In order to test this new heatsink's ability to
dissipate massive amounts of heat (The AMD Duron/Athlon processors run a wee bit
on the HOT side), I needed a decent way to test it under load, against the OEM
heatsink. Alas, I currently only have 1 AMD Socket A board in-lab (more on the
way next week kiddies), that being the FIC-AZ11. Unfortunately, the FIC board
does not have onboard temperature monitoring, as do most all boards nowadays.
What was I going to do? I do have a multimeter with a thermal probe, but the
probe is not thin enough to slide in-between the sink and CPU to get an accurate
reading. I had to change my strategy.
A testing methodology I've seen used before, is to use a
peltier as a heat source. This is a legitimate way to test I feel. One thing
that is easy enough to measure, with the right equipment, is the cold side
temperatures. Given a consistent electrical input, and consistent ambient
temperature, the more efficient the heatsink is at shedding heat, the colder the
cold side will become. How do I measure the cold side temps? Again I do have a
Fluke multimeter, but the "coolness" factor dictates that I use a new toy, my
Raytek Raynger ST temperature gun. Kudos to the guy on the "Snap-On" tool truck!
;)
The test is a simple one, connect heatsinks/fans
to a peltier, and measure the temps, right? The sinks will be placed under load
for 5 minutes to allow the setup's temperatures to stabilize. So on
to the tests....
Next page: The results
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