Looking for long-lasting thermal interface material

[lti]

I want to find thermal interface material that does not need to be reapplied regularly. Arctic Silver Ceramique only lasts a year before the chip I am trying to cool starts overheating.

[larrymoencurly]

Re: Looking for long-lasting thermal interface material

How about that clay-like stuff that turns to liquid at about 60C, like Loctite PowerStrate or Bergquist Hi-Flow? I have no idea where to buy them cheap, but some people have gotten pieces for free from AMD by saying they messed up the installation of the heatsink of their retail boxed CPU.

[brethin]

Re: Looking for long-lasting thermal interface material

I use Arctic Silver 5 and have never needed to reapply it. In fact it seems to better with age as it cures.

[yyonline]

Re: Looking for long-lasting thermal interface material

I use Arctic Silver 5 and have never needed to reapply it. In fact it seems to better with age as it cures.

Ditto. Ceramique will dry up as it ages, but it should still transfer heat. I've never had to reapply it... If you're having to reapply it, I'd check to make sure that your heatsink mounting is secure. Perhaps the heatsink might be vibrating or shifting a little, which would cause dried up Ceramique to fail.

[shovenose]

Re: Looking for long-lasting thermal interface material

I've always used Arctic Silver 5 and I've never had it dry out.

[weirdlookinguy]

Re: Looking for long-lasting thermal interface material

I've got a C2D that has been running for 2 years now. Never re-applied the Artic Silver 5 I used and the temps are the same.

[lti]

Re: Looking for long-lasting thermal interface material

I have some Arctic Silver 5. I thought it should last longer than the Ceramique. The Ceramique still transfers some heat after a year, but it is only slightly better than nothing.

[ThePCDoctor]

Re: Looking for long-lasting thermal interface material

Long before there was Arctic Silver, I got a 2oz container of Thermal Compound 120-2, from Wakefield Engineering, Co. (Wakefield, Mass.) Circa, 1980.

I still have and use it whenever I clean up a heatsink and need to re-grease it.
Even at 30 years old, it still works great!

Just like "Brylcreem"......... A little dab'll do ya!

Cheers Mates!
The Doctor

[kc8adu]

Re: Looking for long-lasting thermal interface material

i have the same but it has hardened in the jar.reconstituted it with paint thinner but that flashed off in 6 months.maybe silicone oil?

Long before there was Arctic Silver, I got a 2oz container of Thermal Compound 120-2, from Wakefield Engineering, Co. (Wakefield, Mass.) Circa, 1980.

I still have and use it whenever I clean up a heatsink and need to re-grease it.
Even at 30 years old, it still works great!

Just like "Brylcreem"......... A little dab'll do ya!

Cheers Mates!
The Doctor

[Longbow]

Re: Looking for long-lasting thermal interface material

Standard Zinc Oxide thermal compound works as well as any of the fancy expensive products that are sold for computer CPU's. Unless you have access to a study showing remarkable differences in thermal transfer rates, save your money. I have never had to remove a device to re-apply thermal compound. It is good until you need to replace the device bolted to your heat sink. Either your device is being operated too close to its thermal capacity, or your heat sink is too small (or both). You do not have a thermal compound problem.

[Th3_uN1Qu3]

Re: Looking for long-lasting thermal interface material

Standard Zinc Oxide thermal compound works as well as any of the fancy expensive products that are sold for computer CPU's.

I'll have to disagree. Arctic Silver and similar products actually work as advertised. There are places to get bigger quantities for a lot cheaper but that's a different story.

The problem with zinc oxide compound is that a lot of manufacturers use cheap formulas that dry up in a couple years. Unless you got a reputable source, it is worth investing in better quality grease.

[ratdude747]

Re: Looking for long-lasting thermal interface material

I'll have to disagree. Arctic Silver and similar products actually work as advertised. There are places to get bigger quantities for a lot cheaper but that's a different story.

The problem with zinc oxide compound is that a lot of manufacturers use cheap formulas that dry up in a couple years. Unless you got a reputable source, it is worth investing in better quality grease.

you mean the white stuff?

I know that that crap baked into sludge in my old dell latitude d400... changed it 6 months ago, when I opened it up it was, ahem, sludgy. like the consistancy of bread dough... I switched to whatever the silver stuff cooler master includes with its coolers ( I had leftovers from a cooler upgrade)... the temps are a lot lower and it works better...

maybe I will change the thermal pads and compound in my d630 over fall or winter break... I used the white crap in it and I am a bit worried it may bake as well (not good for the nvidia graphics)