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Wait a second, Have i been applying thermal paste wrong all this time?

A

AMD_Gamer

Fully [H]
Joined
Jan 20, 2002
Messages
18,287
Ok I just looked at the Arctic Silver 5 web page and looked at this guide here http://www.arcticsilver.com/pdf/appinstruct/as5/ins_as5_intel_quad_wcap.pdf they tell you to just put a thin line across the CPU and put the HSF ontop and the thermal paste will spread itself out, they even talk about laying the line down the correct way? huh?

This is how I have always done, put a bunch in the center and use something like a credit card to spread a thin layer across the entire surface, like you can see in these videos,

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zMx2lIt5RC4

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lFjh2Hkfj74

I have never had any temp problems so I guess it is ok, How do you guys put your thermal paste on?
 
I used the rice blob and HSF spread method. No point in getting your hands dirty.

Some of the thicker TIMs need a little help getting spread out.
 
theres tons of different ways to do it.. and also there is a different way for intel core 2 processors and amd and intel i7 processors.. what ever way works for you is the way you should do it..
 
I dab a pea sized bit on the CPU then wrap a sandwich bag on my hand and spread it on the CPU with my index finger. I also repeat this process on the HSF. The sammich bag keeps my hands clean and also ensures a nice thin layer.
 
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I use the "drop" methid and then put the heatsink on and wiggle it around to spread out the compound. I usually lift the heatsink off again to make sure the compound has spread out all over the IHS or core.

If it hasn't I add I tiny bit more and then do the wiggle method again.

Seems to spread out a lot better and more uniformly this way than just putting a drop and then installing the heatsink.
 
I also use the rice/pea size onto the cpu and then immediately put the heat sink on it. Unlike the previous poster I do not lift the heat sink up from the cpu once it on it. I wiggle but do not lift it up as this will introduce air bubble into mix which reduce efficiency of the thermal compound. Also the rice/pea size of the compound is more than enough. The more compound you put on it the you reduce the efficiency of the thermal compound.:)
 
IMO how you apply it is not nearly as important as to test fit the HS after the application of the paste and then check the "footprint" to ensure the coverage and thickness is what you expect, even if it requires you to clean it all off and do it again.
 
I've always used the pea drop with my previous builds, but I went with the straight line on my i7 920 build per the AS5 instructions. However, my temps are a bit higher than I was expecting so I'm planning on removing the HSF and redoing the whole thing.

Will probably stick with the line approach.
 
The reason I do the center-blob approach is because, IF I put the fan down on it directly from above, applying equal pressure, then it speads outward evenly from the center. If you put enough on for it to spread to the corners, it will squeeze out from under the sides, but that's easily wiped away.

Since this is for heat-sinking, you want to make sure the center of the CPU is covered more than the sides or corners, but ideally, you want them all. SO far, the single blob method is most effective.

I prefer this method because it's the best way to assure there are no trapped bubbles, which act as heat insulators.

The line-method is probably the second-most effective way, since it acts similarly to the blob. The only problem with this is, as the compound "meets itself" while spreading, you can get bubbles.

The credit card method, in theory, is good, but the problem there is that it has to be of perfect uniform thickness in order to eliminate trapped air...but, in practice, that's almost impossible to achieve without creating trapped bubbles. Plus, you get more waste spillage off to the sides.

I've tried and tested every method, removing the heatsink and checking the spread, and have found the center blob method best, as well as most economical.

Also...for this, it's better to have put on a little too much than too little.

How you know:

When you apply the blob and tighten down the heatsink, you want to see a little paste (but ONLY a little) squeeze out on the very corners. When you see this, you've achieved the best uniform coverage and minimized the possibility of trapped air bubbles.

It's all physics, specifically, fluid dynamics.
 
cyclone3d said:
I use the "drop" methid and then put the heatsink on and wiggle it around to spread out the compound. I usually lift the heatsink off again to make sure the compound has spread out all over the IHS or core.

If it hasn't I add I tiny bit more and then do the wiggle method again. Seems to spread out a lot better and more uniformly this way than just putting a drop and then installing the heatsink.
Click to expand...

That's what I do too, might scrape off a bit of excess at the edges with a credit card or even it down if it sticks when I lift the heatsink as well. Like Kyle said, it probably makes very little difference in the end, so long as it's spread enough to fill in the air pockets between both surfaces it doesn't really matter much.

Sir_Poop_Alot said:
I also use the rice/pea size onto the cpu and then immediately put the heat sink on it. Unlike the previous poster I do not lift the heat sink up from the cpu once it on it. I wiggle but do not lift it up as this will introduce air bubble into mix which reduce efficiency of the thermal compound. Also the rice/pea size of the compound is more than enough. The more compound you put on it the you reduce the efficiency of the thermal compound.:)
Click to expand...

Well, you're introducing bubbles the very first time you press down... Can you really say you'll be adding to it by lifting it and re-seating it? If anything you're just making sure it's spread evenly and re-applying pressure to paste that's already spread, so you're less likely to introduce bubbles no?
 
Impulse said:
That's what I do too, might scrape off a bit of excess at the edges with a credit card or even it down if it sticks when I lift the heatsink as well. Like Kyle said, it probably makes very little difference in the end, so long as it's spread enough to fill in the air pockets between both surfaces it doesn't really matter much.



Well, you're introducing bubbles the very first time you press down... Can you really say you'll be adding to it by lifting it and re-seating it? If anything you're just making sure it's spread evenly and re-applying pressure to paste that's already spread, so you're less likely to introduce bubbles no?
Click to expand...

No, when you start the paste is on a single surface and is spread out in a single direction (away from center) as the surfacess come together. This pushes any air out of the sides. When you pick it back up, you create very rough surfaces where some parts of the paste meet back together and start spreading again before other parts. This can trap tiny air pockets creating dead spots as air is an insulator.

Will it make much difference, though? Not in my experience.
 
I think the answer to your specific method is easy, just remove your heatsink and take a look. If the paste is spread uniformly and you can find a place where you can either see metal-to-metal contact or very damn close, you did everything right.

What you may not realize is when your working the paste across your processor it is very easy to become uneven. The weight of locking your HS down is not enough, nor is just a few modest twists of the HS as you place it on your processor. I've found I spend almost 5 minutes gently working the HS into the process. Everytime you lift it up. you redistribute the paste to a new location when you place it back down (hard to hit the exact spot you lifted it from). If you can plop your HS on your processor, give a few twists, lift it up and your paste is over your whole HS, you've just applied too much paste.

Paste is both your biggest way of dissipating heat and retaining heat, minimize that as best as you can.

30 min of testing to refine your own method is really a small investment for a HS that you will in all likelihood never remove.
 
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