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Improving the Scythe Infinity CPU Heatsink for extreme cooling

Modding/Small Mods by enz660 @ 2007-05-08

In this guide you can follow the steps required to unleash the full cooling power of the large tower CPU heatsink from Scythe. The Infinity is fitted with custom motherboard mounting, 2x120mm fans and cool black shroud. Read on to find out how much performance one can extract from this CPU cooler by doing some ghetto style modifications.

Modded Infinity vs Modded Tower 120

Modding the Tuniq Tower 120

I started of with the Tuniq’s copper base which wasn’t very smooth to begin with, after a few hours of grind work it was very smooth to the touch, two areas outside of the CPU contact area refused to really flatten out, but that won’t affect results. The photo below was taking half way through the lapping process, as you can see the base is flatting out bit by bit.

Madshrimps (c)

Next step I removed popped the top which covered the heat pipes and applied a lot thermal goop:

Madshrimps (c)

Mounting the Tower 120 with the custom screws and bolts the motherboard is slightly bending due to the pressure, that’s what I call a good mount:

Madshrimps (c)

Last modification is the fan configuration, the two Yate Loons from the Infinity are re-used here, one serves as exhaust at the back of the case, the other as in-take for the Tower 120, temporarily duct-taped to the heatsink.

Madshrimps (c)

The Tuniq fan at its lowest setting its noise was drowned out by the Yate Loons, this was the result in my ~18°C room:

Madshrimps (c)

What a difference! Lapping the Tower 120 and applying the thermal goop had its affect, adding a bit more airflow around the heatsink too, CPU temperature drops from 71°C (at low settings on the previous page) to 59°C with this configuration!

Turning the dial on the Tuniq Tower 120 fan controller to high delivered an astounding 1°C drop in load temperatures, but the added noise is not worth that very small decrease.

Conclusive Thoughts

If you’re in search for the best CPU cooler but you already have a high end heatsink don’t go out and buy the latest and greatest just yet. There is more performance that can be had from your current unit if you don’t mind some grinding work (lapping the base) and some ghetto style fan mounting and applying thermal paste where needed. Last but not least, mounting pressure plays a vital role, as the heat output rises of the CPU the extra pressure will have increased benefits as I saw in my tests today.

I hope you enjoyed reading this project log.

Enz660 is an active member of the OC Forums where he shares his overclocking and cooling experiments and projects. We thank him for allowing Madshrimps to share his Infinity Modding project with our readers.

Comment from Rutar @ 2007/05/08

What is the difference the thermal paste mess made?

Comment from jmke @ 2007/05/08

on the Infinity, minimal at best with slightly better contact between base and heatpipes, on the Tuniq more substantial as the heat pipes are soldered only to the top of the base not the top plate;

Comment from Sidney @ 2007/05/08

I assume using solder (silver solder) to fill the gaps will be easier and better heat transfer; good thinking on his part

Comment from Rutar @ 2007/05/08

I think it would be possible to insert the base in a mold and fill it with liquid tin so you end up with the heatpipes being inside a complete tin block

Comment from jmke @ 2007/05/08

that's the next step, good suggestion, solder would be more conductive than thermal goop?

Comment from Rutar @ 2007/05/08

Quote:

Originally Posted by jmke

that's the next step, good suggestion, solder would be more conductive than thermal goop?

at least, less messy and it wouldn't trap dust

Comment from Sidney @ 2007/05/08

http://www.dansdata.com/goop.htm

I'd say silver solder
http://www.engineeringtoolbox.com/th...ity-d_429.html

Comment from Massman @ 2007/05/08

Awesome article

Comment from geoffrey @ 2007/05/08

Nice article (y)

Comment from wutske @ 2007/05/08

nice articles, but the thermal goop isnt' going to help the way you usu it. It only transfers heat when it's a very thin layer. The more goop you use, the less conductive it gets until you reach a point where you could say it start isolating rather than conducting ...

Comment from Tarantula @ 2007/05/10

I feel like it isn't exactly a fair comparison between the modded infinity and the unmodded one.

there should've been used 2 fans for the unmodded one as well

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