Did I use the right thermal compound?

vitamin_joe

I replaced my processor a couple of days ago, and put some compound on from a syringe. However, the compound looked white, whereas in the past it had looked silver- colloidal silver? Have I used the right stuff?

What I bought is labelled as Thermal Compound Syringe Grease Paste CPU Heatsink.

KillerWatt

The colour of the paste is neither here nor there, what matters more is that you didn't apply too much paste before clamping it all down.

vitamin_joe

That's alright then- I applied it thinly with a piece of card. Thanks for the reply!

asbokid

That's good stuff. It's what Diana always used in her colonic irrigations.

Hammyman

vitamin_joe wrote: »

That's alright then- I applied it thinly with a piece of card. Thanks for the reply!

Oh dear, may be too much. On pretty much all processors nowadays all you need is a thin line about the size of a grain of rice placed in the centre of the processor. When the heatsink clamps down on it, it spreads it evenly.

vitamin_joe

Yeah, that's what I did- small blob in the centre about the size of a grain of rice, then I spread it with the card.

Pikeyp

That's probably about right .. all the grease/compound does is fill the microscopic 'gaps' that will always occur on finely machined surfaces , the metal-to-metal contact is the best heat transfer method and 'air' pockets probably the worst!

Hammyman

vitamin_joe wrote: »

Yeah, that's what I did- small blob in the centre about the size of a grain of rice, then I spread it with the card.

Phew - thats OK. I've had them in where its been pouring out the sides and then the compound has ended up acting as an insulator.

GunJack

Hammyman wrote: »

Phew - thats OK. I've had them in where its been pouring out the sides and then the compound has ended up acting as an insulator.

the properties of that particular paste must've been on the poor side and/or they'd used half a tube :eek: ....use Mil Spec paste and you can't go wrong

vitamin_joe

Hammyman wrote: »

Phew - thats OK. I've had them in where its been pouring out the sides and then the compound has ended up acting as an insulator.

Like American mustard pouring out of the ends of a fairground hotdog! :-D