thermal paste - how thick is too thick?

[jb20thae]

When applying thermal paste, instructions I've ever come across stress to put a thin layer down. Just how thin is ideal? How thick is too much? For reference (I guess), should one be able to read text below a layer of paste or should it obscure it completely? Or, for a 1inch surface how much Arctic Silver should be used to cover it (grain of rice sized?).

 

[flexy]

the thinnest POSSIBLE. Should answer your question.

Start with a tiny grain (half a grain of rice) and spread it with a credit card etc.

1 inch size...hmm..like a A64 core w/ HSF ? Still..half (maybe 3/4) a grain of rice should be about right.

In case of the big HSF like on A64 etc. do NOT spread it just put the dab in the middle, put HSF on it and maybe (if possible) carefully shift/wiggle HSF left/right to spread it a bit once the HSF is seated.

Its actually really simpler than many make it look like...put dab on...thats it basically

 

[imported_waldo]

If you are asking
is it too thick?" It probably is!

thin as possible. I don't follow the shift wiggle method, I like to spread a little all around (on the large dies, no larger than a pea), and then do the shift wiggle after I have spread. If you have a heat sink that doesn't really crank down on they CPU, but kind of sits on top of it, you are looking at possibilities of bad contact.

 

[jb20thae]

Ok, just wanted to make sure. I've never put more than a haze on (well, maybe a little thicker than that ) and wanted to make sure I wasn't supposed to be putting like 1/32" or something.

 

[chrisrod01]

Well if it looks like a goo ball well to thick. It has to be like a think line of clear paper just so u can imagen

 

[TheoPetro]

alright lets think about this one

the purpouse of thermal paste is to fill in any gaps, dips, or imperfections in the metal for maximum contact. well as long as you get it in those tiny tiny tiny crevices your set. you want as smooth a surface as possable. im guessing Cu to Al (or whatever the heatspreader on the chip is made of) transfures heat better than your thermal compound to Cu so you still want metal touching or as close as possable to touching for best heat transfur.

to sum it up as thin as humanly possable. i wrap my finger in a sandwich bag and smear it on that way. i usually do the CPU and get it as thin on that as i can then i do the heatsink and get it on as thin as i can there too.

 

[orangat]

On newer cpu's and heatsinks, the surfaces are polished to a near mirror finish so a very very thin haze layer is all that is needed. Any more and it will be an impediment.

On older cpu/heatsinks the surfaces aren't polished that finely so slightly more paste is needed but only just.

 

[JE78]

Great thread. I'm getting ready to install a XP-90 on my A64 3200 tomorrow and this answerd most of my questions. Mainly if I need to put grease on both the CPU and the HS.

 

[chrisrod01]

Just one drop and smooth it out has to be thin like a (CLEAR) sheet of paper

 

[FlyingPenguin]

A drop the size of a pinhead if it's an older Athlon 32 CPU (smaller 1/2" x 1/2"core) or a bit larger size drop if it's a large core like the Athlon 64's. Spread it thin and even with the corner of a credit card.

 

[birdpup]

<a target=_blank class=ftalternatingbarlinklarge href="http://www.arcticsilver.com/arctic_silver_instructions_big2.htm">Arctic Silver: Application Instructions for Premium Silver Thermal Compound
on a large contact area</a>

 

[mindwreck]

It should be really thin. like paper

 

[JimPhelpsMI]

Hi, As thin a possible with full coverage of the part that will contact the Processor. If it's too thick the excess will be squeezed out and may make a mess. Jim

 

[JimPhelpsMI]

Hi, As thin a possible with full coverage of the part that will contact the Processor. If it's too thick the excess will be squeezed out and may make a mess. Jim

 

[sourceninja]

I've always followed the arcticsilver guide that was linked above.

 

[Oyeve]

I use AS5 but I just put a rice size bit in the middle, slap the HSF on and just let it melt evenly. I never spread with a card or any of that jazz everyone says to do. I figure it will melt and smooth itself out evenly. My idle temps are 37c idle and 53c under super heavy load using stock HSF for my prescott.

 

[lxskllr]

I rub the tip of the syringe across the cpu while pressing very lightly, making several very thin small lines. I then put the heatsink on twist a bit and clamp it down.