Artic Silver I love you!

[DougMcDonald]

Just a quick post relating to thermal gloop.

I used the default stuff initially that came with my scythe and from day one, was idling about 37-39 on 333x9, with high ambient temps, sometimes that would be 2 degress higher.

I thought this a little hot, but was prepared to live with as it seemed fine.

I ordered some artic silver and some cleaning juice last week but hadn't had the time to refit the HSF.

This evening i decided to go for it and use the silver...Whilst fitting it, i was a little confused as it didn't seem to behave like any paste i'd used before, for a start, the recommended amount didn't come close to covering the whole processor with a press and 90 degree turn.

I was that concerned that i took it off and cleaned up and tried again - same thing. I assumed this may be normal, but was still a little apprehensive about powering up. (mainly cos i didn't want to find i was wrong and have to take it all apart again!!)

So..i powered up and kept the 333x9 speeds i was running at approx 40 degrees earlier today, admittedly the pc has only been on 5 mins, but the temps from cold were below 30 degrees.

It's currently idling at about 32, but even so, thats a good few degrees less that before.

Firstly, im pleased to have improved things, but I wanted to ask others using this paste, if my spread amount is normal or not. Should it cover the whole CPU? or should i be ok? Maybe the clipping of the HSF will spread it further and sort things out, what do you reackon?

Any advice on making the most of it?

[Clunk]

Take it off and do a pic, lets have a look, but those idle temps are fine, what are you getting under load?

[DougMcDonald]

Currently running under load, getting to about 55 which doesnt seem to shabby bearing in mind its not gone through the settling in period.

Looking at the instructions on as.com (cos as a bloke I obvioulsy didn't read them!!) i think i put on a little less than advised (about half the length it suggested ) so i might try it for a sec and re-do it at the weekend.

For reference under load before, temps shot to 62 within about 5 mins, currently at 56 after 20 mins

[PMM]

A small drop of thermal goop about the size of --> O <---
dead center and allow the heatsink to do the work of spreading it when you fit it, doing this stops any pockets of air forming and allows for a better bond.

Remember that once the CPU is running and warm its going to thin out further and can take a couple of day's to settle to optimum.

A processor with a heatspreader cap does not need the whole surface covering you only need to effectively cover an area slightly more than the core hidden away below it.

The aim is only to fill in the micro scratches on the heatsink and cpu and not to have a layer of goop seperating the cpu from the heatsink.

A connection between a heatsink and a core/IHS will only make true contact in 3 places at the highest peaks of the metal at a level you can't see and there on after your needing a thermal to fill in the space.

People improve the gap amount by lapping a heatsink, which you have prob heard about, this levels off and flattens the metal so a more even level is obtained, it will still only contact in three places on a metal-metal level but there will be less free air space that needs filling and hence less thermal paste and a better bond as the heat has less goop to pass though before it gets to the heatsink.

Hope that makes interesting reading

[Zak33]

ALWAYS take it off after installing the clips/retainers and see if it spread

It very rarely does if you used a proper small amount. There are normally areas with none at all. SPread it about again and add alittle if you need in the parts with none.

Reapply the heatsink...then take it off again and see if you've used too much

[Biscuit]

What i genrally do is just make sure there is a very very thin layer where the cpu slightly shows through in parts. I then use the excess fromt he card (or whatever is used to spread it) on the HSF and spread that about. I just recently used as5 and i may have put a little too much on but will only make a couple of degrees difference anyway, not like its gunna overheat

[kalniel]

You don't need to cover it edge to edge. As long as you get the circle above the CPU chip itself it's fine (assuming you're on a single chip setup - pentium D, core 2 quad needs more coverage).

[Biscuit]

I remember reading somewhere that AS5 need a while to 'set' kind of thing... any idea how long this is?

[TarnxTarn]

nice temp you have there...

I have my Ninja (with SilenXfan) on my opty 9x285... around 38 idle and went up to 55 under load...

I put Arctic Silver around a grain size...

btw... i hate installing my ninja...

[DougMcDonald]

I hate installing the infinity, I hate these stupid little locking corner clip things, i never know which was is locked etc, and they are so close to the bottom of the HS, it's almost impossible to get your fingers in to turn them to unlocked