POLL: How frequently do you re-apply AS5?

[psteng19]

Is there even a re-application interval?

Everytime I change CPU's or heatsinks, it looks like it's withered away or dried up.

 

[Spike]

I do it only when I change the heatsink which right now averages every year or so. With my lateset build (Opty 165 w/ Si-120) I don't plan to change the HSF for the life of the comp so we shall see how that ceramique does in the long run.

All the HSF's I used AS 5 on (most of my CPU's and GPU's) I leave it on until I remove the HSF. Always seems to work well.

-spike

 

[Thor86]

In reality, most heat transfer material should be dry. It's only the fluid carrier for thermal grease that dries up.

 

[JEDIYoda]

Personally I don`t use AS5...its hugely over rated when compared to the results I get with other thermal pastes!!

There really is no difference in the temps from the various thermal pastes that I have had shipped with my heatsinks.

Most manufacturers nowadays don`t ship junky thermal paste with there high quality heatsinks...it makes no sense to ship crappy thermal paste with a high quality heatsink.

You cannot and should not assume that the thermal paste that gets shipped with product you order is sub par or the cheapest money can buy!!

Even after the burn in period.....
I have even had non AS5 products give me better temps than AS5....

Theres just to may varied variables from system to system to say that AS5 kicks ass for all the people!!

For every person who swears by AS5 there is one like me who actually sees no difference.

Also.....what I find funny is......
You take somebody who says yeah AS5 lowered my temperatures by 3c-9c and then after all there praise for AS5 they all of a sudden mention that the temperature difference was from installing a new aftermarket heatsink using AS5 and getting rid of the heatsink that came with the CPU...

I know not everybody has said this but it happens alot....

AS5 is well just another thermal paste no more no less!

 

[torpid]

It also makes no sense to ship crappy mounting brackets with expensive motherboards, but it happens. I actually would be surprised if most heatsink manufacturers shipped high quality paste. If they do, they would advertise it quite a bit. Otherwise it would be wasteful. Why would they pay the extra bucks to include a product no one knows about that adds no value in the mind of the consumer? If I'm buying a heatsink, unless I KNOW the thermal paste is high quality, I'm going to use AS5.

 

[Ayah]

Originally posted by: torpid
It also makes no sense to ship crappy mounting brackets with expensive motherboards, but it happens. I actually would be surprised if most heatsink manufacturers shipped high quality paste. If they do, they would advertise it quite a bit. Otherwise it would be wasteful. Why would they pay the extra bucks to include a product no one knows about that adds no value in the mind of the consumer? If I'm buying a heatsink, unless I KNOW the thermal paste is high quality, I'm going to use AS5.

I use AS5 because I like it for one, and I know that it outperforms the white goo which seperates into two parts.

 

[JEDIYoda]

Originally posted by: torpid
It also makes no sense to ship crappy mounting brackets with expensive motherboards, but it happens. I actually would be surprised if most heatsink manufacturers shipped high quality paste. If they do, they would advertise it quite a bit. Otherwise it would be wasteful. Why would they pay the extra bucks to include a product no one knows about that adds no value in the mind of the consumer? If I'm buying a heatsink, unless I KNOW the thermal paste is high quality, I'm going to use AS5.

Well to be blunt with you I have never seen a crappy mounting barcket and I have maybe a dozen different heatsinks and I have used themm all.....
I also have never seen a crappy mounting bracket with a mobo iether...usually its the person doing the mounting that has no clue what they are doing!!

The market is such that heatsink manufacturers should not have to advertise what thermal paste they are shipping with the heatsink. Theses manufacturers already understand that we all hold them to a high standard of expected quality.....so it makes no sense that they would jeopardize there reputation by shipping a crappy thermal paste.

You above example just does not address this issue....you should not compare mobo `s to heatsinks.....

The proof I have is in my own testing and mounting of the heatsinks that I have using both AS5 and what was shipped with the heatsink!!

Have a nice day!!

 

[rise]

as5 and i change it weekly. i got a case for Christmas i'm hoping will last me until labor day.

 

[shinzwei]

Originally posted by: rise4310
as5 and i change it weekly. i got a case for Christmas i'm hoping will last me until labor day.

Mind sharing some of that wealth

 

[leigh6]

Just a note. I decided to vacuum out my case the other day. (6 months running) Have a Zalman 7000. Was tough to get the nozzle between the fans but I was stubborn and tried to suck out as must dust as I could from the HS. There was a 10 degree drop in cpu temps after this!!!!

From this my guess it is more important to clean out the Heat Sink than to reapply thermal paste at random intervals. Of course if the HSF is replaced it would be silly not to clean and reapply.

 

[JEDIYoda]

Originally posted by: leigh6
Just a note. I decided to vacuum out my case the other day. (6 months running) Have a Zalman 7000. Was tough to get the nozzle between the fans but I was stubborn and tried to suck out as must dust as I could from the HS. There was a 10 degree drop in cpu temps after this!!!!

From this my guess it is more important to clean out the Heat Sink than to reapply thermal paste at random intervals. Of course if the HSF is replaced it would be silly not to clean and reapply.

Yep good solid advice and also the reason why I have been and still say AS5 is over rated......
Alot of people say well AS5 lowered my temps 10 degrees........yet they don`t say or they forget to mention that they also cleaned the caca off there heatsink and out of there case before immediately taking the heatsink off and re-installing it with frsh thermal paste...heheee

 

[RallyMaster]

Only reapply when I need to (e.g. clean out the heatsink, replace it, etc)

 

[Nyati13]

Originally posted by: leigh6
Just a note. I decided to vacuum out my case the other day. (6 months running) Have a Zalman 7000. Was tough to get the nozzle between the fans but I was stubborn and tried to suck out as must dust as I could from the HS. There was a 10 degree drop in cpu temps after this!!!!

From this my guess it is more important to clean out the Heat Sink than to reapply thermal paste at random intervals. Of course if the HSF is replaced it would be silly not to clean and reapply.

I would really suggest that no-one vacuum inside their PC case. A vacuum can generate a significant amount of static electricity, even enough to sometimes damage electronics. Use a can of compressed air instead.

 

[rise]

Originally posted by: JEDIYoda
The proof I have is in my own testing and mounting of the heatsinks that I have using both AS5 and what was shipped with the heatsink!!

blah, blah, blah... you love these little crusades

anyway, i like as5 because i know what it is, i know how it lays down, i know what to expect.

i'm sure theres nothing wrong with 99% of the TIMs out there (just guessing). but when you can just get as5 for ~ $5 delivered then why not just get it?

but anyway, the OP asked how often people re-apply it, not your opinion of it's performance.

 

[JEDIYoda]

 

[Bull Dog]

Originally posted by: JEDIYoda

Originally posted by: torpid
It also makes no sense to ship crappy mounting brackets with expensive motherboards, but it happens. I actually would be surprised if most heatsink manufacturers shipped high quality paste. If they do, they would advertise it quite a bit. Otherwise it would be wasteful. Why would they pay the extra bucks to include a product no one knows about that adds no value in the mind of the consumer? If I'm buying a heatsink, unless I KNOW the thermal paste is high quality, I'm going to use AS5.

Well to be blunt with you I have never seen a crappy mounting barcket and I have maybe a dozen different heatsinks and I have used themm all.....
I also have never seen a crappy mounting bracket with a mobo iether...usually its the person doing the mounting that has no clue what they are doing!!

Gigabyte at least used to ship a crappy (HS) mounting bracket with their (most expensive ones too) K8 motherboards.

Originally posted by: JEDIYoda
Personally I don`t use AS5...its hugely over rated when compared to the results I get with other thermal pastes!!

There really is no difference in the temps from the various thermal pastes that I have had shipped with my heatsinks.

Most manufacturers nowadays don`t ship junky thermal paste with there high quality heatsinks...it makes no sense to ship crappy thermal paste with a high quality heatsink.

You cannot and should not assume that the thermal paste that gets shipped with product you order is sub par or the cheapest money can buy!!

Even after the burn in period.....
I have even had non AS5 products give me better temps than AS5....

Theres just to may varied variables from system to system to say that AS5 kicks ass for all the people!!

For every person who swears by AS5 there is one like me who actually sees no difference.

Also.....what I find funny is......
You take somebody who says yeah AS5 lowered my temperatures by 3c-9c and then after all there praise for AS5 they all of a sudden mention that the temperature difference was from installing a new aftermarket heatsink using AS5 and getting rid of the heatsink that came with the CPU...

I know not everybody has said this but it happens alot....

AS5 is well just another thermal paste no more no less!

Ok here is one proof in the pudding story. I have a Sapphire X1600XT right now. Stock core temps would reach 71 deg C. After cleaning off the awful thermal goo (there was no shortage of it) paste and applying AS5, I have so far seen a 4 deg C drop in temps. This is with the SAME stock cooler.

 

[JEDIYoda]

you quote my whole post yet you ignnore a very important part of my post....let me refresh your memory....

'The proof I have is in my own testing and mounting of the heatsinks that I have using both AS5 and what was shipped with the heatsink!!
For every person who swears by AS5 there is one like me who actually sees no difference. '
These are quotes in previous posts that i made....

also there are any number of variables that go into temperature drops....
for example...in your case....
Note I am not saying this happenned but it could definately be the case.....
if theremal paste is applied incorrectly...yes even thermal paste aplied by the manufacturer can be applied wrong....
I have seen many many heatsink that shipped with the computer where the once they arrived and fired up the temps were way to hot.
So the owner of the computer took the stock heatsink off re- applied generic thermal paste and re-installed the heatsink.....amazing how the temperatures dropped.....

Then there are also cooling issues to deal with and such.....

Im am happy you are getting better temps with AS5 but please understand again maybe all you needed to do was re-install your CPU`s heatsink to get a better mounting to the CPU....

Again....I never said people did not get better results with AS5...
I said its way over rated....

For every one person who says they get better results there is one who will tell you they saw no decrease in there temps.

Way to many variables when it comes to temps.

Have a nice day!!

 

[marksampson]

:disgust:Well I can say definatly AS5 helped my system. got a 6 degree drop with same heat sink.:thumbsup:

 

[RallyMaster]

My load has dropped 4 degrees. Used to be 39, now it's 35C. Pretty good.

 

[Luckyboy1]

Semi-annually or if I've removed the heatsink, which ever comes first.

 

[JEDIYoda]

What I find interesting and I am not trying to push anybodys buttons becuase I know alot of people swear by AS5...

But let me tell you what strikes me as being funny...

You decide to pull your heatsink becuase its been say 6 months and your temps are starting to creep up a bit.
So you pull your heatsink, you clean off the CPU and the heatsink bottom to prepare to reinstall your heatsink with fresh AS5.
Then you say well I have the heatsink off so I might as well clean the dust off the heatsink. So you proceed to clean off the heatsink using whatever method you use.

Then you re-install the heatsink using AS5. Then you post how your temperatures are back down where they should be.

So now what I find funny....

Did you ever consider that you cleaned your heatsink and that the AS5 might not even be responsible for your lower temps....
I know.....AS5 really does work!! Which is cool!! No issues at all...
I`m just trying to get you to think...
Have a ncice day!!

 

[Shadowknight]

For the record, I don't use "stock" thermal past that comes with CPU and VGA heatsinks. I have no idea if it's conductive or not, so I just buy Ceramique and use that instead. Sometimes screw up happen, and if I miss a tiny bit when cleaning up, I don't have to worry about anything drying. It's capactive, meaning it'll slow down/stop electrical transfer, but it shouldn't damage anything (I hope).

 

[Luckyboy1]

At Yoda...

Yes, you are exactly right that using Artic Silver or any other product like it that has been shown to improve heat transfer rates over the old pink or white stuff is NOT a substitute for housecleaning and people DO report back that they redid the artic silver and leave out the house cleaning tricks while doing so. Even if it was relatively clean, was it as clean as you can get it when you pull the heatsink completely out?. So, great point!

At Shadownight...

I used to be under the assumption that Artic Silver just HAD to be conductive because if it had a silver salt in it, that means the silver salt will conduct, right? Well, after being told I was wrong about that for almost a year, I laid a small drop of it on a piece of plastic and put an ohm meter to it and surely enough, it would show absolutely no conductivity! It does not conduct at all, or at least at voltages under 440 AC that is and you'll never get near that on your mommaboard!

 

[HybridSquirrel]

its an as5 brawl!!!!! honestly i dont care what paste i use. im not concerned enough about temps as long as they stay green which means they are fine. hell i use the ceramic pads that come with the hsf and i dont give a damn less work/money for me

 

[the Chase]

If you do use as5- Never reapply it unless changing heatsinks/CPU!!

Why?- as5 cures over time and 3 or more heating/cooling cycles and may take up to 200 hours to cure. You get another 5 degree C temp drop after it does so I would not want to have to start the curing process over if you don't have to.

Only for as5 as far as I know.