🧯 InfinitySink - CNC Machined Universal Heatsink

I don’t know about threaded holes on the unit, but since it has through-hole mounting points, the best option is to screw the ESC directly onto the plate (tapped holes in the plate).

Tapped holes plateside are expensive fwiw, when i was considering designing a heatsink of my own it was a serious consideration as adding tapped holes on the heatsink for every pattern you want to support adds considerable cost.

It is but depending on the vesc you use the many layers suck in terms of thermal transfer.

Take my neoboxes (or focboxes). You have the:

ESC
Thermal pad
Stock Focbox heatsink (to even mount it)
The infinity sink mounting plate
Then the actual heatsink


If you use thermal paste it’s kinda worse in terms of layers

Esc
Thermal pad (mosfets)
Stock focbox heatsink
Thermal paste
Infinity sink mounting plate
Thermal paste
Actual heatsink

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Thermal paste doesnt worsen thermal transfer… yes, its more “layers” but the thermal interface between parts is improved with paste. Even the flattest heatsinks we use have pretty poor thermal contact when meshed together bare, adding paste, while it is another “layer” provide a better medium to fill in gaps between the two parts.

Not to mention that the conductivity of a good paste across the surface areas of our heatsinks for these applications really isnt a bottleneck, even with an additional interface from a secondary mounting plate to contend with. PC hardware is able to conduct hundreds of watts of pure heat across surface areas fractions of the size. I wouldnt be too concerned with thermal transfer values in this application, even the most insane loads wont create that much waste heat, and the effective surface area of even the most tightly packed setups with multiple layers can conduct a massive amount of thermal energy away.

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Yes! Super excited for this to use with a Maker X ESC.

Which maker x? The new ones don’t have provisions to mount to a heatsink…

I agree.

My point is just the amount of layers, not the effectiveness of thermal paste.

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Does a heatsink require external exposure to be effective? Could I just bolt one to my ESC without cutting my enclosure? Would it even be worth it?

Mostly it would lower the quick spikes in temperature. Longer time to heat up, longer time to cool down. Slightly. Would also lower overall temps by a little bit, but you get the most benefit exposing it to air. Maybe your temps aren’t high enough to warrant air cooling.

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If your ESC is only overheating near the end of hte ride, an internal heatsink will likely be enough.

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Yeah, typically only running into temp issues at the end of long rides or super hilly rides. I think I’ll try an internal heatsink before I butcher my enclosure.

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@surfnacho How do I buy one of these heat sinks?

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Hey,

I was actually planning to revive this thread. I received some emails with additional interest, so I am going to move forward with producing a 2022 version of the InfinitySink. I am finishing up the design right now and will start manufacturing soon. I think I will probably make like fifty units.

Thanks!

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Hey, any updates? :slightly_smiling_face:

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If you only intend on using an internal heatsink, you could just order a chunk of aluminium off the internet and use some thermal adhesive to attach it to the esc. Likely be a lot cheaper than ordering a fancy purpose built item

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Not a bad idea. How much of a difference does an internal heatsink make in your experience?

Truth be told, i’ve never needed an additional heatsink.

I have put them on several of my boards, both exposed or internal, but i’ve never run those boards without the heatsink so i don’t have any real comparative idea.

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it’ll give you enough thermal mass to extend your fun. If your esc is overheating towards the end of your ride it should be enough

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Honestly, ran into a mfg bottleneck. Zero local shops in Berkeley that will do it. Going to check with my old supplier, and if that doesn’t work, I may have to machine them myself when I’m back home for winter break.

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A limited run of the V3 InfinitySink is currently in production! Should be ready in a few weeks.

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