How do I clean off thermal compound?

aghastpumpkin · #1 (**permalink**) 27th January, 2006, 05:00 AM

I've gutted my PC to install my new Akasa AK913 (Evo 33) heatpipe cooler. The compound from the stock heatsink is on the CPU and although it isn't hardened on and should be easy to wipe off, I want to make sure. The Akasa heatpipe has it's own pre-applied compound.
Any tips for getting the other stuff off my CPU?

aghastpumpkin · #2 (**permalink**) 27th January, 2006, 05:01 AM

Please answer this quickly! Thanks guys!

aghastpumpkin · #3 (**permalink**) 27th January, 2006, 05:18 AM

Well, I've done it. And my word this Akasa heatpipe is a beastie! Rrr! Lets see how it cools and how it overclocks!

Favu · #4 (**permalink**) 27th January, 2006, 06:37 AM

Use alcohol and a lint-free cloth. Don't use paper or tissue!

aghastpumpkin · #5 (**permalink**) 27th January, 2006, 07:20 AM

I haven't. It's working brilliantly. I had some problems booting up for the first time as I stupidly had the Hard drive plugged into a power cable not connected to the PSU, D'oh!
Then I had my USB headers in wrongly causing my Motherboard to beep at me.
Then I cleared my CMOs, re-did the ehaders and all is fine. The Akasa cooler is keeping the CPu at 35 C on minimum fan speed. At this speed, it is so quiet the hard drive now seems to be the noisiest thing in the world. At maximum fan speed it is too noisy but does cool the CPU to a ridiculous 19 C.
Watercooling? P'ah!

Favu · #6 (**permalink**) 27th January, 2006, 07:23 AM

Funky stuff! What are your specs?

aghastpumpkin · #7 (**permalink**) 27th January, 2006, 07:31 AM

Athlon 64 3000, 1GB Elixir Ram, Abit AN8 Motherboard, Connect 3D radeon X800GTO, Seagate 80GB HDD.
I'm a bit too traumatised at the moment for overclocking. This little brat wouldn't boot at first which usually sends me in to a sort of fit of shock and despair. Rrr!

Favu · #8 (**permalink**) 27th January, 2006, 07:36 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by aghastpumpkin

fit of shock and despair.

I think just about everyone knows that feeling!

danrok · #9 (**permalink**) 27th January, 2006, 08:47 AM

This is what I have:
http://www.kustompcs.co.uk/acatalog/info_3718.html

It's worth every penny and lasts a long time. HIGHLY recommended. Not worth taking chances with expensive CPU's.

aghastpumpkin · #10 (**permalink**) 27th January, 2006, 08:49 AM

Here are some pictures of my open ehart surgery on my PC.

aghastpumpkin · #11 (**permalink**) 27th January, 2006, 08:53 AM

Cheers Danrok. Well, it's too late for that now but its working perfectly. I can always get some of that plus some new thermal compound. Though, judging by how scary it was undertaking this heatpipe change I'm a bit reluctant.

danrok · #12 (**permalink**) 27th January, 2006, 08:57 AM

You should be safe with an A64 given that it is protected by that metal cover.

With older CPU's where the core and bridges are exposed, it only takes a very tiny amount of TIM in the wrong place to cause havoc or damage.

aghastpumpkin · #13 (**permalink**) 27th January, 2006, 09:11 AM

That's true. Apparently you have to be very careful with the artic coolnig stuff as it conducts electricity, so boom!

danrok · #14 (**permalink**) 27th January, 2006, 09:29 AM

I think everything which conducts heat well, will also conduct electricity.

aghastpumpkin · #15 (**permalink**) 27th January, 2006, 10:55 AM

True, but ceramics is quite good as ceramics don't conduct electricity. That's why they are used in supercars' brakes.

Favu · #16 (**permalink**) 27th January, 2006, 11:00 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by aghastpumpkin

True, but ceramics is quite good as ceramics don't conduct electricity. That's why they are used in supercars' brakes.

What does it matter if brake disks conduct electricity or not? And besides, brake disks are usually steel or sometimes carbon, and they both conduct

aghastpumpkin · #17 (**permalink**) 27th January, 2006, 11:49 AM

What I'm saying is they can conduct a very high level of heat and expel it very quickly. This is why Peltiers have ceramic plates.
As a bonus, ceramics do not conduct electicity.
They only bother with ceramic brakes in high end cars because the only real advantage is that they are sharper, harsher and better for slowing down from high speed. They are basically too expensive to be jsutified on normal cars.

danrok · #18 (**permalink**) 27th January, 2006, 04:12 PM

No, ceramics don't conduct heat well.

A ceramic is a solid which does not contain metal and will remain hard when exposed to high temperatures. Stuff that doesn't melt, in other words.

The Space Shuttle's heat proof tiles have a ceramic surface for example.

Brake pads are not designed to conduct heat, they are designed to withstand heat without burning up, falling apart or melting.

aghastpumpkin · #19 (**permalink**) 27th January, 2006, 04:27 PM

Oops.

djXternal · #20 (**permalink**) 27th January, 2006, 05:35 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by aghastpumpkin

That's true. Apparently you have to be very careful with the artic coolnig stuff as it conducts electricity, so boom!

Take my word for it that that can actually happen....

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