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Heatsink installation questions

S

superme1

Limp Gawd
Joined
May 31, 2009
Messages
147
Hey Hardforum

I was putting on my first aftermarket heatsink yesterday on my CPU. (heatsink: Xigmatek HDT-S1283, CPU: AMD X3 720 Black)

First off, I cleaned the base of the heatsink with acetone and a paper towel, then used an air compressor to blow off any remaining pieces of lint and such. Then, I put arctic silver 5 on the base of the heatsink, a little drop in the middle, and a tiny drop on each corner. And finally I put it on my CPU.

Now I am wondering whether I made any mistakes. Should I have cleaned the bottom with acetone? I read that you can but you should use Isopropyl afterwards, which I didn't. Also, I don't know how much lint was left over on the base, does anyone know how much this can affect heat transfer and such?

Thanks, any other suggestions are welcome

(PS, the spoiler included with my heatsink, I'm not so sure what its purpose is...I just placed it near the base, any comments?)
 
Yes, you don't put the AS5 on the heatsink, you just put a small dab on the center of the CPU. I get the best temps with my S1283 that way.

You probably put way to much AS5 on.

dollop.jpg
 
What's the difference between putting it on the CPU and putting it on the heatsink?

And I put about the same amount you show in the picture, but spread out over 5 contact points.
 
I don't know but no one around here has ever heard of someone doing it that way. No need to spread it out. The pressure of the heatsink does that on its own.
 
well what are your temps?

load temps are more important. use prim95 for load and use either realtemp/coretemp/hwmonitor to find out your temps.
 
I should wait a few days for the TIM to settle, but once it does, I'll post my temps, thanks
 
For a heatpipe direct touch cooler a little blob of TIM in the center of the CPU is not the ideal way to install it. Follow these guidelines and it'll work a LOT better.

1. Clean both mating surfaces with alcohol
2. Apply TIM to the grooves inbetween the heatpipes and the aluminum mounting base. Use a credit card to push the TIM into the grooves and scrape off any excess.
3. Apply 2 thin lines of TIM roughly 3/4" long on the two strips of aluminum mounting base between the heatpipes. The two in the middle of the base.
4. Slap it on the CPU and pin/bolt it down.

that's it. If you simply use a blob on the CPU a good portion of the TIM will fill the voids between the base and pipes causing it to not spread efficiently. That method is good for non-HDT coolers like the TRUE.
 
I'll try that. If you take off the heatsink to see how well the TIM has spread, do you always have to clean it and reapply it. For example, could I take off the heatsink to see it it spread well, and it it has, then just put it back on? Or do I have to clean it and reapply it, even if it was fine?
 
I'll try that. If you take off the heatsink to see how well the TIM has spread, do you always have to clean it and reapply it.
Click to expand...

You should. One of the keys of proper application is to have no air bubbles in the TIM layer, taking the HS off and sticking it back on kind of ruins this :p
 
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