Need Help Reapplying Thermal Paste ASAP Please

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Light1984

Gawd
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Dec 31, 2004
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Hey guys, I just took apart my PNY 6800gt to reapply the thermal paste. I have never overclocked it and I was getting about 78-80 degrees C. So I wanted to reapply just as an extra measure of caution. All I have currently on hand is AC3 and AC5, which I think I recall reading might be a little too thin for mem chips. The thermal tape that is on there now is obviously crap as you can see by the pictures. Do you guys think I would be safe using either of the Arctic Silvers for the mem and/or the gpu? Im just worried there will be too much of a gap, hence the being to thin part. Also, check out the bracket that was on the back, are they known to melt like that, lol. I thought I had decent ventilation in my case, guess not. Please give me your recommendations and suggestions about anything else I might have missed, this is my first time doing this. Ive already used rubbing alcohol and removed all the old stuff from the gpu and heatsink. Just need a direction to go from there, whether or not the paste I have on hand is safe. Thanks guys and gals.



 
First off NO they are not meant to melt like that, thats a bad sign to begin with, secondlly, I'd try the AS5 on the mem chips, and put on the heatsink, then pull it back off to see how the contact was, if it's contacting them ok i'd go with the AS5 if not, guess it's back to thermal pads :rolleyes:
 
I just went with the thermal pads, as for the bracket, I tried to trim it best I could as there was only like 2-3mm clearance with the card, and with it curling, it may very well have been making contact. Thx for the quick reply, rivatuner right now is reporting better idle temps, gonna go play some games, then I may report back if anyone is interested.
 
don't go by what i say, but i'm pretty sure you DON'T use as5 on the memory chips. only the core. i think you need paste for the memory.
 
just picked up this card...

is there any benefit to 'upgrading' the thermal paste?

Also, you warn about AS5 - how about ceramique? Being that I have a tube of that lying around, I'm thinking about applying some.
 
Ceramique would be better. AS5 is slightly capacative so it can cause short circuits if you put it on the memory chips which have very close pin clearances. That said, I've still always done it anyway, just carefully and putting a very small amount on. Ceramique would be more ideal for this though. AS5 on the core should be fine....

and yeah, I'm pretty sure backplates aren't supposed to melt... and damn, it looks like your 6800's core has char marks on it! What sort of case are you running, and how are you measuring your temperatures? :eek:
 
I've also used AS5 on my mem chips before, actually i have yet to d it on my 7800gt, but i didi it back when i had a 6800gt, AS5 can short anything if you're not carefully, so it really just takes a steady hand.

Also too the temps of DDR3 and DDR on older video cards is WAY different. DDR3 runs on less voltage just like the difference between DDR and DDR2 sticks, so in theory you shouldn't be getting crazy temps on the mem anyway and it really shouldn't make too much of a difference as to what thermal compound you use so long as you use something :p
 
Ceramique is great. In my experience, it has identical temps to AS5. Costs less. Easier to work with. Non-conductive.
 
Retsam said:
Ceramique is great. In my experience, it has identical temps to AS5. Costs less. Easier to work with. Non-conductive.
Click to expand...


Plus is sounds cool to say

Ceramique!
 
ok...I just put the ceramique on the GPU today - I ran ATI-tool's 3d view to get the card nice and hot, for about 6 1/2 hours, and my temps seem to have gone up by 2-3C. How long does it take for ceramique to 'settle in'

OR - I use the same ceramique for my CPU, which maxes out around 45C. The video card idles above that (50-51). Is ceramique designed more for a certain temperature range (in this case a lower range), as my CPU does run 2-3C cooler than cheaper thermal pastes (which shows it works) and would never hit 70+?

thanx
 
I would use AS5 on the core Ceramic on the memory. Ceramic is fine when idle but when the card gets hotter is disipates heat slower thus you card gets hotter faster and stays hotter longer. just my 2c
 
I would use AS5 on the core Ceramic on the memory. Ceramic is fine when idle but when the card gets hotter is disipates heat slower thus you card gets hotter faster and stays hotter longer. just my 2c
Click to expand...

Damn beat me to the punch lol. Ummmm what he said :D
 
funny you guys say that - the idle temp has definitely dropped by 1-2C, yet the load temp is still up by a few degrees C.

I'll just wait till the VF900 comes out, and get either that or the VF700 (plus some AS5)

Thanks for the help
 
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