Cleaning off Thermal Paste

  • Thread starter Thread starter 32andtwentyseven
  • Start date Start date
3

32andtwentyseven

Hi

I read that thermal paste should be cleaned off with some alcohol.
What alcohol should I buy and where can I get it?

Thanks!
 
32andtwentyseven said:
Hi

I read that thermal paste should be cleaned off with some alcohol.
What alcohol should I buy and where can I get it?

Thanks!
Click to expand...

I use whatever isopropyl that is handy. Like rubbing
alcohol that you get at the drugstore. It doesn't do
that good a job, but it is cheap.

This article reviews a cleaner designed expressly for
the job.

http://hardwarelogic.com/news/118/ARTICLE/1154/2006-04-01.html

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16835100010

Paul
 
Hi

I read that thermal paste should be cleaned off with some alcohol.
What alcohol should I buy and where can I get it?

Thanks!
Click to expand...

Lucky you're not in the UK. Last time I tried to get IPA(isopropyl
alcohol).. I had to go to the chemist and ask for the chemist.. and
more often than not, the man in the white coat said they didn't stock
it anymore. One tried to sell me something else. Boots chemist had
70% not 99%.

The people that say use IPA also say to use a lint free cloth.
(lint free means something along the lines of it not shredding easily.
If you wipe a wet tissue on your trousers you'd prob see bits of
tissue on there. Not so with a lint free cloth)

Just incase getting the bottle of IPA wasn't hard enough. The bottle
said to avoid contact with hands and use in a well ventilated area.
So I have been known to go outside, and put on the polythene gloves -
also from Boots.

I have also heard that that is all totally unnecessary. And that a
tissue is fine, maybe wet maybe with water. Though no doubt alcohol -
any alcohol - whiskey, vodka, may be more effective in getting off
that paste 'cos it's so greasy. (washing up liquid?!). I guess, at
worst, perhaps your CPU may be a few degrees warmer. This may be an
issue if you have a noise issue and it means your fan spinning up too
loud for your ears. But if that really were an issue, there are
fanless solutions. If you have a big enough case, a fanless heatsink.
Or there are ultra low voltage processors, some P4s, some core duos
and core 2 duos e.t.c. and these produce such a small amount of heat
that they can have little passive(fanless) heatsinks..

Then there's getting the heatsink onto the damn thing. Last time I
did that it involved taking my shirt off and pounding my chest. It's
worth practicing a few times beforehand without putting paste on the
cpu. So you get into the rhythm. I find It's always a different
experience, depending on what screwdriver you're using, how you're
sitting, where the light source is. It's like serving in tennis. You'd
think they wouldn't mess it up.
 
32andtwentyseven said:
Hi

I read that thermal paste should be cleaned off with some alcohol.
What alcohol should I buy and where can I get it?

Thanks!
Click to expand...

I would use fine or ultra fine sandpaper, lightly after cleaning.
 
I would use fine or ultra fine sandpaper, lightly after cleaning.
Click to expand...

Do not use anything abrasive!! Any scrathes however small will trap
air, that air will heat up and thats when the trouble with cpu heat
begin. The thermal paste fills in any scrathes and material defects so
that there is no trapped air.
-J
 
jinxy said:
Do not use anything abrasive!!
Click to expand...

Why not?!!!!!!
Any scrathes however small will trap air,
Click to expand...

Ultra fine sandpaper will completely remove residual thermal paste and
make a better surface for heat conduction, if used lightly/carefully.
that air will heat up and thats when the trouble with cpu heat
begin. The thermal paste fills in any scrathes and material defects
so that there is no trapped air.
Click to expand...

Of course you use heatsink grease. Why would you imagine otherwise?
 
I'm a great love of IPA for cleaning, I got 500ml on e-bay. And I live in
the UK....
 
I'm a great love of IPA for cleaning, I got 500ml on e-bay. And I live in
the UK....
Click to expand...

I just did exactly that and bought 500ml of Isopropyl on eBay (UK).
 
first person that > the UK....

I just did exactly that and bought 500ml of Isopropyl on eBay (UK).
Click to expand...

You are the first person that I know of to use sandpaper on a cpu. You
may be correct, but sandpaper is generally used for woodworking. Is
your cpu made of oak? Should we be using a belt sander to really get a
nice finish? I will stick to IPA, thank you.
-J
 
jinxy <willandsue rogers.com> wrote:

....
You are the first person that I know of to use sandpaper on a cpu.
Click to expand...

Learn something new every day.
You may be correct, but sandpaper is generally used for woodworking.
Click to expand...

Sandpaper is used for wood, metal, and other things. Some sandpaper
can be used under water.
Is your cpu made of oak?
Click to expand...

Smart ass.
Should we be using a belt sander to really get a nice finish?
Troll.

I will stick to IPA, thank you.
Click to expand...

Even if someone comes up with a better idea?
 
I take my CPUs and heatsinks to NASA and they polish it into a mirror, no
paste needed.

--g
 
Do not use anything abrasive!! Any scrathes however small will trap
air, that air will heat up and thats when the trouble with cpu heat
begin. The thermal paste fills in any scrathes and material defects so
that there is no trapped air.
-J
Click to expand...

what he describes is a fanatical procedure you'll find on google,
called lapping a heatsink. Heatsinks are not smooth to start with,
hence the need for the small amount of paste to fill the already
microscopically small holes - crevices/orifices!.
But one can make them smoother. So the holes are even smaller.. . As
this is improved , the coppor heatsink gets more and more mirror like.
I've never seen it described as a procedure to help get the paste out
though! that's done by IPA. I've never lapped a heatsink before. I
get angry enough just installing it.

the advantage may be a few degrees. i don't know. it'd be interesting
to know the disadvantage of using just using a tissue and maybe some
whiskey.. How many degrees hotter would the cpu be ?

the min requirement is prob to use paste, and a small amount of it.
it'd be good to know the advantages of the rest... Note- te last
time i did it, i used IPA and a lint free cloth. That's the most
normal people do, very few people lap the heatsink.
 
jinxy <willandsue rogers.com> wrote:

...


Learn something new every day.


Sandpaper is used for wood, metal, and other things. Some sandpaper
can be used under water.


Smart ass.


Even if someone comes up with a better idea?





- Show quoted text -
Click to expand...

Who said it is a better idea? you? Thanks Albert. You sure have
given yourself the right name. Dead(from the neck up) and unclaimed.
-J
 
Let me rephrase. If I were worried about the difference between 70%
isopropyl rubbing alcohol and 90% isopropyl rubbing alcohol, I would
also be considering something like ultra fine sandpaper (and then
cleaning).
what he describes is a fanatical procedure you'll find on google,
called lapping a heatsink. Heatsinks are not smooth to start with,
hence the need for the small amount of paste to fill the already
microscopically small holes - crevices/orifices!.
But one can make them smoother. So the holes are even smaller.. . As
this is improved , the coppor heatsink gets more and more mirror
like. I've never seen it described as a procedure to help get the
paste out though! that's done by IPA. I've never lapped a heatsink
before. I get angry enough just installing it.
Click to expand...

Using ultra fine sandpaper (like 800 grain per inch) would not make a
heatsink smoother. It would remove thermal paste because the original
IC surface would be removed.

Like most things said on USENET, that advice is not for everybody. The
original poster or whoever reads a message can decide for himself (or
herself) what to believe or not and which advice to follow or not,
depending on his abilities, needs, and circumstances.

Speaking of unorthodox, you can use ultra fine sandpaper on an IC and
then superglue a heatsink to it. Works fine in my experience (I've had
a lot of experience with superglue and IC chips).
the advantage may be a few degrees.
Click to expand...

The advantage of using 70% isopropyl rubbing alcohol versus using 90%
isopropyl rubbing alcohol might not even be noticeable.

Good luck.
 
....
Who said it is a better idea? you?
Click to expand...

No. I was making light of your close-minded proclamation about using
isopropyl rubbing alcohol. If someone comes up with a better idea (in
your opinion, if that's possible), would you use their idea? Would you
feel the need to proclaim that you aren't going to use isopropyl
rubbing alcohol anymore? As if anyone else cares what you are planning
to use.
Thanks Albert. You sure have
given yourself the right name. Dead(from the neck up) and unclaimed.
-J
Click to expand...

That from a shrieking monkey who replied to the wrong author in his
last post.
 
32andtwentyseven said:
Honestly isn't isopropyl and a lint free cloth safe and adequate
enough?
Click to expand...
Sure..It is probably plenty. Scotchbrite just takes off any residue that
may be there and leaves a nice shiny surface. It is not really a
necessity by any means.


Ed
 
Back
Top