads along the heat pipe to transfer heat to the RF shield as well. I believe 1.0mm would be optimal as I used spacers on the backplate to keep the metal RF shield pushed onto the pads for better heat transfer as the 0.5mm just touches and the added pressure keeps compressed for better heat transfer.

 

[N3w_Typ3]

I second this, I did this with Thermal Grizzly’s Carbonaut pad (not as good as the IC Diamond pad but still good enough). I also used their Minus 8 brand 0.5mm thermal pads along the heat pipe to transfer heat to the RF shield as well. I believe 1.0mm would be optimal as I used spacers on the backplate to keep the metal RF shield pushed onto the pads for better heat transfer as the 0.5mm just touches and the added pressure keeps compressed for better heat transfer.

Did you pull out the processor IEM?

 

[NekoMichi]

Just dropping in with my personal experience.

I have a Switch Lite with a screen that would get so hot to the point where it was uncomfortable to touch and occasionally scanline-like artifacts would appear. After opening it up I found that the gummy red stuff wasn't even applied on top of the CPU area but seemed to have been dripped carelessly below that spot. (image)

I got rid of all the gunk and gave everything a good clean, removed the copper sticker and replaced the stock paste with MX4 as well as applied thermal pads to the memory casing. Now the screen never gets as hot as before and artifacting is no more. Battery life and in-game performance is unchanged but I wasn't expecting anything drastic in those departments, although the fans now seem to ramp up even less than before.

Applied the same changes to a 2017 Switch and using the system monitor overlay there wasn't any major changes to temperature figures (although they were somewhat lower the changes were well within the margin of error and not consistent).

 

[ragestaker21]

If i remove the copper sticker to replace the paste under, can/ should i put it back after?

 

[leerpsp]

If i remove the copper sticker to replace the paste under, can/ should i put it back after?

The copper sticker is put on the metal shield that you took off it should not have been taken off of that to begin with so hell yes put the copper sticker back on that is a must unless you made or ordered something better to use. all you had to do was remove the metal plate that had that copper sticker on it then taken the past off under it and on top of it replaced the past (with better stuff) then put the cover back on then the heat pipe then the past on the heat pipe then the big metal backing.

 

[LapCheong]

Not sure why, but there is properly contact between heat sink and cpu die. I suppose there is enough pressure as well, since the paste is being spread out evenly. But if you have already taken on the copper sticker, just use more thermal paste. It would'd affect a thing...Please don't stick the sticker back if you already taken it off, i would just clean it and reapply thermal paste

 

[ragestaker21]

I havent removed the sticker yet..so it is worth to remove the metal plate to replace the paste on the cpu die instead of just replacing the other 2 layers of paste(heatsink, back shield)?

It seems tricky to remove the cpu metal shield without breaking it

 

[LapCheong]

I havent removed the sticker yet..so it is worth to remove the metal plate to replace the paste on the cpu die instead of just replacing the other 2 layers of paste(heatsink, back shield)?

It seems tricky to remove the cpu metal shield without breaking it

Nope i tried but failed. Bent the metal surrounding it. I guess you need a sharp tip razor, but i should't improve temp much

 

[ragestaker21]

Nope i tried but failed. Bent the metal surrounding it. I guess you need a sharp tip razor, but i should't improve temp much

Ok i decided to not replace the paste on the die.

last doubt; can i replace the pinky gum like paste between the back shield and heatsink with mx4?

 

[leerpsp]

Ok i decided to not replace the paste on the die.

last doubt; can i replace the pinky gum like paste between the back shield and heatsink with mx4?

I did that on my switch when I put a new housing on it and Have never had a problem with it as of now and that was moths ago, only problem I have every right joycon motherboard I replace the R button falls off so I give up lol.
But replacing the one on the die is not hard at all and plus its way better then what they put on at the factory.

 

[ragestaker21]

I did that on my switch when I put a new housing on it and Have never had a problem with it as of now and that was moths ago, only problem I have every right joycon motherboard I replace the R button falls off so I give up lol.
But replacing the one on the die is not hard at all and plus its way better then what they put on at the factory.

Im afraid of breaking the metal shield on the die, btw i was thinking so replacing termal paste On the die would mean a sort of “delid” right?

 

[leerpsp]

Im afraid of breaking the metal shield on the die, btw i was thinking so replacing termal paste On the die would mean a sort of “delid” right?

ya its really small clips on it just take a small flathead or something like it and go around slow lifting the edge all around little by little and it will pop right off its not hard and it just snaps back on, its worth the extra work plus mine runs a bit cooler docked as well, plus I found all my compound was dried up on my switch and had a snowflake pattern on the chip, So some is done better then others but Nintendo did not do a good job on this switch, I do wish I took photos of it.

 

[izy]

The copper sticker is put on the metal shield that you took off it should not have been taken off of that to begin with so hell yes put the copper sticker back on that is a must unless you made or ordered something better to use. all you had to do was remove the metal plate that had that copper sticker on it then taken the past off under it and on top of it replaced the past (with better stuff) then put the cover back on then the heat pipe then the past on the heat pipe then the big metal backing.

Emm no the copper stick literally does nothing but add a pointless layer of thermal resistance to the die itself. you get better thermal performance doing directly to the die which literally only requires you to just screw the heatpipe on with same force you would use reattaching it anyway.

Putting thermal on the heatpipe is literally nintendos solutions to delaying the heat buildup instead of just doing a better thermal solution application once it gets warm its still gonna hit the same temperatures as if they didnt add it.

the metal plate only acts as an EMI shield for fcc requirements and doesnt function as anything outside of that. you can even tell because it they flooded the heatpipe with paste but it doesnt even make a proper direct contact to the shield.

Im afraid of breaking the metal shield on the die, btw i was thinking so replacing termal paste On the die would mean a sort of “delid” right?

the thermal paste is applied directly to the die just like laptop cpus the die doesnt have an IHS "lid" to get the best thermal conductivity in the size restraints.
you could honestly destroy the metal shield the cpu has and would have no effect on the device

 

[ragestaker21]

RED ALARM im desperate

i cant unscrew the last 3 philips screws to remove the switch backcover

microsd slot
Joycon rail RIGHT
joycon rail LEFT

I Bought 2 switch kits with screwdrivers

 

[Destinykid]

So I removed the copper shim/tape and applied Kryonaut after removing the old thermal paste. I also put 0.5mm thermal pads on the ram chips on the inside of the shield and on the outside next to the heatpipe.

Now my switch stutters slightly undocked and severely stutters when docked. This happens even after no use on a cold boot. Did I put too much thermal paste or not enough?

 

[ragestaker21]

So I removed the copper shim/tape and applied Kryonaut after removing the old thermal paste. I also put 0.5mm thermal pads on the ram chips on the inside of the shield and on the outside next to the heatpipe.

Now my switch stutters slightly undocked and severely stutters when docked. This happens even after no use on a cold boot. Did I put too much thermal paste or not enough?

i think these thermal pads you put are overkill

 

[Destinykid]

i think these thermal pads you put are overkill

Yeah it's probably overkill but I saw people doing that in this thread and elsewhere. That wouldn't make my switch stutter though right?

 

[ragestaker21]

Yeah it's probably overkill but I saw people doing that in this thread and elsewhere. That wouldn't make my switch stutter though right?

i dont know, maybe check the battery connection, the multi colored cable. wait other replies because im not very good in mobile hardware stuff topic. I replaced my paste fine today with no stutter(FOR NOW). It was a nightmare to unscrew the microsd and the joycon rails middle screws.

 

[ragestaker21]

And check if the fan works