How much silicon paste?

[Pete]

I have just bought a new AMD Athlon-64 3400 Clawhammer CPU and a Arctic
Cooling Silencer 64 Ultra fan. The CPU has a large metal area on top of it
and doesn't have the usual small square in the middle where you concentrate
the thermal paste.

So how should I put the paste on this CPU? How much, what sort of spread and
where should I concentrate it?

 

[Dee]

I have just bought a new AMD Athlon-64 3400 Clawhammer CPU and a Arctic
Cooling Silencer 64 Ultra fan. The CPU has a large metal area on top of it
and doesn't have the usual small square in the middle where you concentrate
the thermal paste.

So how should I put the paste on this CPU? How much, what sort of spread and
where should I concentrate it?

Go to the following link:

http://www.arcticsilver.com/arctic_silver_instructions.htm

and you will find instructions, with pictures.

 

[Matt]

Go to the following link:

http://www.arcticsilver.com/arctic_silver_instructions.htm

and you will find instructions, with pictures.

On this page they forgot to mention that you get best results during a
full moon and when you have a lucky rabbit's foot on a chain around your
left wrist. I believe those fine points are mentioned elsewhere on the
site.

 

[Matt]

Go to the following link:

http://www.arcticsilver.com/arctic_silver_instructions.htm

and you will find instructions, with pictures.

But he isn't using Arctic Silver.

 

[Dee]

But he isn't using Arctic Silver.

Does it really make a difference? The method and quantity of paste are
pretty much universal. Almost like soldering - there's a right way and
there's a wrong! And it doesn't make any difference what brand of
solder or soldering iron you use!

 

[Matt]

Does it really make a difference? The method and quantity of paste are
pretty much universal. Almost like soldering - there's a right way and
there's a wrong! And it doesn't make any difference what brand of
solder or soldering iron you use!

Those silver compounds have a high dielectic constant that can lead to
problems if you slop the stuff onto the chip's leads, which is why I
recommend ordinary silicon heatsink compound such as Radio Shack 276-1372.

The Arctic Silver instructions have some guilt- and anxiety-inducing
features that are irrelevant to the general use of ordinary compounds.

 

[Matt]

I have just bought a new AMD Athlon-64 3400 Clawhammer CPU and a Arctic
Cooling Silencer 64 Ultra fan. The CPU has a large metal area on top of it
and doesn't have the usual small square in the middle where you concentrate
the thermal paste.

So how should I put the paste on this CPU? How much, what sort of spread and
where should I concentrate it?

This topic was beaten to death in a thread started by Rob Morley Apr
10 2004, 4:59 pm.

Start at http://groups.google.com/advanced_group_search?hl=en

 

[Dee]

Those silver compounds have a high dielectic constant that can lead to
problems if you slop the stuff onto the chip's leads, which is why I
recommend ordinary silicon heatsink compound such as Radio Shack 276-1372.

The Arctic Silver instructions have some guilt- and anxiety-inducing
features that are irrelevant to the general use of ordinary compounds.

To the 1st paragraph --> I don't allow my 5 year old to apply the paste
to start with. So, I don't have any problems with it being slopped around!

To the 2nd paragraph --> Perhaps you need to make an appointment with a
psychiatrist. The arctic silver instructions never caused me any anxieties!

 

[kony]

Does it really make a difference? The method and quantity of paste are
pretty much universal.

Sometimes it does, particularly when the viscosity of the
paste differs. Very thick paste may need spead a bit more
prior to installing 'sink. Ideally one would not use overly
viscous paste but if that's what came with the heatsink and
they're not overclocking, minor performance differences in
their thermal compound may not matter.

Almost like soldering - there's a right way and
there's a wrong! And it doesn't make any difference what brand of
solder or soldering iron you use!

Err, again subject to some variables. Acid core vs rosin
core, 60/40 vs 63/37 vs some-silver vs aluminum vs ____.
Granted that's not necessarily a brand issue but as with
thermal compound, a different brand may or may not have same
qualities... and particularly with thermal paste, one of
those little cellophane packets is anything but revealing of
what's inside.

Generally though, Arctic Silver's site does a fair, but
perhaps excessive demonstration. With the execption of a
few lost souls who have no idea that a CPU doesn't need a
gallon of thermal compound, the far more common problem I've
seen is those who didn't mount the heatsink correctly
regardless of care in applying thermal compound.

 

[Al Smith]

I have just bought a new AMD Athlon-64 3400 Clawhammer CPU and a Arctic

Cooling Silencer 64 Ultra fan. The CPU has a large metal area on top of it
and doesn't have the usual small square in the middle where you concentrate
the thermal paste.

So how should I put the paste on this CPU? How much, what sort of spread and
where should I concentrate it?

Just think of the paste as crunchy peanut butter, and the CPU as a
slice of bread. You'll be fine.

 

[Larc]

| > I have just bought a new AMD Athlon-64 3400 Clawhammer CPU and a Arctic
| > Cooling Silencer 64 Ultra fan. The CPU has a large metal area on top of it
| > and doesn't have the usual small square in the middle where you concentrate
| > the thermal paste.
| >
| > So how should I put the paste on this CPU? How much, what sort of spread and
| > where should I concentrate it?
|
| Just think of the paste as crunchy peanut butter, and the CPU as a
| slice of bread. You'll be fine.

I hope he doesn't use that much! The amount of peanut butter I'd use
would be equal to more than enough thermal paste to keep us all
supplied for a lifetime. ;-)

Larc



§§§ - Change planet to earth to reply by email - §§§

 

[Dorothy Bradbury]

Just think of the paste as crunchy peanut butter, and the CPU as a slice of bread.

You'll be fine.

o Two metal surfaces only contact at 3 points
o The metal surfaces have voids - microscopic gaps filled with air
o Thermal compound is an inferior heat transfer media than metal
o Thermal compound is a better heat transfer media than air
o So you simply need enough paste to fill the microscopic voids

Put a bit on, and spread it around with your finger in the end
of a plastic bag until it is very thin and relatively uniform.

Plain heatsink compound will do fine, silicone free can be useful
as silicone technically can affect electronic components if it comes
into direct contact with them. Obviously it's moot in this application
unless your mode of application is a large pump-action water pistol.

Usually the sachet of compound you get is enough for 10+ CPUs.
If a heatsink comes with a TIM, thermal interface material, that is a
one-use item - do not re-use, replace or use heatsink compound.

 

[Matt]

To the 1st paragraph --> I don't allow my 5 year old to apply the paste
to start with. So, I don't have any problems with it being slopped around!

To the 2nd paragraph --> Perhaps you need to make an appointment with a
psychiatrist. The arctic silver instructions never caused me any
anxieties!

Neither you nor I are affected because we aren't AS true believers.

 

[Ed Light]

Does it really make a difference?

Not usually. FYI: Ceramique instructions are totally different.


--
Ed Light

Smiley :-/
MS Smiley :-\

Send spam to the FTC at
(e-mail address removed)
Thanks, robots.

 

[Ed Light]

Those silver compounds have a high dielectic constant that can lead to
problems if you slop the stuff onto the chip's leads, which is why I
recommend ordinary silicon heatsink compound such as Radio Shack 276-1372.

Live it up! You can use Ceramique, or Arctic Alumina.

I've read that that ordinary stuff can dry up.


--
Ed Light

Smiley :-/
MS Smiley :-\

Send spam to the FTC at
(e-mail address removed)
Thanks, robots.

 

[Ed Light]

Neither you nor I are affected because we aren't AS true believers.

The poor fellows. ;-)

--
Ed Light

Smiley :-/
MS Smiley :-\

Send spam to the FTC at
(e-mail address removed)
Thanks, robots.

 

[/mel/]

Just think of the paste as crunchy peanut butter, and the CPU as a
slice of bread. You'll be fine.

I have a premonition of this advice turning up in next years Darwin Awards.

 

[Black Shuck]

Ed Light got up from the bar and shouted: :

Live it up! You can use Ceramique, or Arctic Alumina.

I've read that that ordinary stuff can dry up.

Rubbish spouted by people selling "very special mega performance
Antartic mega god paste (tm)"

Hell, even toothpaste performs a similar role..

http://www.dansdata.com/goop.htm

Save your cash and buy bog standard silicon HS compound...

 

[Oldish sod]

Ed Light got up from the bar and shouted: :

Rubbish spouted by people selling "very special mega performance Antartic
mega god paste (tm)"

Hell, even toothpaste performs a similar role..

My Mate.. ..
Bovril.. <g>
Actually, I've found it makes about 1>1.5C difference, even
though I've always slagged AS off. The correct reply to OP
is 'just enough, but not too much'.. (insert "go figure" here..)

 

[Al Smith]

Just think of the paste as crunchy peanut butter, and the CPU as a slice of bread.

o Two metal surfaces only contact at 3 points
o The metal surfaces have voids - microscopic gaps filled with air
o Thermal compound is an inferior heat transfer media than metal
o Thermal compound is a better heat transfer media than air
o So you simply need enough paste to fill the microscopic voids

Put a bit on, and spread it around with your finger in the end
of a plastic bag until it is very thin and relatively uniform.

Plain heatsink compound will do fine, silicone free can be useful
as silicone technically can affect electronic components if it comes
into direct contact with them. Obviously it's moot in this application
unless your mode of application is a large pump-action water pistol.

Usually the sachet of compound you get is enough for 10+ CPUs.
If a heatsink comes with a TIM, thermal interface material, that is a
one-use item - do not re-use, replace or use heatsink compound.

Your answer was better than mine.

I was tempted to suggest that he coat the entire motherboard with
paste, as a way of insulating it against accidental short circuits
caused by dropping his screwdriver while working in the case with
the computer plugged in and running ... but there's always a
chance that I'd be taken seriously.

Mind you, such a coated motherboard would be an excellent way of
reducing the number of flies and mosquitoes in the work area.