Database Develop

Improve Nexus 4 thermal transfer with thermal pad

Hey guys, I have read many reviews where people complain about overheating and excessive amount of heat from the phone localized in one area. Based on the tear down provided by ifixit, there looks to be no EMI shield over the CPU/memory chip area unless it was removed before the photo was taken. But either way, I see that when assembled there is the metal backing to the LCD directly above it which would really dissipate the heat well.
Why not purchase some thin thermal pads and apply as necessary to transfer the heat to the metal frame directly above it. Even if there is an EMI shield over it, open it up (unless it's soldered making it harder) and put the thin thermal pad in there and on the outside of the shield.
Seems like a very simple solution to fix a pretty big problem. I don't have my hands on a Nexus 4 and am unsure if I will in the future but if I ever do I will definitely try this and provide results and instructions on how to do the same.

Or LG could design the phone better.

johnny13oi said:
Hey guys, I have read many reviews where people complain about overheating and excessive amount of heat from the phone localized in one area. Based on the tear down provided by ifixit, there looks to be no EMI shield over the CPU/memory chip area unless it was removed before the photo was taken. But either way, I see that when assembled there is the metal backing to the LCD directly above it which would really dissipate the heat well.
Why not purchase some thin thermal pads and apply as necessary to transfer the heat to the metal frame directly above it. Even if there is an EMI shield over it, open it up (unless it's soldered making it harder) and put the thin thermal pad in there and on the outside of the shield.
Seems like a very simple solution to fix a pretty big problem. I don't have my hands on a Nexus 4 and am unsure if I will in the future but if I ever do I will definitely try this and provide results and instructions on how to do the same.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Is not a bad idea actually, but i'm not too sure if the display will soffer about it
If only had a n4 to test it XD (i have some thermal pad lying around)

Venekor said:
Or LG could design the phone better.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
This.
Sent from my Nexus 4 using Tapatalk 2

InvalidUsername said:
Venekor said:
Or LG could design the phone better.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
This.
Sent from my Nexus 4 using Tapatalk 2
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
We hack phones to try and make them work better on this website, did you know that?

Venekor said:
Or LG could design the phone better.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
While I agree with you, thermal pads are relatively cheap and the concerns about pressure on the LCD by another poster would be fine as long as you use a thinner thermal pad that doesn't compress too much after application. I have various thickness of thermal pads so as long as you use the correct one to apply just the right amount of pressure I can only see a large benefit from something so simple.
It would require opening the device and I am unsure if there are warranty voiding stickers in the phone. Some people are really happy with the phone and this is the only problem so I am merely just trying to provide a solution to the one problem remaining.

Thermal pads are to conduct heat from one surface (CPU) to another (heatsink). I can't say I agree with using the screen as a heatsink.

johnny13oi said:
While I agree with you, thermal pads are relatively cheap and the concerns about pressure on the LCD by another poster would be fine as long as you use a thinner thermal pad that doesn't compress too much after application. I have various thickness of thermal pads so as long as you use the correct one to apply just the right amount of pressure I can only see a large benefit from something so simple.
It would require opening the device and I am unsure if there are warranty voiding stickers in the phone. Some people are really happy with the phone and this is the only problem so I am merely just trying to provide a solution to the one problem remaining.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I wasn't talking of the pressure but the heat that the backplade dissipate, maybe can damage the screen

I doubt it will help,
someone pointed out that the only trigger for thermal throttling is the battery temperature,
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showpost.php?p=34224171&postcount=85

BakaPhoenix said:
I wasn't talking of the pressure but the heat that the backplade dissipate, maybe can damage the screen
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yeah, i would guess the space there is to keep the heat from the screen...
If this phone runs hot it is most likely due to the glass acting as an insulator. Is there any venting anywhere? I bet much of the thermal issue could be solved with a well placed vent..
sent via xda premium with nexus 7-Xbox live-loneleppard add me

While I can see concerns about damaging the LCD due to the heat but I imagine heat spread over the entire surface of the phone is much better than localizing a much more intense heat in a smaller area. LCDs can withstand a decent amount of heat and a small arm chip spreading heat over the entire surface of the phone would be very minimal to no effect on the LCD. I can see great potential for damage allowing the heat to be confined to a small area (just the CPU and RAM sitting on each other) with no heat spreader or heat sink.

Well I guess we won't be overclocking this phone anytime time soon. And you know I was really hoping I could finally fry me some bacon strips on my way to work.

johnny13oi said:
While I can see concerns about damaging the LCD due to the heat but I imagine heat spread over the entire surface of the phone is much better than localizing a much more intense heat in a smaller area. LCDs can withstand a decent amount of heat and a small arm chip spreading heat over the entire surface of the phone would be very minimal to no effect on the LCD. I can see great potential for damage allowing the heat to be confined to a small area (just the CPU and RAM sitting on each other) with no heat spreader or heat sink.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Air is a very good thermal isolator, i read that many desktop ips lcs have a maximum teamp. of 35/40 C° so if if the cpu heats a lot it can create problems. I don't know how much is the max temp that this ips can withstand tough.

BakaPhoenix said:
Air is a very good thermal isolator, i read that many desktop ips lcs have a maximum teamp. of 35/40 C° so if if the cpu heats a lot it can create problems. I don't know how much is the max temp that this ips can withstand tough.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I really think this whole heat thing is a kernel issue at the moment. I remember owning the one x since very 1.26 or was it an earlier one? Either way, the phone would really get VERY hot. After a few updates i barely felt the heat. Maybe when playing games or whatever, all in all the updates solved the issue. I think google will manage to sort it out, i can't imagine them being that stupid.

I guess if you are concerned with the LCD becoming damaged then you could just put the thermal pad on the other side to make the whole motherboard (minus spring contacts) contact the glass back and spread the heat outside including the battery.
And yes air is a very good thermal insulator so all the heat is just getting trapped inside the phone. Gotta use some thermal pads to conduct that heat to a panel exposed to the outside.
These are all just suggestions that I would do if I were to have one in my hands right now.

johnny13oi said:
I guess if you are concerned with the LCD becoming damaged then you could just put the thermal pad on the other side to make the whole motherboard (minus spring contacts) contact the glass back and spread the heat outside including the battery.
And yes air is a very good thermal insulator so all the heat is just getting trapped inside the phone. Gotta use some thermal pads to conduct that heat to a panel exposed to the outside.
These are all just suggestions that I would do if I were to have one in my hands right now.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The bottom line is if the SOC or N4 design is flawed internally which created thermal throttling, then there won't be much help for inserting thermal pads. I have tried this with HD2 when it had thermal runaway. There was a huge thread figuring out how to cure it by many methods as far as putting the motherboard in the oven to melt the soldering at exact time and temperature. The thermal pads method only decreased a few Fahrenheit which wasn't enough to cure if there was a thermal problems. My HD2's SOC was made by Qualcomm. Something definitely don't add up with bad benchmarks scores, thermal problems. Could future updates cure this? Only time can tell.

I've done something similar with my OCed Samsung i9000, but instead of using thermal pads, I used thermal paste. Similar to the Nexus 4 the cpu IC is sandwiched between the PCB and the metal chassis. The metal chassis becomes a massive heatsink for the CPU which dropped my CPU temp. by 10oC (~17oF) at maximum load.
After 9 months of use there hasn't been any damage or deterioration of the display screen (AMOLED).
Details can be found in the i9000 forum.
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1605517
When I receive my Nexus 4 I plan to do something similar.

The only problem i can see with this method is warranty. I'm 100% sure that even if there is no warranty void stickers on the screws they won't accept to fix a phone that has been tinkered with
And try to wipe thermal paste without leaving any trace you will fail

Capt.PP said:
The bottom line is if the SOC or N4 design is flawed internally which created thermal throttling, then there won't be much help for inserting thermal pads.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
It is not flawed as such, it is just overdimensioned.
In essence it is a double APQ8060A + quicker (more power hungry) GPU + additional management circuitry. So it should not surprise, that under full load (benchmarks) it burns through more than double of the usual dual core Krait phone power. While having similar dimensions/power dissipation capacity.
In their marketing Qualcomm positioned this SoC for Tablets. Now you have it in the phone. Is it bad? Not really, full power quadcore tasks is not a realistic task for a phone. And for a second or two (after this it does not matter anymore since your phone "lags") the existing cooling is perfectly adequate.
One thing where Qualcomm/LG/Google could do better are the GPU drivers. Which currently seem badly tuned.

Graphite Heat Sink for Cell Phones

Hello, I'm new to this site and I wasn't sure where to post this but I believe this counts as a possible accessory so I decided to try it out here. I was looking for another solution to the heating problem in regards to the phone as it still does warm up a bit even after the updates to v20a and came across this:
It's a so-called graphite/graphene "ice pad" that sticks to the area inside the back cover, the only caveat is that if used on the LG Optimus 4X HD, it would cover the nfc antenna which is on the original back cover. Personally, I haven't bought and tried it yet, but am wondering if someone already has. I tried searching for it here on the forums but found nothing in regards to it. So I'm just putting this out here in case someone wants to try it, and possibly review it. I'm going to be ordering one for myself to test it out, but if someone already has tried it, please add a review on this thread.
Unfortunately, I can't post the links due to being restricted as a new user, but they are found on dhgate(dot)com and aliexpress(dot)com under the label "Cell Phone Heat Sink Magical Ice Pad Graphite/Graphene"
EDIT: Accessory has been purchased in this post.....http://forum.xda-developers.com/showpost.php?p=41198265&postcount=14

too good for be truth, did you buy it?

donkanmcklaus said:
too good for be truth, did you buy it?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
That's why I am going to get the cheaper one for testing purposes so it won't be a waste of cash. I've also sent an email to Panasonic for a sample of their (PGS) graphite sheet as that's what the ICE PAD reminds me of and that paper-like sheet can disperse heat up to 400 degrees F during testing. Dunno how long they'll (Panasonic USA) reply to me or how long that ICE PAD will get here since I've ordered it with free shipping. In theory and testing, the graphite (PGS) from Panasonic is an ultra-thin, lightweight, graphite film with a thermal conductivity high enough to release and diffuse the heat generated by heat sources such as CPU’s, processors, power amplifiers and cameras. Developed by Panasonic engineers, this synthetically made material was named Pyrolytic Graphite Sheet or PGS. With a thermal conductivity up to four times greater than copper, PGS is extremely pliable and can be applied to heat-source shapes even in high density mounting situations. And according to the slightly broken English on those Asian sites I've mentioned, they've described their product to do exactly what Panasonic's PGS can do and applied it to cooling smartphones.

man how much i hate this heating problem

For anyone wondering about what I'm talking about when I mention the PGS by Panasonic, you can search on youtube or add this /watch?v=ZAEhyY1_czM for a look at how the PGS sheet disperses heat during testing.

did you find any online store to buy it? because i only find the products on chinese web site and i don't trust them

It would probably be possible to cut a small rectangle out of it so that the NFC contact points still work.

AlderCass said:
It would probably be possible to cut a small rectangle out of it so that the NFC contact points still work.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
if it is truly a graphene sheet, it's possible, but if it's not, then don't

Has anyone tried this magical stuff?
This stuff sounds amazing.
Wouldn't it make sense to have it directly on the CPU instead of sticking it to the back plastic?
Then maybe that way it shouldn't affect the NFC?
I would love to try this!

GizModio said:
This stuff sounds amazing.
Wouldn't it make sense to have it directly on the CPU instead of sticking it to the back plastic?
Then maybe that way it shouldn't affect the NFC?
I would love to try this!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
but then you would have to cut away the plastic to fit the sheet in

alekthefirst said:
but then you would have to cut away the plastic to fit the sheet in
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
There is video in youtube about the Graphite sheet and that even cutting it won't affect it. Search for Panasonic Pyrolitic Graphite Sheets - Another Geek Moment by digikey.

alekthefirst said:
but then you would have to cut away the plastic to fit the sheet in
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Who said anything about cutting? There's only 10 screws holding the back cover on!
Sent from my LG-P880 using xda app-developers app

I was watching LG Optimus 4x HD dissasembling on youtube. I noticed that the CPU is on the other side of PCB turned to screen. I don't konw were you can attach this sink. If you attach it to the top of CPU the most of heat will go to screen and this will cause bubbles under screen. On the other side of CPU is SIM PCB. Maybe you can attach it between main pcb and sim pcb.
I think you must watch the video:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kGD64_g-ssE

OK, I just got the graphite/graphene "ice pad" yesterday and have started testing it by adding it as it supposed to be via enclosed instruction (the butchered English grammar notwithstanding). So far, close to within 24 hrs of current testing, I've seen some "slight" improvement. The phone - so far - within the span of an hour or more of solid gaming with all the cores on (software updates included) - doesn't get aggravatingly hot enough to the point where it feels as if it will blister your skin unlike before where I almost believe it will blow up. Yeah, I know it may sound like an exaggeration, but it DID get that hot prior to everything that I feared it will melt the sd card/sim card along with the plastic back cover when I first got the phone. And yes, I have already updated my phone to v20a with the obligatory root and tweaks... however, on stock ROM from LG ONLY. Currently, it does get warm but not overly "toasty" as it did out of the box. The battery still drains like a rock during super heavy use, but that is expected of quad core devices, especially on stock battery with EVERYTHING on (wifi/data/etc). I wish I had a thermal camera to really see the difference but it does "seem" to be able to dissipate heat faster. Alas, I am a noob when it comes to custom ROMs and have only rooted my unit with as-is stock v20a updated from LG so I cannot tell if there is a definite difference with people using the thing with custom ROMs. Will keep testing for the next few weeks.
And yeah, I did cut out a small portion of it to let the back cover still have access to the antenna.

HitTheRoadJack said:
OK, I just got the graphite/graphene "ice pad" yesterday and have started testing it by adding it as it supposed to be via enclosed instruction (the butchered English grammar notwithstanding). So far, close to within 24 hrs of current testing, I've seen some "slight" improvement. The phone - so far - within the span of an hour or more of solid gaming with all the cores on (software updates included) - doesn't get aggravatingly hot enough to the point where it feels as if it will blister your skin unlike before where I almost believe it will blow up. Yeah, I know it may sound like an exaggeration, but it DID get that hot prior to everything that I feared it will melt the sd card/sim card along with the plastic back cover when I first got the phone. And yes, I have already updated my phone to v20a with the obligatory root and tweaks... however, on stock ROM from LG ONLY. Currently, it does get warm but not overly "toasty" as it did out of the box. The battery still drains like a rock during super heavy use, but that is expected of quad core devices, especially on stock battery with EVERYTHING on (wifi/data/etc). I wish I had a thermal camera to really see the difference but it does "seem" to be able to dissipate heat faster. Alas, I am a noob when it comes to custom ROMs and have only rooted my unit with as-is stock v20a updated from LG so I cannot tell if there is a definite difference with people using the thing with custom ROMs. Will keep testing for the next few weeks.
And yeah, I did cut out a small portion of it to let the back cover still have access to the antenna.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Does NFC work as before?

Hellothere718 said:
Does NFC work as before?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
It does. if you can check on the pic I included, I made sure the contacts on the back cover had clear access to the contacts on the phone by cutting out a small piece of the pad .
The only update I have at the moment after almost a month of testing is that the heat rarely rises to "ouch" levels now. A long phone conversation only becomes warm now to my ear, and I did this by calling one of the worst customer service call centers I knew of with a VERY long hold time. Yes, the one where they BOUNCE you through a TON of lines before you get to the right department.
Sadly, however, I still can't test this via thermal imaging camera as I don't know anyone personally who owns one to really validate the rest of my tests. All I know so far is that it does help with the heat to a small degree with all the added extra precautions included in taking care of your phone. I've roughly played a two-hour game on it without the feeling of it cooking my hand. I've switched between wifi/data, etc and had the screen on from 60% brightness and up - the thing still automatically stops the brightness control when the unit gets too warm - including leaving it lit for the same amount of time straight as when I was playing a game. In fact, I did both at the same time and separate to see the difference. Only once did it go up to 100 degrees fahrenheit and slightly above that on max brightness using a flashlight app while looking at the internal indicator on as reference before I lost my nerve and let it cool off. It cooled off faster though when it was with the pad than without.
In the end, I would like to say that does kinda work, but don't take my word for it. Everyone in here has different setups for their own units so I hope this thread will get some more people interested in testing it out. For less than ten dollars US (I got mine for five with free shipping), I can say that it's an acceptable risk to test the pad out.

HitTheRoadJack said:
In the end, I would like to say that does kinda work, but don't take my word for it. Everyone in here has different setups for their own units so I hope this thread will get some more people interested in testing it out. For less than ten dollars US (I got mine for five with free shipping), I can say that it's an acceptable risk to test the pad out.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Where did you find it?

Arne_B said:
Where did you find it?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
LOL the site still won't let me post links until I get more seniority. You can search for it under "Graphite/graphene heat sink for cell phone". I came out with sites like dhgate(dot)com and aliexpress(dot)com... I got mine from gadget-buy(dot)com for about less than 5 dollars US, it used to come with free shipping but I guess a lot of people want it because when I went back to the site, I saw a shipping price already added to it. You can probably keep on searching until you can find a cheaper one.

Ok thx. I've had bad experiences with these sites and found them on there indeed. I was kind of hoping you found it at ebay somewhere, but I couldn't find it over there.
Another question. Does the back cover still close easily?

Arne_B said:
Ok thx. I've had bad experiences with these sites and found them on there indeed. I was kind of hoping you found it at ebay somewhere, but I couldn't find it over there.
Another question. Does the back cover still close easily?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
It closes perfectly, no problems whatsoever. Just make sure you make a space/hole if the place you're going to put it on has an antenna connection. This should work on most phones. Actually, I think they sell also on ebay, but it's rare I guess. I did a recent search on ebay, and nothing came up either. It took me a while to look up those pads so I believe you have to be patient while you trawl through the net for a reliable site. I certainly took my own time to decide on whether I should get it or not, but when I got to a site that sold it for less than $5, then took the plunge on getting it. Only time will tell if it is an investment well spent or not, and the price is negligible enough to not put me in the hole.

Anyone try iOpener from Ifixit on Note 8?

Just curious has anyone tried i-Opener on Note 8? Seen guide on iFixit seems kinda difficult with a repair score of 4/10. Other guides suggest hot plate. iOpener seems way easier. I don't trust a hot plate lol.
I've seen other guides use iOpener with ease. Just wanna see people on xda who have Note 8 opinion. Going to buy 1 myself for future repairs.
iOpener - https://www.ifixit.com/Store/Tools/iOpener/IF145-198-8
Note 8 Teardown with iOpener - https://www.ifixit.com/Teardown/Samsung+Galaxy+Note8+Teardown/97071

I used a hair dryer to open mine. Worked just fine and was pretty fast.

Kalm_Traveler said:
I used a hair dryer to open mine. Worked just fine and was pretty fast.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
That really worked?

Nick216ohio said:
That really worked?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yep, fast and easy. I heated up the bottom on the back first and stuck a plastic guitar pick in there (while pulling the glass away with a suction cup) to get it started. As soon as a made enough gap for the pick, i used a plastic pry tool in the ifixit pro tech kit gently sliding it around the remaining edges while aiming the blow dryer to help loosen the adhesive.
Took about 10 seconds once I got the initial gap on the bottom. That took quite a bit of pulling with the suction cup and i may or may not have dropped some foul language fearing i might break the glass from excessive force.

Kalm_Traveler said:
Yep, fast and easy. I heated up the bottom on the back first and stuck a plastic guitar pick in there (while pulling the glass away with a suction cup) to get it started. As soon as a made enough gap for the pick, i used a plastic pry tool in the ifixit pro tech kit gently sliding it around the remaining edges while aiming the blow dryer to help loosen the adhesive.
Took about 10 seconds once I got the initial gap on the bottom. That took quite a bit of pulling with the suction cup and i may or may not have dropped some foul language fearing i might break the glass from excessive force.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Hmm interesting. You think water resistance will stand? Have you found out yet?

Nick216ohio said:
Hmm interesting. You think water resistance will stand? Have you found out yet?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Probably, i heated it up when putting it back together. However, i have never dropped any of my phones in water and don't intend to push my luck like that

Kalm_Traveler said:
Probably, i heated it up when putting it back together. However, i have never dropped any of my phones in water and don't intend to push my luck like that
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Should of seen the GF face when she was using my phone on the side of the bath watching youtube and knocked in into the bath by accident! It was priceless!!!
Can confirm it withstands being fully submerged in the bath haha

Nick216ohio said:
Just curious has anyone tried i-Opener on Note 8? Seen guide on iFixit seems kinda difficult with a repair score of 4/10. Other guides suggest hot plate. iOpener seems way easier. I don't trust a hot plate lol.
I've seen other guides use iOpener with ease. Just wanna see people on xda who have Note 8 opinion. Going to buy 1 myself for future repairs.
iOpener - https://www.ifixit.com/Store/Tools/iOpener/IF145-198-8
Note 8 Teardown with iOpener - https://www.ifixit.com/Teardown/Samsung+Galaxy+Note8+Teardown/97071
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Cracked your glass doing those drop tests ?
Sent from my SM-N950U using Tapatalk

Kalm_Traveler said:
Probably, i heated it up when putting it back together. However, i have never dropped any of my phones in water and don't intend to push my luck like that
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yeah thats what I am scared of.
dave7802 said:
Should of seen the GF face when she was using my phone on the side of the bath watching youtube and knocked in into the bath by accident! It was priceless!!!
Can confirm it withstands being fully submerged in the bath haha
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
So wait you opened up Note 8 and it got wet. And still was water resistant?
Limeybastard said:
Cracked your glass doing those drop tests ?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I still drop it like every Browns pass ha ?? More so plan on replacing battery after a year use. Note 9 rumor specs don't feel like much of an upgrade. Will wait for Note 10 or Oneplus.

Nick216ohio said:
Yeah thats what I am scared of.
So wait you opened up Note 8 and it got wet. And still was water resistant?
I still drop it like every Browns pass ha [emoji57][emoji458] More so plan on replacing battery after a year use. Note 9 rumor specs don't feel like much of an upgrade. Will wait for Note 10 or Oneplus.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I wouldn't mind trying out one of those OnePlus 5t device.
Sent from my SM-N950U using Tapatalk

Kalm_Traveler said:
Yep, fast and easy. I heated up the bottom on the back first and stuck a plastic guitar pick in there (while pulling the glass away with a suction cup) to get it started. As soon as a made enough gap for the pick, i used a plastic pry tool in the ifixit pro tech kit gently sliding it around the remaining edges while aiming the blow dryer to help loosen the adhesive.
Took about 10 seconds once I got the initial gap on the bottom. That took quite a bit of pulling with the suction cup and i may or may not have dropped some foul language fearing i might break the glass from excessive force.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I use hair dryers and this fancy little tool rite here

Limeybastard said:
I wouldn't mind trying out one of those OnePlus 5t device.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
It lacks some flagship features like wireless charging and water resistance. Lacks other stuff, but to lazy to list. Wait for the next one and should have it. It's not as sexy as Note 8 look wise.
I take back waiting for Note 10. Next OnePlus jumping on that bandwagon. But good lord the amount of Roms ?

TheMadScientist said:
I use hair dryers and this fancy little tool rite here
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
What you put the hair dryer on high, med, low? About how long do you blow it on there?

Nick216ohio said:
It lacks some flagship features like wireless charging and water resistance. Lacks other stuff, but to lazy to list. Wait for the next one and should have it. It's not as sexy as Note 8 look wise.
I take back waiting for Note 10. Next OnePlus jumping on that bandwagon. But good lord the amount of Roms [emoji33]
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yeah rom and mod orgies galore no doubt.
Sent from my SM-N950U using Tapatalk

Nick216ohio said:
What you put the hair dryer on high, med, low? About how long do you blow it on there?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
High and as long as it takes. I am really careful so can take me up to 20 30 min to get a back of screen out as I try not to scratch them. But I do about 1 min burst

TheMadScientist said:
High and as long as it takes. I am really careful so can take me up to 20 30 min to get a back of screen out as I try not to scratch them. But I do about 1 min burst
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Ok cool thanks. From what I read elsewhere it's hit or miss. But has your Note 8 gotten wet after teardown and remained water resistant? I think if we're delicate like you and others on thread. We should be safe.

@Nick216ohio
That's a little pricey but there are key components that are useful regardless of the device model you are working on.
Get something similar from AliExpress for 1/3rd the price.
Having used both heat guns and hair dryers, I always opt for the hair dryer. In my experience, it's easier to regular the temperature so as not to damage the internals.
Also, in my experience working with iPhones, and Galaxies, I usually get a replacement back glass and adhesive in the event something goes wrong. They too can be had fairly inexpensively.

Nick216ohio said:
Ok cool thanks. From what I read elsewhere it's hit or miss. But has your Note 8 gotten wet after teardown and remained water resistant? I think if we're delicate like you and others on thread. We should be safe.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Ahh i got s8 but hav not tore it down.... But yes the water resistancy is more than likely gone unless all old glue removed and replaced with the new

A_H_E said:
@Nick216ohio
That's a little pricey but there are key components that are useful regardless of the device model you are working on.
Get something similar from AliExpress for 1/3rd the price.
Having used both heat guns and hair dryers, I always opt for the hair dryer. In my experience, it's easier to regular the temperature so as not to damage the internals.
Also, in my experience working with iPhones, and Galaxies, I usually get a replacement back glass and adhesive in the event something goes wrong. They too can be had fairly inexpensively.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Any suggestions on that site, tool set you used?
TheMadScientist said:
Ahh i got s8 but hav not tore it down.... But yes the water resistancy is more than likely gone unless all old glue removed and replaced with the new
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
1st phone I've had with heat application needed to take apart device. All othere where easier to take apart with screwdrivers and such. Whenever I do replace battery, probaly after 1 year of use. Will try to remove old glue and replace with new. Do you which glue manufacturing companies use?

Nick216ohio said:
Any suggestions on that site, tool set you used?
1st phone I've had with heat application needed to take apart device. All othere where easier to take apart with screwdrivers and such. Whenever I do replace battery, probaly after 1 year of use. Will try to remove old glue and replace with new. Do you which glue manufacturing companies use?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I have no clue who sammy uses but there are loads of the seals or glue "gasket" sets online Given what sammys looks like and I see on them And you made sure you lay it right. The seal can most def be made again water tight...Needs of slick hand work though....
Some people opt to get actual heat guns to remove the panels,But I am a little fearful of blowing up a batt in my face...:victory::victory::victory::victory:

Hardware-Mod: Adding a copper heatpipe

Since we have no dedicated hardware modding subforum I just went for the mod section - feel free to move the thread accordingly if I am in the wrong.
Recently I broke my OP3 and bought two used ones with shattered displays of ebay, assembling a frankenstein sort of phone with my working parts. Now I have two working OP3s, my daily driver and one with a shattered display. In addition, I have one that is almost completely ruined and useless. That got me thinking.
I recently saw a lot of manufacturers incorporating heat pipes made of copper, filled with a little liquid into their devices to spread the heat from the SoC more efficiently along the backside of the device. Namely the Razer Phone, The Galaxy S8 and S9, the new Pocophone F1, just to name a few. Naturally, these parts come available at replacement shops for cheap. Like here for example: https://stellatech.com/en/samsung-sm-g950f-galaxy-s8-heat-pipe,a,828202.html/
Now, since my OP3 tends to get hot in the SoC/Camera area not only during gaming, I thought why not try fitting one of these to the aluminum back of the phone. The OP3 appears to have some sort of thermally conducting sticker, connecting the SoC under its shield to the aluminum back for heat dissipation.
My plan would be to Dremel a groove into the aluminum back, to fit the heat pipe. Then secure it in place with thermally conducting glue, alternatively thermal paste and some drops of epoxy along the way. Remove the shield from the soc, cut the sides off for easier alignment and solder it to the heat pipe.
Then add some thermal paste to the CPU and GPU and press the back/heat pipe/shield assembly on, closing up the phone. Paste would have to be replaced every time the phone is opened though.
I am open to any suggestions how to better achieve this as well as educated guesses on the effectiveness of my project.
I

Or better
Replace the shield with thermal pad copper joined with the heatpipe
Apply liquid metal instead normal thermal paste
Make many tiny holes in the back case
Make a custom build cooler pad with 11000 RPM fans
Build by yourself or ask some kernel devs to put a very high frequencies in the custom setting
Put it on youtube with a clickbait title even it's not working
$ Profit $

150208 said:
Or better
Replace the shield with thermal pad copper joined with the heatpipe
Apply liquid metal instead normal thermal paste
Make many tiny holes in the back case
Make a custom build cooler pad with 11000 RPM fans
Build by yourself or ask some kernel devs to put a very high frequencies in the custom setting
Put it on youtube with a clickbait title even it's not working
$ Profit $
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Someone give this guy a medal!!

Aluminium alone works also as a heat spreader. So I would maybe first try to polish the area on the case where the SoC is , to improve contact quality, and then use some higher quality thermal pad.
Run benchmarks before and after. (Like 10,x geekbench in a row.)

Heatpipes're used everywhere in tech these days. They work fine. I enjoy a snarky comment as much as the next droider, but really there's no reason you couldn't mod a case back to have a heatpipe running all the way down, although it might heat up the battery running past it.

Alternative
or you can try using this instead just copy paste on Amazon
Innovation Cooling Graphite Thermal Pad – Alternative To Thermal Paste/Grease (30 X 30mm)
for us, the PC enthusiasts its been working legit wonders while not having the downsides of paste

I think it would be unnecessary for already cooled device

Question Pixel 5/5a Motherboard Failure Cause?

Anyone know if the motherboard failure cause has been discovered on the Pixel 5/5a?
I'm willing to open the phone up and see what DIY solution I can get to repair my Pixel 5a. It will not boot and only outputs the QUSB device message through USB (I'm assuming stuck EDL mode).
It would be nice to know what causes the problem before digging in blindly.

The only thing I can imagine from my own technical knowledge would be possible manufacturing defects, similar to the RROD on the Xbox 360. I've never had a problem with my Pixel 5, but my wife's 5a suddenly froze one day with the same result as you. We ended up having the motherboard replaced under warranty.
If you're especially enterprising you can try disassembling the device and very carefully reflowing the solder with a heat gun...but this is assuming it's a hardware problem. There's a possibility of a SoC problem that randomly corrupts certain parts of memory, resulting in a failed bootloader, but troubleshooting this would be at the level of Qualcomm internal engineering - and Qualcomm/OEMs don't even fix stuff like this, they just replace the board and call it a day.

I'm curious as to why this happens as well. My 5a is still working, but it's only a matter of time.
I hypothesize the 5a suffers from a similar issue that the LG G4 had, overheating and/or poor quality solder. I still have a G4 and throwing it in a oven for a bit usually fixes it for long enough so I could migrate.

V0latyle said:
The only thing I can imagine from my own technical knowledge would be possible manufacturing defects, similar to the RROD on the Xbox 360. I've never had a problem with my Pixel 5, but my wife's 5a suddenly froze one day with the same result as you. We ended up having the motherboard replaced under warranty.
If you're especially enterprising you can try disassembling the device and very carefully reflowing the solder with a heat gun...but this is assuming it's a hardware problem. There's a possibility of a SoC problem that randomly corrupts certain parts of memory, resulting in a failed bootloader, but troubleshooting this would be at the level of Qualcomm internal engineering - and Qualcomm/OEMs don't even fix stuff like this, they just replace the board and call it a day.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I've been able to randomly boot the phone twice using the power + vol up + vol down combination, but I cannot get it to work again. The fact that I was able to get the phone boot at all when it was in this state makes me think it isn't a corrupt software/bootloader, but something hardware related.
I was hoping to avoid having to reflow the whole motherboard. I don't want to accidently cause other damage. But if it must be done, I may have to resort to that.
The main reason for this endeavor is the need to get important un-backed up data of the phone. I know I should have had it backed up, but I would never expect a phone to just crap out like this.

MikeDev101 said:
I'm curious as to why this happens as well. My 5a is still working, but it's only a matter of time.
I hypothesize the 5a suffers from a similar issue that the LG G4 had, overheating and/or poor quality solder. I still have a G4 and throwing it in a oven for a bit usually fixes it for long enough so I could migrate.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Could you explain more about the process you used for the G4 and the oven? How long, what temps, etc...?

paulgiro said:
Could you explain more about the process you used for the G4 and the oven? How long, what temps, etc...?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I extracted the motherboard, put it on a wax cooking sheet in a pan, put it in the oven preheated to at least 360F (it's been forever so I don't recall the exact temp). I left it to reflow for like 10 minutes, and put it out to cool for half an hour. Re-assembled it and powered it on with it laying on a ice pack wrapped in a small cloth to keep it cool and minimalize condensation while I recovered data. YMMV.

MikeDev101 said:
I extracted the motherboard, put it on a wax cooking sheet in a pan, put it in the oven preheated to at least 360F (it's been forever so I don't recall the exact temp). I left it to reflow for like 10 minutes, and put it out to cool for half an hour. Re-assembled it and powered it on with it laying on a ice pack wrapped in a small cloth to keep it cool and minimalize condensation while I recovered data. YMMV.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thanks! This sounds more promising than me attempting fine precision heat gun maneuvers.
Were there components on both sides of the motherboard? Is there a risk of something falling off the bottom when in the oven?

paulgiro said:
Thanks! This sounds more promising than me attempting fine precision heat gun maneuvers.
Were there components on both sides of the motherboard? Is there a risk of something falling off the bottom when in the oven?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
On the G4, most of it is covered by a metal shield that doubles as a heatsink for some components (I modded my G4 to have cooling pads on the SoC and wireless chips post-reflow, as well as modifying the chassis of the phone to act as one giant heatsink).
As long as it stays relatively still, it should be fine. I'm judging that based on the fact that my oven has a small recirculating fan inside, so as long as that's turned low or off, it should be ok.
I recommend not touching it after reflow for like 5 minutes so the solder can cool down enough to harden before putting it out to return to room temp. Being too hasty could accidentally disconnect a component or two.
Edit: Yes, there was components on both sides. The 5/5a should be a very similar story. Of course, I recommend keeping a close eye on the motherboard, I would hate for you to accidentally cook it.

MikeDev101 said:
On the G4, most of it is covered by a metal shield that doubles as a heatsink for some components (I modded my G4 to have cooling pads on the SoC and wireless chips post-reflow, as well as modifying the chassis of the phone to act as one giant heatsink).
As long as it stays relatively still, it should be fine. I'm judging that based on the fact that my oven has a small recirculating fan inside, so as long as that's turned low or off, it should be ok.
I recommend not touching it after reflow for like 5 minutes so the solder can cool down enough to harden before putting it out to return to room temp. Being too hasty could accidentally disconnect a component or two.
Edit: Yes, there was components on both sides. The 5/5a should be a very similar story. Of course, I recommend keeping a close eye on the motherboard, I would hate for you to accidentally cook it.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thanks for all the detail! I really appreciate it!

I wouldn't actively cool the board if you try the oven method. Just turn the oven off and let it cool down by itself in the oven. Using ice or cold air is a good way to thermally stress the board to the point where it might fracture, and with the extremely fine pitch components, that would be fatal.

MikeDev101 said:
On the G4, most of it is covered by a metal shield that doubles as a heatsink for some components (I modded my G4 to have cooling pads on the SoC and wireless chips post-reflow, as well as modifying the chassis of the phone to act as one giant heatsink).
As long as it stays relatively still, it should be fine. I'm judging that based on the fact that my oven has a small recirculating fan inside, so as long as that's turned low or off, it should be ok.
I recommend not touching it after reflow for like 5 minutes so the solder can cool down enough to harden before putting it out to return to room temp. Being too hasty could accidentally disconnect a component or two.
Edit: Yes, there was components on both sides. The 5/5a should be a very similar story. Of course, I recommend keeping a close eye on the motherboard, I would hate for you to accidentally cook it.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Should I remove the metal plates and heat pads if any when I got to do this over the weekend? Or will those all be ok still on the motherboard?

Mine gone into a boot loop while I was doing an nearby share. It was a tv series and files were bit big.
I think it was due to corrupted memory as v0latyle mentioned.
Couldn't find any solution yet.

sampathjanitha said:
Mine gone into a boot loop while I was doing an nearby share. It was a tv series and files were bit big.
I think it was due to corrupted memory as v0latyle mentioned.
Couldn't find any solution yet.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I hope it's not corrupted memory and a physical issue. Since I am able to randomly get it to boot and turn on for about 5 mins (about 1 in 100 tries), I don't believe it's a software issue.
I still need to try reflowing the solder on the board and hope that it's a loose memory chip or something.

paulgiro said:
I hope it's not corrupted memory and a physical issue. Since I am able to randomly get it to boot and turn on for about 5 mins (about 1 in 100 tries), I don't believe it's a software issue.
I still need to try reflowing the solder on the board and hope that it's a loose memory chip or something.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Have you tried it and got any results?

sampathjanitha said:
Have you tried it and got any results?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Still haven't tried yet. It's been difficult finding time with the baby not being predictable these last few weeks. I have gotten the phone screen off, but haven't gotten to the motherboard yet.

paulgiro said:
Still haven't tried yet. It's been difficult finding time with the baby not being predictable these last few weeks. I have gotten the phone screen off, but haven't gotten to the motherboard yet.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Plz give us an update once you were able to test it.
I have brought back my phone from the repair shop,
They have re flashed the eeprom, but there's no luck.
Still getting into stuck at Google image.

sampathjanitha said:
Plz give us an update once you were able to test it.
I have brought back my phone from the repair shop,
They have re flashed the eeprom, but there's no luck.
Still getting into stuck at Google image.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Bad news. Tried reflowing the motherboard tonight. Baked in the oven at 390F (200C) for 10 minutes. I could smell the flux/solder when it was baking, so I assume it was at a good temperature for reflow. Put it all back together and still no boot. Can still get the QUSB device over USB though, so I didn't cook it too much.
I'm at a loss now unless someone has any other ideas. I really just need to get the files off pf the device.

paulgiro said:
Bad news. Tried reflowing the motherboard tonight. Baked in the oven at 390F (200C) for 10 minutes. I could smell the flux/solder when it was baking, so I assume it was at a good temperature for reflow. Put it all back together and still no boot. Can still get the QUSB device over USB though, so I didn't cook it too much.
I'm at a loss now unless someone has any other ideas. I really just need to get the files off pf the device.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
So the oven method does not work on this device.

Seems like it doesn't. I also took off the heatsink/covers on the chips and inspected for any burnt looking parts. I didn't see anything conspicuous either.