[Lowfer] Homemade IC chip heatsink

[Andy - KU4XR]

Nothing that's going to revolutionize the electronics world.
The TDA7052B audio chip that I have been using as the PA stage
for my current transmitter is a potent little chip. It has 
built in Over Temperature protection circuits, and Over current
protection.. It pretty much takes care of itself, and will shut 
down if you try to push it past its internally set parameters.
It is rated for 1 watt output, and at that level; it will get
fairly warm to the touch, and start to back down its output.
I did a search for IC chip heatsinks, and well, they are 
available to purchase, but way too expensive.. I saw that all 
they were was a " wrap around the chip " design, some were
aluminum, some were a gold anodized plating.. Aluminum is a 
very common material for a heatsink, so here is the experiment 
that I tried, with a good success.. I still have lots of the 
Aluminum foil tape for HVAC use, so I cut a short piece from the
roll to start my experiment. I cut a very, very, narrow strip
of the tape, and wrapped it lengthwise around the chip, making 
sure that the tape did not touch any pins. I cut it long enough
so that it would overlap itself, and I took the excess piece and
folded it to itself, and then stuck it to the overlapped piece.
A bad description I know, but the homemade aluminum foil tape 
heatsink has done a very good job a transfering the chips heat
into the air. Observations after the heatsink: The power output
from the chip running at 1 watt now stays steady with no 
fluctuation. Before; it would go up and down, especially when the
heat, or air came on, but now it makes no difference. It surprised
me what that little piece of aluminum foil did. Further observations,
To keep it steady before the homemade heatsink; I had to blow air
across it with a small muffin fan... Not now; - however, with the
fan, I can get a sustained, steady output over 2 watts from the
chip. It will go over the 200 Milliamp range of the meter, and
stay there. Distorted as heck I'm sure, but the heatsink, and fan
allowed the amp to generate more power, and hold it.
I hope someone has found this to be at the least interesting reading.

73 to all:



Andy - KU4XR - EM75xr - Friendsville, TN. USA

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