Transparent insulator

[Strikkflypilot]

Building the PSU PCB.

Instead of the more standard grey floppy insulator, there is a transparent little plate, looking cut like an insulator. A very thin layer peeled off, but the rest looks sturdy.
Is this the insulator?

 

[mcandmar]

Sounds like a Mica insulator instead of the usual Grey Silicon.  Mica is an interesting material, but it can be fragile so try not to bend it.

 

[Strikkflypilot]

Thanks mcandmar!
Apart from the very thin layer that came off it looks good.
Now in place and secured

 

[Strikkflypilot]

Done some research, seems thermal grease should be applied when using mica insulators?

 

[Paul Birkeland]

Done some research, seems thermal grease should be applied when using mica insulators?

You are certainly welcome to use it, but it's pretty messy.  We don't run our semiconductors all that hot, which allows us the flexibility of providing either the mica type insulator or squishy plastic insulator without altering our instructions.

 

[Strikkflypilot]

That's comforting
You think it would be safe even at 100F ambient temps?

 

[Doc B]

I think that thermal grease thing was started by the manufacturer of Sil-Pads, the competitor to mica. Mica is actually a better thermal conducting material than the sil-pad. The only advantage the grease offers is a theoretical advantage of more of the mica getting in contact with more of the heat sink. But - if the mica surfaces that were in contact already now have a less conductive grease between them, is it really a net gain? You would have to get out the infrared thermometer and do some measurements.

Ironically the best thermal conductor is water. The darned stuff has a bad habit of running all over the place though. And boiling off if it gets really hot.

Speaking of water in contact with metal, have you guys seen this?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FLegmQ8_dHg

 

[Strikkflypilot]

"We have what is need for Your stuff to work, and then some"

BTW. That surface material, Just the stuff for the next kit: Bottlehead Speedboat