How much thermal grease?

[Jumpem]

What technique do you guys use? Just a bit and spread it with a credit card?

 

[ncage]

go to artic silver site on exact instructions. You only have to use about the size of a piece of rice. Most people use way to much.

 

[cmdrdredd]

dot jjust a bit smaller than a pea or about the size of a grain of rice in the center of the cpu. Then put the HSF on and lock it down. The TIM will spread out naturally.

 

[Jumpem]

Originally posted by: ncage
go to artic silver site on exact instructions. You only have to use about the size of a piece of rice. Most people use way to much.

Hmm, that says for dual core CPUs to make a small top-to-bottom line where the two cores are under the heat spreader.

Does just doing that, and letting the pressure from the heatsink spread it out work better?

 

[Jumpem]

Originally posted by: cmdrdredd
dot jjust a bit smaller than a pea or about the size of a grain of rice in the center of the cpu. Then put the HSF on and lock it down. The TIM will spread out naturally.

The arctic silver site says basically that, but make it a small line instead of a dot.

 

[soydios]

The path of heat is NOT supposed to be heatspreader-->thermal grease-->heatsink. It's supposed to be heatspreader-->heatsink. The thermal grease only fills in the microscopic valleys on the heat spreader and heatsink. You only need an incredibly thin coating to do this.

 

[bjp999]

I think the concensus is to use a short vertical line, not apply with a credit card. Below are some tips for people new to applying AS5.

The amount you need varies with the flatness of your HSF and CPU. If they are very flat (lapped), you will need only a small amount and it will spread. You might think too much won't hurt, but the problem is (as Soydios noted) that you can wind up with a layer of AS5 over the entire contact area which will hurt rather than help. You want to use the least amount that covers the core (do some searching to find a picture of the conroe with no IHS and you'll see how big it needs to be).

If you haven't lapped, you really have no idea how much you might need. It depends on how many and deep the gaps are between the two surfaces. You want the gaps filled with AS5 and NOT air! I recommend that people apply the amount they think is right, mount the HSF, run the computer for an hour, and then take it apart and inspect. If the spread looks good, you still have to clean it off and do it again (otherwise you'll get air bubbles). But if you have too much or too little, you can adjust.

I read that you should give you HSF a back and forth twist (just a few degrees) under moderate pressue when mounting on the CPU to grind the AS5 into the crevices and get good spread.

Getting the AS5 applied right can make a big difference in your temps, so it is well worth your time to try a few different times to try to get the best application you can.

Good luck!

 

[imaheadcase]

Don't forget the burn in period for AS5. Its best to run computer under stress. Turn if off for the night, then back on. It works better than i though it would, underload you will see 3-5c drop after you let CPU cool down after 24 hours or more under load. I guess thats part of process of AS5 filling gaps.

 

[m21s]

What ever you do, do not do like this guy!

How not to apply thermal grease

 

[bjp999]

Originally posted by: m21s
What ever you do, do not do like this guy!

How not to apply thermal grease

That was a classic! :laugh::laugh::laugh::laugh:


Click on the link below. This was recently posted by a guy that lapped his CPU.

AS5 on Lapped Conroe

Do you think it's too much?

 

[bjp999]

I used almost but not quite that much before I lapped. The line is much taller than mine because the core underneath is not that tall. With spread this would probably leak out on the bottom.

My CPU was concave and it needed a lot more than I used the first time (which was pea sized). But after lapping I used less than 1/4 this much.

Anyone find any links to pictures like this one that show how much AS5 they used?

 

[tcG]

Originally posted by: bjp999

Originally posted by: m21s


AS5 on Lapped Conroe

Lmfao...

That's a rediculous amount.

I use half a grain of rice sized.

 

[m21s]

Originally posted by: tcG

Originally posted by: bjp999

Originally posted by: m21s


AS5 on Lapped Conroe

I did not post that