Thermal Compounds

[godspeedx]

I need some quick instructions on how to apply my thermal compound and remove the old thermal compound that is on my CPU.

Also - there are fingerprints on my heatsink, what should I use to clean the bottom of it?

 

[Jeff7181]

Use isopropyl alcohol and a lint free cloth or cotton swab to clean the mating surfaces. Thermal compound should be applied in a VERY thin layer. According to Arctic Silver 3 application instructions, only a transparent haze is necessary for lapped heatsinks with an almost mirror smooth finish.

*EDIT* On a heatsink that hasn't been lapped... a layer about as thick as a piece of paper will suffice.

**EDIT** Also, after you clean the heatsink, you should work some of the thermal compound into the base with a plastic bag over your finger. This fills the valleys in the heatsink prior to installing it.

 

[Excelsior]

Originally posted by: godspeedx
I need some quick instructions on how to apply my thermal compound and remove the old thermal compound that is on my CPU.

Also - there are fingerprints on my heatsink, what should I use to clean the bottom of it?

Isopropyl alcohol, higher % the better. Ive actually tried a new way of installing thermal compound. I use Shin Etsu, but what I do is use the mark the core made from before. I tape it off with masking tape, then spred the Shin Etsu in the "square" left from the tape. Here is a link to a guide: Guide!. It has worked well so far.

 

[Jeff7181]

The results in that guide sounds a little... hmmm... far fetched? I've never experienced a temperature drop with Arctic Silver 3 like they claim will happen. And, yes I apply it according to their directions =)

 

[randumb]

Yeah, like Jeff said, you have to put a thin layer on. Putting too much on could actually hurt performance.

 

[Excelsior]

Originally posted by: Jeff7181
The results in that guide sounds a little... hmmm... far fetched? I've never experienced a temperature drop with Arctic Silver 3 like they claim will happen. And, yes I apply it according to their directions =)

Thats because the guide isn't for AS3 smart guy. Its for Shin Etsu. Why would the creator of the guide wan't to lie anyway?

 

[Jeff7181]

Originally posted by: Excelsior

Originally posted by: Jeff7181
The results in that guide sounds a little... hmmm... far fetched? I've never experienced a temperature drop with Arctic Silver 3 like they claim will happen. And, yes I apply it according to their directions =)

Thats because the guide isn't for AS3 smart guy. Its for Shin Etsu. Why would the creator of the guide wan't to lie anyway?

AS3 claims you'll see a temperature drop too, "smart guy"

... and I've never seen one... I find it hard to believe that if it's applied properly to begin with that it would make any difference.

 

[Excelsior]

Originally posted by: Jeff7181

Originally posted by: Excelsior

Originally posted by: Jeff7181
The results in that guide sounds a little... hmmm... far fetched? I've never experienced a temperature drop with Arctic Silver 3 like they claim will happen. And, yes I apply it according to their directions =)

Thats because the guide isn't for AS3 smart guy. Its for Shin Etsu. Why would the creator of the guide wan't to lie anyway?

AS3 claims you'll see a temperature drop too, "smart guy"

... and I've never seen one... I find it hard to believe that if it's applied properly to begin with that it would make any difference.

Look, just read reviews of shin etsu compared to other thermal compounds and you WILL see there is a drop in temperature after 3 days of setting in. With AS3 the drop is minimal. With Shin Etsu it can be as high as 7C load. Its a shame you don't bother to do any research before coming to such conclusions as "I find it hard to believe that if it's applied properly to begin with that it would make any difference". He isn't saying that doing this alone will make the temps drop. The fact is, this stuff sets in after 3 days and cools quite a bit better. AS3 doesn't do it in 3 days. Apparently it takes 200 hours.

 

[godspeedx]

Ok I've got my new heatsink and everything installed but my temps are still like they were on my stock hs/f. Is it because it hasn't set in yet? I'm at about 40C idle right now according to speedfan.

Oh and I'm using the stuff that came with the heatsink - "arctic alumina". (Apparently by arctic silver because they have their website on the back.)

P4 2.5ghz - NOT overclocked
MCX4000-B
Thermaltake Smart Case Fan II

 

[Jeff7181]

Originally posted by: godspeedx
Ok I've got my new heatsink and everything installed but my temps are still like they were on my stock hs/f. Is it because it hasn't set in yet? I'm at about 40C idle right now according to speedfan.

Oh and I'm using the stuff that came with the heatsink - "arctic alumina". (Apparently by arctic silver because they have their website on the back.)

P4 2.5ghz - NOT overclocked
MCX4000-B
Thermaltake Smart Case Fan II

Wait and see if it "settles in"

 

[godspeedx]

Originally posted by: Jeff7181

Originally posted by: godspeedx
Ok I've got my new heatsink and everything installed but my temps are still like they were on my stock hs/f. Is it because it hasn't set in yet? I'm at about 40C idle right now according to speedfan.

Oh and I'm using the stuff that came with the heatsink - "arctic alumina". (Apparently by arctic silver because they have their website on the back.)

P4 2.5ghz - NOT overclocked
MCX4000-B
Thermaltake Smart Case Fan II

Wait and see if it "settles in"

Will do cap'n. Will running Prime95 or 3dmark loops during the nights help that at all?

 

[Excelsior]

Originally posted by: Jeff7181

Originally posted by: godspeedx
Ok I've got my new heatsink and everything installed but my temps are still like they were on my stock hs/f. Is it because it hasn't set in yet? I'm at about 40C idle right now according to speedfan.

Oh and I'm using the stuff that came with the heatsink - "arctic alumina". (Apparently by arctic silver because they have their website on the back.)

P4 2.5ghz - NOT overclocked
MCX4000-B
Thermaltake Smart Case Fan II

Wait and see if it "settles in"

Sarcasm much?

 

[socalvvguy]

Something you might want to take a look at is the surface of the mounting plate on the P4. Visually, mine looked very rough - you can easily see the fine lines running the length of the surface. I wasn't about to lap the P4 surface like the Stock Heat Sink. I lapped the stock heat sink to a very nice mirror finish. I applied "Ceramique" by AS. My idle temp is 38-40 C. When I play games or run Prime95, the temp runs 54-60 C. Room temp. is 74 -76 F. I have 2 inlet and 2 outlet fans on the case (not including the 2 fans in the Power Supply - Antec TruePower 480). I have a P4 2.4 OC'd to 3.0. When not OC'd, the idle temps were 37-38 C and the high temps were 52-56 C. Temps are from the ASUSprobe monitoring software. The surface of the P4 mounting plate will affect your temps.

 

[Jeff7181]

Originally posted by: godspeedx

Originally posted by: Jeff7181

Originally posted by: godspeedx
Ok I've got my new heatsink and everything installed but my temps are still like they were on my stock hs/f. Is it because it hasn't set in yet? I'm at about 40C idle right now according to speedfan.

Oh and I'm using the stuff that came with the heatsink - "arctic alumina". (Apparently by arctic silver because they have their website on the back.)

P4 2.5ghz - NOT overclocked
MCX4000-B
Thermaltake Smart Case Fan II

Wait and see if it "settles in"

Will do cap'n. Will running Prime95 or 3dmark loops during the nights help that at all?

I thought Arctic Silver says it takes hot/cold cycles to "break it in"