GPU Thermal Paste Questions

[PersonWithTech]

So after years of accumulating dust, I decided to clean out my ASUS GTX 670 DCU II.

After removing the heatsink to clean it out and also access the fans; I was left with a problem and I need answers:

1. Do I have to re-apply thermal paste? Is it fine just to put it back with the set stock thermal paste
2. What thermal pastes can I use? I have Arctic Silver 5, some ancient Zalman STG1 grease and a tube of CM paste included with the 212 EVO
3. Can I use methylated spirits to clean off the existing grease?
4. How much to apply? Where should it spread/be spread to?

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

 

[Mussels]

1. "need" no, but its highly recommended, and temps will be better with a new application. How much of a difference can really vary.
2. they'll all be fine, just make sure the paste doesnt leak off onto anything but the GPU die.
3. i just use plain old tissues.
4. grain of rice, let the heatsink itself do the spreading with pressure. check temps.

 

[PersonWithTech]

1. "need" no, but its highly recommended, and temps will be better with a new application. How much of a difference can really vary.
2. they'll all be fine, just make sure the paste doesnt leak off onto anything but the GPU die.
3. i just use plain old tissues.
4. grain of rice, let the heatsink itself do the spreading with pressure. check temps.

Thanks for the help! Any way to make sure it doesn't spread off the pretty small die and onto the surrounding chips?

As you can see here it it quite easy for it to escape the central die and hit that bordering PCB island

 

[P4-630]

Thanks for the help! Any way to make sure it doesn't spread off the pretty small die and onto the surrounding chips?

As you can see here it it quite easy for it to escape the central die and hit that bordering PCB island

4. grain of rice, let the heatsink itself do the spreading with pressure. check temps.

Just don't use too much TIM, and you should be fine.
I personally prefer to spread it with a card, but the method Mussels mentioned will work fine as well.

 

[trog100]

thermal paste is just there to fill air gaps and allow for less than perfect mating between the two contact surfaces.. in one sense it can be said to be of negative value and ideally the less you use the better.. i like to spread mine i think you get a better idea of how much is needed to fully cover the mating surfaces but its probably safer to err on the tad too much side than not enough..

properly applied there isnt much difference between brands.. more is made of it than really should be..

trog

 

[rtwjunkie]

Do I have to re-apply thermal paste? Is it fine just to put it back with the set stock thermal paste

Any time you break the seal on a GPU or CPU you need to remove the old past and apply new. Either of the application methods described above will work.

Just slapping the heatsink on old paste is very likely to get you air pockets, which is bad. That's why new paste is advised.

If you are worried about leakage, get a non-conductive TIM, like MX-4.

 

[peche]

Replacing thermal paste for a GPU hum?

take out Video card cooler, be ultra carefull with all VRM's thermal pads that are usually / self glued against your video card cooler, sometimes due heat cycles of normal use they got worn ...so be careful, clean them and place them back again ...


clean GPU die … you can use several products like arctic clean from arctic silver … or even isopropyl alcohol …which is pretty excellent, also lint-free tissues are requires for cleaning both, GPU die and VGa cooler [the one you took appart 1st…]

then apply a small dot on GPU die something like the image below

Spoiler: re pasting examples...

the centered one .. is the best option for GPU ! tak that in consideration please...

then place back the cooler [VGA cooler again .. as it came .. correctly thight all the sh*t and test your video card... ]
its pretty simple ... and remember to clean back everything prior to apply paste... old paste must be completely removed,



if there is something more... just ask !

If you are worried about leakage, get a non-conductive TIM, like MX-4.

also if you want to use the best TIM in this world use MX4 ... so far the best crap i have used! even for GPU's!

 

[The N]

above images seems a good sample for idea.

 

[fullinfusion]

So after years of accumulating dust, I decided to clean out my ASUS GTX 670 DCU II.

After removing the heatsink to clean it out and also access the fans; I was left with a problem and I need answers:

1. Do I have to re-apply thermal paste? Is it fine just to put it back with the set stock thermal paste
2. What thermal pastes can I use? I have Arctic Silver 5, some ancient Zalman STG1 grease and a tube of CM paste included with the 212 EVO
3. Can I use methylated spirits to clean off the existing grease?
4. How much to apply? Where should it spread/be spread to?

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

1. yes Id recommend it for better cooling heat transfer
2. AS5 is conductive so be cautious using it, just like mussels said, a grain of rice but id just use a card and spread a thin amount to the chip. To each there own on how they like to apply it
3. use a clean fiber cloth and Isopropanol alcohol (the higher the better imho) I'd use 99%
4. read #2

I have a few different cards and they like to run hot, I use Glid Extreme thermal paste and spread it with the included applicator... You cant really over do it with this paste, as thin or thick it yields the same performance.

 

[m0nt3]

1. yes Id recommend it for better cooling heat transfer
2. AS5 is conductive so be cautious using it, just like mussels said, a grain of rice but id just use a card and spread a thin amount to the chip. To each there own on how they like to apply it
3. use a clean fiber cloth and Isopropanol alcohol (the higher the better imho) I'd use 99%
4. read #2

I have a few different cards and they like to run hot, I use Glid Extreme thermal paste and spread it with the included applicator... You cant really over do it with this paste, as thin or thick it yields the same performance.

Arctic Silver 5 is not electrically conductive but slightly capacitive.

"Not Electrically Conductive:
Arctic Silver 5 was formulated to conduct heat, not electricity.
(While much safer than electrically conductive silver and copper greases, Arctic Silver 5 should be kept away from electrical traces, pins, and leads. While it is not electrically conductive, the compound is very slightly capacitive and could potentially cause problems if it bridges two close-proximity electrical paths.)"

http://www.arcticsilver.com/as5.htm

 

[peche]

Something to consider about Arctic silver 5 AKA as AS5?

It have Break in period….

Break-In Period Explained:
Due to the unique carrier fluid used and the shapes and sizes of the thermally conductive particles in Arctic Silver's thermal compounds it will take multiple thermal cycles to achieve maximum particle to particle thermal conduction and for the heatsink to metal cap interface to reach maximum conductivity. (This period will be longer in a system without a fan on the heatsink.) On systems measuring actual internal core temperatures via the CPU's internal diode, the measured temperature will often drop slightly to significantly over this "break-in" period. This break-in will occur during the normal use of the computer as long as the computer is turned off from time to time and the interface is allowed to cool.


Arctic Silver 5:
Break-in period: 200 hours (Break-in period will occur during normal use.) Temps will drop several degrees over the break-in period measured with a thermal diode in the hottest part of the CPU core.


Tinting the Heatsink and Metal cap:
Why tint the heatsink and metal cap? Simply put, it will lessen the break-in period. If the break-in period is reduced you will achieve maximum performance in less time
. Here is the list of things you will need to tint your heatsink and metal cap:

· Your new thermal compound
· An old credit card or a piece of hard plastic with a straight edge
· Coffee filter or lens cleaning cloth.

** Photo HS1 shows Céramique being used however, the method of tinting a heatsink or metal cap is the same for Arctic Silver 5, Arctic Alumina and Matrix Thermal Compounds. Determine what area on the base of the heatsink will contact the CPU cores once the heatsink is mounted.**

** Squeeze enough thermal compound onto the center of this area to create a small mound. By working the plastic tool (old credit card) back and forth in all directions (See green symbol in photo HS1) you will smooth out the compound and work it into heatsink. This will ensure optimum filling of the microscopic valleys in the metal where the CPU cores will contact the heatsink.**


Information Source'

 

[fullinfusion]

Arctic Silver 5 is not electrically conductive but slightly capacitive.

"Not Electrically Conductive:
Arctic Silver 5 was formulated to conduct heat, not electricity.
(While much safer than electrically conductive silver and copper greases, Arctic Silver 5 should be kept away from electrical traces, pins, and leads. While it is not electrically conductive, the compound is very slightly capacitive and could potentially cause problems if it bridges two close-proximity electrical paths.)"

http://www.arcticsilver.com/as5.htm

Same shit, same pile.

you Quoted * Arctic Silver 5 should be kept away from electrical traces, pins, and leads** and * the compound is very slightly capacitive and could potentially cause problems if it bridges two close-proximity electrical paths*

Thanks for clarifying my post above on being conductive and can cause issues

But to the OP, use caution with AS5

 

[peche]

i preffer so much arctic MX 4 for the win ...

 

[m0nt3]

Same shit, same pile.

you Quoted * Arctic Silver 5 should be kept away from electrical traces, pins, and leads** and * the compound is very slightly capacitive and could potentially cause problems if it bridges two close-proximity electrical paths*

Thanks for clarifying my post above on being capacitive and can cause issues

But to the OP, use caution with AS5

I am just pointing out the fact that there is a difference between conductivity and capacitance, as I constantly see users identify AS5 as conductive, which it is not. I have seen AS5 across connections before, on old Athlon XP CPUs with no issues. If it is to that point then way to much was applied or there was a sloppy application. Was not trying to discredit your statement, just a slight explanation

 

[Ebo]

I am just pointing out the fact that there is a difference between conductivity and capacitance, as I constantly see users identify AS5 as conductive, which it is not. I have seen AS5 across connections before, on old Athlon XP CPUs with no issues. If it is to that point then way to much was applied or there was a sloppy application. Was not trying to discredit your statement, just a slight explanation

Thats almost like a religion, mine is better than yours ?

For years Ive been using the IC7 Diamond paste since of its day, and still is one of the best non conductive pastes out there, just execpt the fluid metal ones.

Now I use Polimatechs PK-3 and that comes up with just a minor better degrees than the old one, so in fact its just a small amount better(1-2 degrees cencious), it dosent have any breakin time, it just works right from the start. Its easy to apply and then youre good to go within 2 hours you have the full potential of your paste assuming you have put the right amount on from the start..

 

[m0nt3]

Thats almost like a religion, mine is better than yours ?

For years Ive been using the IC7 Diamond paste since of its day, and still is one of the best non conductive pastes out there, just execpt the fluid metal ones.

Now I use Polimatechs PK-3 and that comes up with just a minor better degrees than the old one, so in fact its just a small amount better(1-2 degrees cencious), it dosen't have any break in time, it just works right from the start. Its easy to apply and then youre good to go within 2 hours you have the full potential of your paste assuming you have put the right amount on from the start..

I gave no preference of either, im just stating, with a link for proof, that AS5 is not conductive (electrically) but may have a slight capacitance which is why it is recommended to avoid contacts between circuits, it was previously stated that AS5 is conductive. I am not trolling which is better. Thanks.