"** Thin mica (0.05mm) is still the best performing insulator material for semiconductors you can get at a sensible price AND will easily handle 200V or more. Just a smear of white, silicone grease on each side and you are there. "

Actually it should not be smeared. Just a dab will do you, and when the force is applied whether by screw or other means it is better because there are no air pockets in it.

"If the power per device is high (ie over 20 watts) then forget silicone pads. "

Well my Phase Linear 400-2 seems to get along with them quite well. However they might be thicker or something, I never check. If I recall correctly they say not to reuse them, like when you change the transistors to get new insulators, but I did it and it works fine.

"Forget published specs too, pad makers lie. "

They all lie. You are probably old enough to remember when we could trust big companies. Banks even. Now, at least in the US you cannot trust any of them. Even the water company. Recently those new water meters screwed up and overcharged the living **** out of a bunch of people. YOU HAVE TO PAY THAT OR LOSE YOUR HOUSE. Then later you can fight back for a refund. Of course that might be hard to do when you are homeless. That is how it is here dude, and I got alot more. Seriously, banks on the phone told people to stop paying their house payments to qualify for a refi and then swooped down and foreclosed.

In the US you have to be very careful about making automatic payment because they will use a big fat ten inch to do your colonoscopy. It might be different where you are, but here you cannot even trust the phone or cable company. Or the gas company. They are a bunch of crooks and are only stopped bby the chance of getting caught, or worse, screwing someone who can get media coverage about it.

Due to this, I prefer to just write checks. Plus, if you want to pay by phone they charge you ! And then, instead of going into the bank and dealing with a teller who is PAID they charge you to go to the ATM. They have been in place for a damn long time and should be paid off by now, but they keep on charging, as if they are still amortising the cost. They are a bunch of thieves. You cannot trust anyone, at least here. You might have better laws there but here it is open season on us. And it is looking like Trump is not going to do **** about it. He has been somewhat disappointing.

The one good thing about the state of affairs in the US is that I am old enough not to give a **** anymore.