Dispute re: application of arctic silver 5

GreenClocker · Oct 31, 2010

According to the arctic silver website, when applying arctic silver 5 on an i7 core, they suggest to apply only a thin line down the centre of the core and let the heatsink do the flattening (ie. do not spread evenly).

Can anyone confirm if this method worked for them or is the spreading with a credit card the best method in ALL circumstances ???

Bobnova · Oct 31, 2010

I've used the line method, the big pile in the middle method, the spread it out first method.
They all work.

Now i draw a * with very thin lines, it has the best average contact for me.

beenthere · Oct 31, 2010

As long as you get a thin, even, uncontaminated coating without excessive compound, it doesn't matter how you go about it. There is no magic. I like to spread it very thinly so I know there won't be excess compound that gets on the sides of the CPU or socket as AS 5 and some other heatsink compounds are electrically conductive.

m0r7if3r · Oct 31, 2010

I use side by side lines personally...though I'm thinking about switching to an X...I'm unmounting soon and I'm just gonna see how good of a mount I had. The trick to it is getting your lines to be nice and thin so you don't get too much tim in there, you really only wanna fill the gaps.

xoke · Oct 31, 2010

Agreed with all. The only reason I think they don't want you spreading it yourself is because you could trap an air bubble in there. :shrug:

As for my method, I put a glob, about pea sized on the middle of the CPU, then I kinda twist/wiggle the heatsink as I strap it in. Then I usually heat it up, wiggle it again, then call it good.

Psycogeec · Oct 31, 2010

i would use the pea (bb) or line method if i could put the thing on perfectally straight the first time, or if i had the Ratchet down type of heat sync.
instead i am re-mounting or messing with it, turned upside down and backwards, because i dont want to remove the 27 wires that connect up my computer.
I dont need guessing, i Spread.
If the computer is all accessable , and pulled out and on some display table , I Might get away with it.

markp1989 · Oct 31, 2010

I have always gone for the bb sized blob in the middle, i have tried the line, and a few others, i just find bb the easiest one to do

GreenClocker · Nov 1, 2010

k. Thanks to all for the opinions. Will let you know which one works for me.

trents · Nov 1, 2010

xokeman said:
Agreed with all. The only reason I think they don't want you spreading it yourself is because you could trap an air bubble in there.

As for my method, I put a glob, about pea sized on the middle of the CPU, then I kinda twist/wiggle the heatsink as I strap it in. Then I usually heat it up, wiggle it again, then call it good.

Of course, peas vary in size but what Arctic Silver recommends is a little smaller than a BB, about 3 mm maybe. Too much TIM is as bad as too little as it has an insulating effect.

Dispute re: application of arctic silver 5

GreenClocker

Registered

Bobnova

Senior Member

beenthere

Member

m0r7if3r

Member, Water Cooling Sticky Reading Enforcement O

xoke

Member

Psycogeec

Member

markp1989

Member

GreenClocker

Registered

trents

Senior Member

Similar threads