Extra Fans and positioning etc etc etc

[knowley]

Hi
I am going to purchase some extra case fans for my case! (surprising that, case fans for a case ;o)

1. Can I remove the fan on my CPU heatsink and replace it with a better/bigger one?
I see this as a cheap alternative to a new heat sink fan. I could buy a 90/120mm fan and stick that on!


2. I currently have a PCI card cooler which sucks air from over the heat sink on my G400 graphics card and exhausts it from a PCI slot, would a Fan screwed into the heat sink blowing air on the sink be better?

3. I have a couple of spare fans, is it worth rigging these up around the CPU to aid the cooling of the heat sink...i.e. the standard on blowing down from the top and others round the side?

4. I have heard mixed reports about Thermal Paste..some swear by it others not. I have seen pics of a CPU and heatsink (AMD Athlon socket A) where the paste used was pushed out around the edges of that shiny raised bit, by the pressure of the heat sink being clamed on, therefore not aiding the cooling of the hotest bit? correct? So would a solution be to keep the pad on the heat sink and use thermal paste around the edges ?

THANKS FOR YOU ADVICE, if you have none then please tell me your cooling arrangements!

 

[Mikewarrior2]

Ummm...

Thermal grease, or in the case of amd socket A heatsinks, PCTC is absolutely necessary.

Excess is squeezed out of that "shiny top"... Well, that shiny top is actually the CPU. The 4 rubber/foam feet are not part of the cpu. The hot part is that center part.

Just because excess is squeezed out does not mean it isn't helping... the excess is squeezed out because the stuff still there is already filling the gaps between heatsink and cpu.

As far as case cooling, here's my case My Case. I am currently running a 70F case temp with a 69F ambient air temp.


Mike

 

[knowley]

so if its nessassary why do they put pads on the heat sinks? surely they would supply paste with the hear sink instead!

 

[ride525]

The pads are there to help prevent damage when the heatsink is clamped on.....and I think to help "balance" the heatsink to help insure it is on straight..

 

[knowley]

But to apply Artic sivler or Thermal grease you have to remove the pad so what gives?

 

[ride525]

Sorry, I misunderstood...I was first talking about the four pads, scattered around outside the CPU.

The place where the thermal contact needs to be made is the small square in the center of the CPU. Most folks think thermal grease makes better thermal transfer than the thermal tape that is so often included with the heatsinks....I think manufacturers include the thermal tape with the heatsink because it is easier to install than getting the thermal grease on just right....

 

[Mikewarrior2]

High Quality grease(ie Artic Silver/Chemtronics Silver Grease) is better than a PhaseChange Thermal Compound stuff... THe PCTC is probably better than radio shack stuff, but it won't beat the top end greases.

They supply pctc because it A)helps prevent the crushing of the core and b)is far easier to install.

Mike

 

[knowley]

Thanks for that, I have ordered some Artic Silver as that seems to be the daddy at the mo!

What about the other points?

Thanks guys

 

[Mikewarrior2]

Apply Artic Silver thicker than you would normal grease.


Mike