So what if thermal compound spreads?

CrackerJack wrote:

What exactly is the problem if too much cpu compound is put on the
core and it gets squashed out onto the surrounding area?

Apart from looking messy, is there any real problem with this?


If you put on so much that the compound squashes out past the edges,
that's too much. It generally won't do any damage, but will be nowhere
near as efficient as if you had used less.


-WD

In article , "CrackerJack"
says...
What exactly is the problem if too much cpu compound is put on the
core and it gets squashed out onto the surrounding area?

Apart from looking messy, is there any real problem with this?

Only if it's electrically conductive, or if there's so much that it
actually holds the heatsink off the CPU. But why not just put a
reasonable amount on in the first place?

Depends, depends on how much and the CPU. On the Intel, much less of a
problem (as long as it's not creeping around on to the underside!). On the
AMD, much more problematic. The AMD core is *exposed*, and thus there are
various "bridges" that surround it. The last thing you want to do is
"short" one of those bridges because you got to sloppy w/ the thermal paste!

But having too much paste indicates another problem. The paste is ONLY
there to fill the microscopic imperfections between the mating surfaces. If
those surfaces were perfect, you wouldn't even need the paste, in fact, it
would *hinder* heat transfer. If you have so much paste on the mating
surfaces that installation causes much of it to squeeze out, it indicates
you have too much paste! Think of it this way, if we could use the paste to
fill ONLY the imperfections, that would be ideal. Every bit of paste that
*interferes* with contact between the CPU and heatsink is working NEGATIVELY
against heat trasnfer. We're only interested in preventing VOIDS between
the mating surfaces. Anything that's NOT filling the voids and is actually
*preventing* surface to surface contact between the CPU and heatsink and
thus *hindering* heat transfer, not helping.

Bottomline: The less the better, ideally zero, but since this is an
imperfect world, we need some, so use as little as possible.

HTH

Jim


"CrackerJack" wrote in message
...
What exactly is the problem if too much cpu compound is put on the
core and it gets squashed out onto the surrounding area?

Apart from looking messy, is there any real problem with this?

In article ,
says...
What exactly is the problem if too much cpu compound is put on the
core and it gets squashed out onto the surrounding area?

Apart from looking messy, is there any real problem with this?

Yes as it acts as an insulator. The idea of thermal compound is to fill
the very small scratches on the faces.

--
Conor

If you're not on somebody's **** list, you're not doing anything
worthwhile.

On Sat, 10 Apr 2004 23:51:38 GMT, Will Dormann
wrote:

CrackerJack wrote:

What exactly is the problem if too much cpu compound is put on the
core and it gets squashed out onto the surrounding area?

Apart from looking messy, is there any real problem with this?


If you put on so much that the compound squashes out past the edges,
that's too much. It generally won't do any damage, but will be nowhere
near as efficient as if you had used less.


Unless you start out with an absolutely horrendous heatsink and don't
apply enough compound (it is practically impossible to apply EXACTLY the
amount needed) it will always squish out to a certain extent. Take off a
heatsink and look at the base, you see the outline of the CPU core due to
the compound squishing out. Even the thinnest layer of compound possible
should squish out a little if the heatsink is properly finished.

No problem at all .... if you don't mind higher temps !
You need to maximise metal-metal contact.
With a mirror-shine finish (above 1200 grit), you only need invisible
amounts of goop.
Enough to take off the shine, only.

"CrackerJack" wrote in message
...
What exactly is the problem if too much cpu compound is put on the
core and it gets squashed out onto the surrounding area?

Apart from looking messy, is there any real problem with this?

You don't say why it's inefficient !
Do you mean wasteful or something else constituting inefficient.
A vague and meaningless answer.


"Will Dormann" wrote in message
...
CrackerJack wrote:

What exactly is the problem if too much cpu compound is put on the
core and it gets squashed out onto the surrounding area?

Apart from looking messy, is there any real problem with this?


If you put on so much that the compound squashes out past the edges,
that's too much. It generally won't do any damage, but will be nowhere
near as efficient as if you had used less.


-WD

Conor wrote in message m...
In article ,
says...
What exactly is the problem if too much cpu compound is put on the
core and it gets squashed out onto the surrounding area?

Apart from looking messy, is there any real problem with this?

Yes as it acts as an insulator. The idea of thermal compound is to fill
the very small scratches on the faces.

Actually the thermal paste is non-conductive. For maximum heat
transfer from the core to the heatsink, the two metal pieces need to
touch as much as possible. Hence, the addition on the paste fills in
the imperfections.

Other than being a mess, things should work just fine.

In article , "John"
says...
Conor wrote in message m...
In article ,
says...
What exactly is the problem if too much cpu compound is put on the
core and it gets squashed out onto the surrounding area?

Apart from looking messy, is there any real problem with this?

Yes as it acts as an insulator. The idea of thermal compound is to fill
the very small scratches on the faces.

Actually the thermal paste is non-conductive.

Eh?

"Rob Morley" wrote in message
t...
In article , "John"
says...
Conor wrote in message
m...
In article ,
says...
What exactly is the problem if too much cpu compound is put on the
core and it gets squashed out onto the surrounding area?

Apart from looking messy, is there any real problem with this?

Yes as it acts as an insulator. The idea of thermal compound is to
fill
the very small scratches on the faces.

Actually the thermal paste is non-conductive.

Eh?


You thought he meant thermally, we realised he meant electrically.