Heatsink patina?

[Darth Vane]

Ok so i have searches and found nothing to this. So here is my question. my Heat sink has begone to patina and i wanted to know if this will cause trouble to the LED. dose it need a clean surface to the heatsink can better absrob the heat?

[Kal El Rah]

Yes it does, if your heatsink is copper then you should polish before putting the led star on it.

[Darth Vane]

Thanks thats what i needed to hear. my dad said a brilo pad would work on cleaning it up. dose it?

[Kal El Rah]

Brillo is to coarse, baking soda and a sponge will net you a smoother surface and remove the patina.

[Jedi-Loreen]

Why did that happen do your heat sink? Were you keeping it in a moist area? Out in the garage? Or do you live somewhere really humid?

[theJUDGE]

mine started to do the same thing after having is sitting out in the open in my room for a couple of months. Copper oxidizes fairly easily. I just used some ultra fine sand paper on the surface the led star was to go on. used some white thermal compound and everything is just fine

[Darth Vane]

mine started to do the same thing after having is sitting out in the open in my room for a couple of months. Copper oxidizes fairly easily. I just used some ultra fine sand paper on the surface the led star was to go on. used some white thermal compound and everything is just fine

thats what happend to mine.