Arctic Silver shelf life?

[natto fire]

I have a tube of Arctic Silver II (Yes, 2) that is probably a good 4 or 5 years old. I used it for my Socket 754 system about 6 months ago, which idles around 45, and gets to 51 at load.However, I am using a Zalman heatsink and running stock speeds, so those temps might be a little high.

I took the heatsink off my video card and was wondering if I should use this stuff, or the compound that came with my Zalman HSF.

 

[ChefJoe]

I keep using my old tube of AS 2 and haven't really noticed any problems. I have a newer tube of AS 5 and I don't think either compound behaves all that differently (old vs new).

 

[VinDSL]

Grease and paste doesn't go bad, per se!

The problem with thermal compounds is, with time & temp, the particles will separate from the solvent. So, you don't know what you're getting when you 'pull the trigger.'

The best thing to do (if you're worried about it) is to squeeze the contents of the tube onto a paper plate - stir it around with a toothpick (like mixing epoxy) and put it back in the tube. Then, you'll know you're okay.

That said, there are a LOT better products available today!

Personally, I like MX-1, but MX-2 is the current darling - supposedly no burn-in req'd!

If I was you, I'd throw that old stuff away and buy some fresh MX-1 or MX-2... 😉

 

[Zepper]

Yes, the AS 5 and earlier do separate though AS denies it. I don't suggest stirring on a paper plate as you'll pick up paper particles, etc. You'll have to figure a clean way to resuspend the stuff.

.bh.

 

[DrMrLordX]

The stuff that comes with Zalman heatsinks is probably Zalman STG-1 which is better than AS2 and slightly better than AS5. If it is indeed STG-1 (comes in a nail polish bottle of sorts), use that or go with something like MX-1, MX-2, Shin-Etsu X23, or IC Diamond 7. They're all better than AS5 or STG-1.

 

[natto fire]

Thanks for all the replies. I did notice that there was some separation when I applied it 6 months ago. I ended up pulling the plunger back and sticking a toothpick in there and mixing it up.

I am pretty sure the Zalman stuff is not the STG-1, as it came with an old cnps7000.

I did end up using the Arctic Silver, but I am considering getting an aftermarket cooler for the card, so I will check out this MX stuff, and I should probably reapply on this Socket 754 system soon.