Motherboard on a aliminium plate
Posted by Pikselardo@reddit | buildapc | View on Reddit | 13 comments
Hello, is this possible to put motherboard on a aliminium plate? I don’t know physics but i have a lot of aliminium plates and i wonder if i can use them.
PivoWar42@reddit
There is nothing to cool on the underside of the motherboard. There are a lot of contacts to short out though.
aragorn18@reddit
What exactly are you proposing to do?
Pikselardo@reddit (OP)
Motherboard without a case or fans (except CPU and GPU) but putting aluminium plate lets say 1-2cm under it so it could be better for releasing heat.
chsn2000@reddit
That wouldn't do anything for cooling, and more to the point it really isn't necessary.
You can get open air test benches which are kind of like what you're describing. You still need standoffs to avoid a short circuit, and any thermal gains are just because there's nothing blocking the airflow (not because the aluminium is acting as a heatsink)
Test benches are especially handy for people who are replacing hardware often. In any real usecase, it's just an excellent way to get your motherboard caked in dust.
TheSultan1@reddit
You can't mount it directly to an aluminum plate, as circuits would short out. You have to use standoffs.
Once you introduce that air gap, you won't get better heat transfer with aluminum than steel.
pythonic_dude@reddit
The only place on the mainboard which any relevant heat is dumped into is cpu backplate. Putting a radiator there is something you can do, if you have a cpu that needs that much cooling (like 14900K/KS), sure. Otherwise it's a meme.
aragorn18@reddit
You would still need to use standoffs for mounting the motherboard to the plate. So, you'd have to perfectly drill out holes for the standoffs. Plus, the air gap between the motherboard and the aluminum plate will mean that heat doesn't actually transfer to the plate.
Competitive_Owl_2096@reddit
I mean yes you could but why?
OHMEGA_SEVEN@reddit
Well, PC cases are typically made from aluminum, however the motherboard doesn't contact the aluminum frame, it's supported by standoffs to keep it from shorting out. So, you could mount it to a aluminum plate assuming you make sure to keep it off of the plate using standoffs.
The issue you'll run into is that modern coolers are often bolted through the motherboard and secured on the bottom. That means you'll need some opening behind the CPU in the plate, same as you do in a PC case.
zarco92@reddit
If you use standoffs then yeah you can use it.
greatthebob38@reddit
Aluminum is conductive... Unless you drilled standoff mounts to install your board onto, you're going to have a bad time.
Intelligent-City-363@reddit
if you mean just put the mb slap on top of a piece of metal with nothing else then dear God no!!
You will short every pin on the board when you power it up - this why you have stand offs in a pc case.
(TBH part is me is intrigued as to how bad it will be. Will everything catch fire or - more likely - there will be a small pop and the PSU will switch off in an attempt to save as much as possible.)
Table-Playful@reddit
Release heat ? That's just silly. You are over thinking this.