LE Heatsink Hardware Question

[DonFL]

Asking this as I acquired an LE board, and the heatsink from two different people, and then bought the parts direct from Mouser. I have board and parts, still waiting on heat sink.
 
 Looks like there are 4 screws thru the board to hold the heatsink in place...are they self-tapped/machine screws? I'm assuming those are the 4 screws RJ references at the beginning of the assembly manual.
 
As fat the triacs themselves, the assembly manual mentions plastic washers...so correct to assume its one machine screw, one plastic washer per triac? Anything else per triac?

I figure I have the hardware on hand, just wanted to see if I could make sure of that before I finally get the heatsink in hand. 

Thanks.
 

[sebjsan]

The heats sink uses machine screws. You are correct with the triacs.

[onesmoothhead]

There are two bolts holding the heat sink in place.they come in through he bottom of the PC.  Bolt with plastic washer through PC, than a plastic space between the PC and the heat sink. The heat sink is pre tapped for the bolts. I am not sure of the size.

Triacs to heat sink are also bolts. One bolt and one lock nut per triac. The heat sink is pre-drilled for the bolts. There will not be plastic washers for this connection. Make sure to use heat transfer paste on each triac and bolt it all up before you solder the triacs in place.

If it were me I would wait until I had the heat sinks, to buy my parts. Unless you know the size of all the hardware.

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk HD

[DonFL]

Thanks.

Definitely not buying any hardware until heatsink is in hand. Good thing is, I may very well already have it in the parts bins.

I originally didn't notice the reference to the nut for the triac attachment, that makes it a lot easier.

Re the plastic spacer on the component side of the board between board and heatsink, any recollection of size? I'm assuming it elevates the sink from the board, but not by a significant amount.

[NavyGator]

Don,

My recommendation is to PM one of the LE COOP managers (Rainlover, smartcontrols Rod R, etc) and verify the sizes for everything. One of them will definitely be able to get you the info for the hardware so you can go ahead and purchase it.

Rich

[chrisatpsu]

I'd wait till you get the heatsink...

It's almost expected that if you sell one, you should have the hardware with it, as that's how they come from RJ anyways.

[DonFL]

I'd wait till you get the heatsink...

It's almost expected that if you sell one, you should have the hardware with it, as that's how they come from RJ anyways.

Never thought of that; assumed it was part of the co-op parts kit.

This one is actually a heatsink and board, only way I could get the heat sink was to buy both..(the first board, minus heatsink was free, so wasn't going to pass it up).

Hopefully the postman drops it on the doorstep tomorrow.

[urthegman]

You may also want some heat sink compound on hand to put between the heat sink and the triacs.

[DonFL]

Yup. Have built a controller or two, so the process isn't anything new, just the mechanics of this particular heatsink install being its the first LE board I've built, and getting the parts piecemeal.

[DonFL]

Got the heatsink today, with hardware, so ultimately, a non-issue.

Should have a working LE tonite. 

[peteandvanessa]

Don,

Just a quick tip from me, having built two LE this past weekend.

What I found was that it's easier to mount the Heatsink to the PCB first using the screws and plastic spacers.
Once the heatsink is mounted to the PCB, smear a little heat sink compound just under each hole where the screw goes through the heatsink to attach each Triac to the heatsink (rather than trying to smear some heatsink compound onto each Triac and then mount it to the heatsink).

After smearing the heatsink compound to the each of the Triac screw holes, slip each Triac into the PCB holes and then gently push them into the PCB holes and then push the Triac tabs against the heatsink which then spreads the heatsink compound evenly on each triac, push a screw through the Triac hole, through the heatsink and attach the nut to the back of the heatsink (don't tighten the nut yet)
Repeat this for all the 16 triacs and then tighten the screws and nuts to hold each triac snugly to the heatsink.

Afte this is complete, turn the PCB over and solder each triac leg to the PCB and then trim the leads of the triacs.

Using the above method made it easier and cleaner for me.

[jnealand]

What I found was that it's easier to mount the Heatsink to the PCB first using the screws and plastic spacers.
Once the heatsink is mounted to the PCB, smear a little heat sink compound just under each hole where the screw goes through the heatsink to attach each Triac to the heatsink (rather than trying to smear some heatsink compound onto each Triac and then mount it to the heatsink).

After smearing the heatsink compound to the each of the Triac screw holes, slip each Triac into the PCB holes and then gently push them into the PCB holes and then push the Triac tabs against the heatsink which then spreads the heatsink compound evenly on each triac, push a screw through the Triac hole, through the heatsink and attach the nut to the back of the heatsink (don't tighten the nut yet)
Repeat this for all the 16 triacs and then tighten the screws and nuts to hold each triac snugly to the heatsink.

Afte this is complete, turn the PCB over and solder each triac leg to the PCB and then trim the leads of the triacs.

Using the above method made it easier and cleaner for me.

+1  I've done the same thing on all 14 of my LEs.

[sjb]

Don,

Just a quick tip from me, having built two LE this past weekend.

What I found was that it's easier to mount the Heatsink to the PCB first using the screws and plastic spacers.
Once the heatsink is mounted to the PCB, smear a little heat sink compound just under each hole where the screw goes through the heatsink to attach each Triac to the heatsink (rather than trying to smear some heatsink compound onto each Triac and then mount it to the heatsink).

After smearing the heatsink compound to the each of the Triac screw holes, slip each Triac into the PCB holes and then gently push them into the PCB holes and then push the Triac tabs against the heatsink which then spreads the heatsink compound evenly on each triac, push a screw through the Triac hole, through the heatsink and attach the nut to the back of the heatsink (don't tighten the nut yet)
Repeat this for all the 16 triacs and then tighten the screws and nuts to hold each triac snugly to the heatsink.

Afte this is complete, turn the PCB over and solder each triac leg to the PCB and then trim the leads of the triacs.

Using the above method made it easier and cleaner for me.

Great advise. Damn I wish I had thought of that this past spring 

[DonFL]

That advice is pretty much verbatim what is in RJ's assembly manual 

Mine went together easily...worked well with initial tests. Very impressed with the design and features.