Arctic Silver2?

[Technoid]

I have ordered a Thermalright SK6 an a tube of Arctic Silver 2.

And when I read the instruction on how to aplay it, it gives me the inpression that those who manufacture it only want us to use it in conjunture with neverbefore used cpu and heatsink.

I have already put standard thermal grease on my cpu, and acording tho them it will (even after thorough cleaning) impaire the efectivness of the Arctic silver.

Any one that can give me his personal experienses with Arctic silver grease?

[ayoub_ibrahim]

I scraped off the thermal pad with my finger nails, cleaned the heatsink with isopropyl alcohol before applying the thermal paste.
worked well for me, reducing temps by about 2C but bear in mind, I run a coppermine which already runs cool!

[Jammrock]

I used Arctic Silver II on my PIII with my Zalman 3100CNPS Gold. I had some other thermal compound on my CPU, but scraped it off and cleaned it with rubbing alcohol. I couldn't see any traces of the thermal junk left before I applied the Arctic Silver II.

My CPU/motherboard combo doesn't allow me to hit extremes with my CPU, but it runs pretty cool as is. I don't see how pre-applying thermal paste could affect ACII performance if it's thuroughly cleaned with rubbing alcohol and you use a new HSF. If you're really paranoid about it, you could get some super fine sandpaper and gently smoothen the top of your CPU.

Jammrock

[ayoub_ibrahim]

Jammrock,I think he might have been reading this!

[ALBPM]

Never use any oil or petroleum based cleaners (WD-40, citrus based grease removers and many automotive degreasers) on the base of a heatsink. The oil, which is engineered to not evaporate, will fill in the microscopic valleys in the metal and significantly reduce the effectiveness of any subsequently applied thermal compound.

Remember:
Once you have applied a thermal grease or melted a thermal pad onto a heatsink, it is impossible to remove all of the grease or pad from the microscopic valleys in the heatsink using standard cleaning chemicals and paper or fabric towels. Any subsequent thermal material will be applied over the remnants of the original material.

I wouldn't worry too much. Most of us who use Arctic silver have cleaned off the old thermal paste with alcohol or acetone and still get excellent results.


Paul

[Bursar]

As long as the TIM is removed completely from the bottom of the heatsink, and you only put on a thin layer of ASII, you should be fine.

You can also lap your heatsink to improve results as well, but it is only likely to make a 1-2°C difference.

[Electric Amish]

I use Carbuerator cleaner to remove all my thermal compounds. Works like a charm.

amish

[Greebe]

@Mish

[Jammrock]

Wouldn't that melt the CPU casing...?



Jammrock

[Technoid]

No TIM has ever been nearer my CPU than 2 meters!

I have used a generic guck earlier, but know that I get a better HS I thought that I could spend a litle on the "IM" also!

About the instructions:

I should have known!

Ok:

How have you gotten the best results?

thicknes, layering, ??

Is it so damn necesary to get a perfectly thin layer?

Usualy the pressure from the HS makes unessesary poure away.

And about conductivnes ???

I might be lucky and recieve the goods this week so I like to be as "mentaly" prepared as posibly! (Im am already trying to learn the right kombination of foul wors to say if the cpu breaks :d )

My T-B 1,33GH gets about 50-60 depending on ambient temperature and load.

Acording to the sensor betven the ceramic and the HS : 37-47.

Hoping to cut those figures down to ambient temp 25~30

[Greebe]

Jammrock, nope. On occasion I've used acetone also... works a peach for getting that which penitrates the surface (not that matters much)

Tho I wouldn't soak it for prolonged periods

Technoid, use only as much is needed to fill any possible gap. As long as the HS's base is flat, this will require an ultra small amount of compound.

You don't need to worry about conductivity of ASII.

BTW no air cooled HS will get you down to 25-30c unless ambient temp is around 15c or less

[Technoid]

So i take the volume of a pin head and smear that on the cpu surface untill its silver grey?

With "normal" compound I have always smeared it on the HS in a .05 mm layer and slaped it on.

Ok, thats crude and unusual (as in "cruel and ...) but after inspection the actualy result is always a perfect 0.1~0.2 mm thin almost translucent layer, because of the pressure...

And compared to TIM's I usualy gets about 5 degreas improvment.
(Tested on everything from K6 to P3's, by the time durons and T-Birds became standard I had already concluded that TIM's where best scraped off)

[Electric Amish]

hehe...

That's an old trick I picked up when I first changed my HS on my G200. It was a recommendation from Tennmax, I think.

Main ingredient in most carb cleaners is Toluene. Good for removing gunk. Bad for your liver.

I just spray a touch on a paper towel or cloth and wipe over the CPU.

It will melt the adhesive on the little foam pads on the Duron/T-birds.

amish

[Greebe]

that's about what I do ... sometimes I'll use a piece of thick paper to even it out (an index card comes in handy for this), then press the two together firmly with a slight twisting action to help push out excess compound.

TIM's are only there for those who either don't have normal compound or don't wish to get their hands dirty.

[Technoid]

Thanks for all the good advice!

Thanks Greebe for the boost in self confidence

And in retrospect:

The manufactor seems to be over hyping it's products neccesary "special" aplaying scheme!