Use caution installing thin bladed heatsinks

pigflipperpigflipper The Forgotten Coast Icrontian
edited May 2010 in Hardware
Bending the fins is not the issue, or at least, the main issue. Yesterday, while installing a Zalman CNPS 9700 LED that my dad had laying around and gave to me, I learned the danger of 2mm copper fins...

It is like handling a bundle of razor blades. I have thin, deep gashes all over my hands from the copper fins. I would highly recommend using gloves to install these (or any other thin blade heatsinks); blood doesn't mix well with electronics. Already fired off an email to Zalman recommending they put a warning on their products, at least in the installation instructions, about the bundle of razor blades they ship. I've cut myself installing hardware before, including a couple of slips that ended up needing stitches, but nothing has ever sliced and diced my hands with quite the ease that this heatsink did.

As for how it performs: A+ compared to stock, went from ~70C full load @ 2.8ghz to ~40C full load @ 3.2ghz.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16835118019

Comments

  • BuddyJBuddyJ Dept. of Propaganda OKC Icrontian
    edited April 2010
    Yeah, the Cogage TRUE Spirit sliced up my hand really good. There's still dried blood on the fins.
  • jedihobbitjedihobbit Central Virginia, USA New
    edited April 2010
    Think I can relate as.............

    When pulling the plug on an 8700, got snagged by the cooling fins! In the second pic to can see the fin spacing! :hair:

    CNPS8700FinsRSharp.jpgCNPS8700FinSpacing.jpg

    Guess it was telling me it didn't want to be replaced by a competitor's WC block.......... ;D
  • Cliff_ForsterCliff_Forster Icrontian
    edited April 2010
    Its like the good ole days where every case had unfinished sharp metal edges.

    All Zalman would need to do is package it with a plastic insert to cover the fins until you finished mounting.
  • mas0nmas0n howdy Icrontian
    edited April 2010
    All good computers require a blood sacrifice.
  • kryystkryyst Ontario, Canada
    edited April 2010
    mas0n wrote:
    All good computers require a blood sacrifice.

    ^This.

    Between slicing my knuckles on fans, rough case edges or glancing across the solder points on the back of a mobo. My computers could keep a CSI team amazed. But they keep on ticking. As long as their blood requirement is topped up from time to time.
  • pigflipperpigflipper The Forgotten Coast Icrontian
    edited April 2010
    Compared to previous wounds caused by cases, fans, and heatsinks, these cuts are nothing. One time my finger slipped while testing a Delta 80mm for the Apu's Hardware; NOT FUN! Also still have a scar on my arm where an Antec 1080 got me real good while transporting for a LAN almost a decade ago.

    Still, I was not expecting the edges on the CNPS9700 to be quite so sharp, probably the cleanest, neatest cuts I've ever received from a computer component; bled a lot too, spent more time on cleanup than install!
  • _k_k P-Town, Texas Icrontian
    edited April 2010
    pigflipper wrote:
    Already fired off an email to Zalman recommending they put a warning on their products, at least in the installation instructions, about the bundle of razor blades they ship.

    You are installing something that is over half stamped copper fins, did you think it would only give you a little booboo. Stop being such a baby, people like you are reasons why chainsaws tell you to wear pants during operation.
  • Sledgehammer70Sledgehammer70 California Icrontian
    edited April 2010
    _k_ wrote:
    You are installing something that is over half stamped copper fins, did you think it would only give you a little booboo. Stop being such a baby, people like you are reasons why chainsaws tell you to wear pants during operation.

    Ha! like pants will stop a chain saw :)
  • jedihobbitjedihobbit Central Virginia, USA New
    edited April 2010
    Sledgehammer70 wrote:
    Ha! like pants will stop a chain saw :)

    Well I don't know.......going necked while using might be painful without the saw slipping!! ;D
  • kryystkryyst Ontario, Canada
    edited April 2010
    It's not the saw you have to worry about - it's the slivers.
  • jedihobbitjedihobbit Central Virginia, USA New
    edited April 2010
    kryyst wrote:
    It's not the saw you have to worry about - it's the slivers.

    Slivers and splinters in certain areas can be very painful..........:hair:
  • DogSoldierDogSoldier The heart of radical Amish country..
    edited April 2010
    My jeans stopped a chainsaw blade once, but ONLY JUST.. Still slashed my leg up a little.
  • csimoncsimon Acadiana Icrontian
    edited May 2010
    moar goar pls.
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