Too much thermal grease?

koss

Weaksauce
Joined
Dec 21, 2004
Messages
82
Hey guys...
I'm building a Core i7 system with TRUE.
My system came yesterday and in my excitement to build the shiny new system, I think I put too much thermal grease (Arctic Silver) on top of CPU. I only had time to install HSF and had to go to work, but now that I think about it I put way too much Arctic Silver (about half of 3.5g tube) where a dot or line should've been enough.

Should I go back, undo HSF, and clean it up? I didn't see any grease squeezed out under HSF, but it might have overflown into the socket. I am hoping that it's non-conductive. How much risk am I talking about here?

Thanks!
 
Yeah, I'd go back and clean that up. One little tube of AS5 has lasted me about 8 computers so far. The AS Ceramique I had before that lasted about 15-20.
 
if you have to ask then yes its too much :D

most learn the hard way - i'd go back and do it again. there are many tricks to applying it correctly. some use a razorblade, i've used a small spatula like plastic stick, also get a plastic freezer bag and use your finger through that.
 
No, you are not supposed to spread it around anymore with these CPU's nowadays with large heat spreaders.

Just a pea sized drop or a line drawn on it and then let the cooler spread it.

The theory is that as wide as the surface area is getting to be that if it is spread before hand and then set the cooler on it, you will get spots in the middle where air is sealed in by the paste.

Check the link above.. is shows exactly how to do it.
 
So... powering it up will fry my CPU? It's kind of pain to uninstall HSF and clean up the compound, especially if it has gone under the CPU and inbetween the pins x_X

You would THINK they would make these stuff to be non-conductive and safe in case of spillage over electronic circuit...
 
It's doubtfull that it will fry anything. The urban legend is that Arctic Silver conducts electricity but it doesn't.

..but it will make one hell of a mess of a LGA socket. I would clean it up before it makes it way down into there.
 
So... powering it up will fry my CPU? It's kind of pain to uninstall HSF and clean up the compound, especially if it has gone under the CPU and inbetween the pins x_X

You would THINK they would make these stuff to be non-conductive and safe in case of spillage over electronic circuit...

It is non-conductive (it is slightly capacitive though). Anyway, the problem you might have is that the thermal paste is too thick and actually acts like an insulator. It's purpose is to fill the gaps between the heatsink and CPU that otherwise wouldn't be making contact, and therefore not conducing any heat. But the best conductor of heat is the heatsink itself, so you want as little paste as possible.
 
Man, if you got it into the pins of the socket....well....good luck with that. Lots of alcohol and a lot of patience. Those pins are extremely delicate.

Spreading the TIM out can still be done. Just when you place the HSF on touch one side and plop it down. Then with downward pressure give the HSF a couple 1/4 twists then secure it. I've never had a problem doing it this way and never came across air bubbles trapped in there.

Different strokes for different folks I guess.
 
not supposed to spread it anymore?? damn i feel old

Me too... I remember when putting a cooler on your exposed AXP core with it's 60lbs of force on the spring with a flat head screw driver was a bit risky. Remember all the threads back then about chipped corners on the cores? I had a 1.33TB chipped that thankfully still ran.

Now days with the way they have it set up, even a coffee shaker could pull it off.
 
this is another reason you use non-metal types of TIM, like mx-2. if you spill it you dont have to worry as much.
 
yeah i remember those 60-lb clips....bloody nightmare! i had gotten my new athlon xp 1600+ and installing the heatsink my flathead screwdriver slipped off and slammed into the board. i almost shit myself! thankfully everything was ok:)
 
yeah i remember those 60-lb clips....bloody nightmare! i had gotten my new athlon xp 1600+ and installing the heatsink my flathead screwdriver slipped off and slammed into the board. i almost shit myself! thankfully everything was ok:)

HAHAHA...been there, done that. Though, I think I did shit mysef.
 
LOL i did that once. Destroyed the board, cut through a dozen traces or so. Good times good times
 
Back
Top