Best way to apply thermal compound?
As a few will be aware ive just upgraded my rig to the am3 955be.
Went out and bought this yesterday
http://www.scan.co.uk/Products/Xigma...uad-Core-Ready
After reading good reviews on it, now it came with its own thermal compound..but i have arctic silver 5...which should i be using, and whats the best way to apply it for maximum efficiency.
Andy.
Re: Best way to apply thermal compound?
Minimal gains to be honest. Try the AS5 and the compound that came with it and see which offered the better cooling if any :)
I used the Asksa stuff last time from Maplin as I needed it there and then and then got some AS5 and their new AX2 is it? Both produced the same temps in the Shuttle so I just use what I have at hand now, either the Asksa copper stuff or the Artic Silver stuff.
Re: Best way to apply thermal compound?
A small tiny drop, and then use a sandwich bag spread taught across your index finger to smooth it across the top. Works brilliant.
You want it if possible to be slightly transparent.
There's a fantastic video on Youtube by tjharlow or tjharley that shows (what I believe) the best way.
Re: Best way to apply thermal compound?
Clean off the the old compound with isopropyl alcohol, Akasa TIM remover or similar.
Apply a rice grain sized blob of the new compound to the cpu.
Spread it out into a thin, even layer with a piece of plastic card or your finger in a plastic bag.
Attach the new heatsink.
Re: Best way to apply thermal compound?
Hmm i think the grain of rice rule for the "block" type contact plates is ok but with the direct contact heatpipes, apparently, you need to be a bit more generous.
Not sure if linking to another shops forum is agains the rules so forgive me if it is but apparently overclockers have had a few "issues" with customers complaining about poor results on their bundles and fenrir coolers so put this on their forum, pity they didn't leave the pics there too.
http://forums.overclockers.co.uk/sho...=thermal+paste
Re: Best way to apply thermal compound?
Quote:
Originally Posted by
mac124
Hmm i think the grain of rice rule for the "block" type contact plates is ok but with the direct contact heatpipes, apparently, you need to be a bit more generous.
Not sure if linking to another shops forum is agains the rules so forgive me if it is but apparently overclockers have had a few "issues" with customers complaining about poor results on their bundles and fenrir coolers so put this on their forum, pity they didn't leave the pics there too.
http://forums.overclockers.co.uk/sho...=thermal+paste
Yeah I had to be a lot more generous with the Shuttle Cooler. Tried using a thin layer and the contact was minimal on two of the sides so had to put a slightly thicker layer on. Will have to do mine again in the near future as the last time I applied a fresh layer was almost 18 months ago, might do it tonight if I can be bothered.
Re: Best way to apply thermal compound?
Quote:
Originally Posted by
mac124
<----snip
Not sure if linking to another shops forum is agains the rules so forgive me if it is but apparently overclockers have had a few "issues" with customers complaining about poor results on their bundles and fenrir coolers so put this on their forum, pity they didn't leave the pics there too.
http://forums.overclockers.co.uk/sho...=thermal+paste
Not at all! :rockon2:
Provided you don't pimp your own commercial website (without agreement from Hexus) and the post is to help others solve a problem (of a computing/technical nature that is :) ), link away!
Re: Best way to apply thermal compound?
I found this article a few days back which should be helpful: http://benchmarkreviews.com/index.ph...1&limitstart=5
You will get different opinions from different people about how to apply TIM. It also depends on the type of TIM - personally I use Artic Cooling MX2 which is thin compared to AS5 and I don't spread it at all. Instead I apply a small line, across the cores preferably, then place the heatsink on top and it spreads fine under the compression of the HS.
@Singh400: Yeah, it is tjharlow: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zMx2lIt5RC4
Edit: I also found a big thermal paste round-up on the same website: http://benchmarkreviews.com/index.ph...1&limitstart=0
Re: Best way to apply thermal compound?
Quote:
Originally Posted by
mac124
....
Not sure if linking to another shops forum is agains the rules so forgive me if it is .....
Linking to shops is not against our rules, and as Peter said, not a problem, but ..... there's a couple of issues.
1) We won't allow advertising, so pimping your own site, company or shop isn't going to go down well. For that, we'd refer you to our advertising people, who will be more than happy to inform you of rates and conditions.
2) While HEXUS has no problem with members helping other members by linking to useful shops, Scan do operate their support forums on HEXUS, and within their sections, they moderate to their own rules, subject only to an oversight from HEXUS mods for anything that bears on HEXUS, such as where there might be a legal liability from a defamatory post, etc.
So while HEXUS has no problem with links to shops in the main forums, Scan within their forums, do have a problem with it and don't allow it. Within their forums, it's their section and primarily their rules.
Other than that, though, no problem.
Re: Best way to apply thermal compound?
Quote:
Originally Posted by
watercooled
Yup thats the one. That guy does some great builds.
IIRC some site did a review of possible TCs, and included American Chesse as one :laugh:
Re: Best way to apply thermal compound?
This one ;) http://www.dansdata.com/goop.htm
But then there's no cheese on that one. I'll see if there's any more in my bookmarks...
Yeah, here it is. Knew it was bookmarked! http://enthusiast.hardocp.com/articl..._shootout_q209
Re: Best way to apply thermal compound?
http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y1/...s/offtopic.gif
Cheers for clearing that up guys, as the site seems to be "linked" quite heavily to Scan i wasn't sure hence my hence my comment.
Re: Best way to apply thermal compound?
i normal spread the TIM with cling film i find plastic bags (unless its sandwich bags) have too much uneven surfaces. its too wasteful for me to waste sandwich bags so cheaper option is cling film, but make sure you wrap it tight on your finger
Re: Best way to apply thermal compound?
Doesn't cling film have some sort of glue on it though? Don't think it would make much of a difference though...
Re: Best way to apply thermal compound?
Quote:
Originally Posted by
watercooled
Doesn't cling film have some sort of glue on it though? Don't think it would make much of a difference though...
static glue? ;)
Re: Best way to apply thermal compound?
No it really does. I thought it was just static myself but it's not - I remember watching it on How it's Made ;)
Re: Best way to apply thermal compound?
no.. I meant i'd not use clingfilm myself cos of the static.. which is gluey anyway...
my bad joke.. though it's not a joke really. Static and cpu's not best friends....
Re: Best way to apply thermal compound?
Hmm yeah I never thought of that...
Re: Best way to apply thermal compound?
Flat = small blob of TIM in middle of CPU
HeatPipes = thin line on each pipe
Always worked perfect for me. Remember, small.
Re: Best way to apply thermal compound?
all plastics can attract some form of static electricity and in the case of cling film its more likely cuz of the polymer used. i dont think they actually put a gluey substance when making it cuz then it would be hazardous when used to cover food for microwave or storage. Also when you use it to apply the TIM static electricity will transfer into the CPU surface. The best it would do is hang on to the TIM longer
Re: Best way to apply thermal compound?
I still use the old fashoned method of putting on a little bit and spreading it thin with a razor blade (the old type razors are the perfect size to run across modern heatspreaders and give a nice flat application regardless of any dips in the ihs)
Re: Best way to apply thermal compound?
What I did (bearing in mind the last system I built used an Athlon XP 2000+) with thermal compound was usually just put the small blob on the middle of the CPU surface, put the HSF on, slide it back and forth a bit then clamp it down, the compound does flow into gaps and spread itself and I never had thermal issues.
Re: Best way to apply thermal compound?
This is a topic that has been debated many times in the past - to the extent that there is a Hexus guide on the subject:
http://forums.hexus.net/help-technic...tim-guide.html
But basically:
Clean off any old compound by scraping with a soft item (wooden lolly-pop stick or similar)
Remove the residue with TIM cleaner and/or isopropyl alcohol. (Don't use nail varnish remover - it contains oily stuff designed to protect nails and will leave an oily residue on surfaces, and it contains acetone which is an aggressive solvent which will attack plastics and the conformal coating on the mobo if you spill it - don't use other aggressive solvents for the same reason)
Apply the compound of your choice (and there really isn't much to choose between them) sparingly (that is important) in accordance with the mfrs instructions.
And did I mention, apply the stuff sparingly? :)
Re: Best way to apply thermal compound?
Quote:
Originally Posted by
watercooled
No it really does. I thought it was just static myself but it's not - I remember watching it on How it's Made ;)
These videos might be helpful
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EyXLu1Ms-q4
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ffK7L0Qj13Q
Re: Best way to apply thermal compound?
modd1uk, I know I'm a little late? but thought this might help, it's the Arctic Silver instructions!
http://www.arcticsilver.com/instructions.htm
The only temps I've ever monitored are for an E6750, applied MX-2 using the instructions for Arctic Silver 5, have had temps idle at 20/21°C (Winter)/ 25/27°C (Summer) at idle, whilst at load, maximum I've seen it hit with stressing/tests is 50°C. I would say I'm happy with those temps.
Re: Best way to apply thermal compound?
Quote:
Originally Posted by
UseItNow
Yup - I followed that, and I have all 4 cores at 44C at idle and haven't seen anything higher than 70C outside of a burn test.