Copper grease as a tim?

[saturn]

I use a copper based thermal compound and it has me thinking, could one just use copper grease? Has anyone tried it before? I almost want to try it just to see how well it works.

 

[Mr.Scott]

Tried copper antisieze before. The oils it's mixed with are detrimental. Stick with normal TIM.

 

[Alaric]

And I'd be worried about the electrical conductivity issues from even the slightest mistake.

 

[saturn]

Tried copper antisieze before. The oils it's mixed with are detrimental. Stick with normal TIM.

How are they detrimental?

And I'd be worried about the electrical conductivity issues from even the slightest mistake.

Not any different then the tim I use now. In fact I use electrical conductivity tim for the most part.

 

[Mr.Scott]

Oil is an insulator. It does not pass heat as well as the silicone based TIM's.

 

[saturn]

Oil is an insulator. It does not pass heat as well as the silicone based TIM's.

I should have known that. My bad.
How bad was it?
Isn't there silicone based copper grease. I could sworn I seen it before.

 

[Mr.Scott]

Not as bad as you would think. It falls in the middle of the pack of normal TIM's. What I particularly didn't like was the fact that it got runny when hot, and the conductivity factor scared me off. Mind you I did this on bare die processors. An IHS might be different. Conductivity will not change though. You will need to be neat and careful.
There are about a billion threads out there about people trying this. Results are all over the scale.

 

[Ben333]

I just wanted to add, you can use any thermal paste on almost anything. You can even not use any at all. I've done that on exposed die chips, and CPUs with an IHS. Obviously using paste is a good idea. If I'm not overclocking something though, I'll often scrape up some old stuff and gop it back into the middle of the HS.

As far as a copper grease goes... Might do ok. But how much money are you really saving? I've had a tube of AS5 in my desk for several years. I use it a tiny dab at a time. Less than $1 per application? And silver conducts far better than copper. Diamond better than silver... etc, etc.

I say try it! Just pull your heatsink off after a few days to see if anything in the grease had caustic effects on your aluminium heatsink. Maybe stick a paper towel in, at the edge of the sink to protect your board incase it gets runny. Using only a tiny tab though, it shouldn't be runny.

 

[saturn]

Not as bad as you would think. It falls in the middle of the pack of normal TIM's. What I particularly didn't like was the fact that it got runny when hot, and the conductivity factor scared me off. Mind you I did this on bare die processors. An IHS might be different. Conductivity will not change though. You will need to be neat and careful.
There are about a billion threads out there about people trying this. Results are all over the scale.

I thought it might get runny when hot.

As far as a copper grease goes... Might do ok. But how much money are you really saving? I've had a tube of AS5 in my desk for several years. I use it a tiny dab at a time. Less than $1 per application? And silver conducts far better than copper. Diamond better than silver... etc, etc..

It more of a "let's see what works" deal then how much can I save deal.
I do bench a lot and the tim bill can get pretty high.not that I care, I can get a tube of cheep silicon tim for cheep.

Also I alway heard the a lot of silver compounds contain a mostly aluminum.
I do know that ac5 is worse then most tims out there.
Right now I use cool lab. liquid copper.

 

[Alaric]

How are they detrimental?



Not any different then the tim I use now. In fact I use electrical conductivity tim for the most part.

Wasn't sure what you're currently using. Just thought I'd add the caution in case you were using something non conductive at present. Can't be too careful when you're talking about potentially turning your chip/mobo in to a fireworks display.

 

[wingman99]

Have you seen this thread? http://www.overclockers.com/forums/showthread.php/768805-Thermal-paste-wars

 

[choyunlu]

Dear Saturn.

I have tried copper grease as TIM. It is good and very good.

My laptop is DELL E6410. CPU is intel i5 560.

The CPU temperature is 105C at 2.5GHz when I was using K=1.9 silicone based thermal pad.

The CPU temperature is only 92C at 2.8GHz when I am using copper grease and nerver over heat.

If you trying to over clock your computer. That will be a good choice.

Thanks.

Dear all.

I see many people are worry about copper grease will short circuit computer. In fact, it is safe.

Because those copper powder mixd in copper grease just for fill some copper contact surface to decrease contact resistor.

Copper grease is help for increase conductivity but it wont conduct itself.

Please correct me if I wrong.

Thanks.

 

[Mr.Scott]

Dear all.

I see many people are worry about copper grease will short circuit computer. In fact, it is safe.

Because those copper powder mixd in copper grease just for fill some copper contact surface to decrease contact resistor.

Copper grease is help for increase conductivity but it wont conduct itself.

Please correct me if I wrong.

Thanks.

If there is metal in the paste, it will conduct electricity. Period.
Common sense prevails here.

 

[choyunlu]

Dear Mr.Scott.

I have asked copper grease provider.

Copper grease must conduct under very high voltage and current. Nothing different between silicone based compound and copper grease under very high voltage and current.

Copper grease main function is lubricant connector and anti-sieze.

If you worry about that then you can use multi-meter to test if it conduct or not.


Thanks.

 

[Mr.Scott]

See post #13.

Not feeding the troll.

 

[JrClocker]

Electrically conductive TIM (has metal in it) is a bad idea

 

[choyunlu]

I tried 5 W/mk thermal paste and 3 W/mk thermal paste.

I think copper grease thermal conductivity should during 3 ~ 5 W/mk.

Please try if you believe.

Thanks.

 

[wagex]

arctic silver 5 has silver in it and that is more thermally conductive than copper.

 

[choyunlu]

Thanks for Wagex comment.

As I know copper grease design for very high temperature almost 1100 C, but Arctic silver is for 200 C.

I think copper grease will survive longer in high temperature.

And copper grease is cheaper.

Thanks.

 

[Soulcatcher668]

Thanks for Wagex comment.

As I know copper grease design for very high temperature almost 1100 C, but Arctic silver is for 200 C.

I think copper grease will survive longer in high temperature.

And copper grease is cheaper.

Thanks.

Your temps will never get near either of those.

As you said, copper antisieze or grease is for bolts. As far as it being cheaper... 5 bucks of decent TIM will last years for the average user.

Use things for what they are meant for, why create grief for yourself.