Best Heatsink compound

[JRcomputers2]

Does anyone have an opinion on the best heat sink compound?

[Missing the point]

I am just using regular Radio Shack stuff, and it seems to work fine for me http://sysopt.earthweb.com/forum/smile.gif

[Dputiger]

I've heard great stuff about the Artic Silver compound, but it's 13 bucks a tube. Look in the 'Overclocking' forum--there's a thread about it.

I use the Radio Shack stuff too--no problems here. http://sysopt.earthweb.com/forum/smile.gif If you want some, it's called Heatsink compound at Radio Shack--a little tube is a $1.99

[tonym]

The Radio Shack stuff is just fine for the power that you want to dissipate from a CPU.

It's made from zinc oxide and the thermal resistance for a SECC package to a typical heatsink is 0.1°C/W. The silver paste in a similar application is in the range of 0.03°C/W, so if you use 50W as your CPU power, then you'll have a 5°C temperature drop across the Radio Shack goop and a 1.5°C drop across the silver goop. Almost not worth fretting over!!

[EDIT: Forgot to mention that the silver paste oxidized with time/age and heat...the thermal resistivity rises to almost twice its brand-new value. Also, silver can "electromigrate" if you're sloppy applying it . It is a very mobile ion and will travel between high fields (like those found in places on your mobo) and create shorts over time (and exacerbated by humidity). If you're very CAREFUL, no problem. Otherwise, use the safe RS goop!!]

Tony

[This message has been edited by tonym (edited 08-06-2000).]

[skywalker[TSG]]

Silver compound is the way to go
if you are a true overclocker

otherwise normal paste will do you fine

[JRcomputers2]

What brand of silver do you recommend? I do over clock and need great dissipation. Thank you for your input. JR

[Kruppt]

Go to a good auto parts store and get yourself a small tube of "copper never seize". It has very fine copper flecks in it and works great as a heat transference between the chip and sink. It is used by mechanics to coat bolts (especially exhaust manifold & Head bolts)to keep them from seizing and braking off in the block ect. It works GREAT. A small tube should run you about $2.50 and has at least four times more product in it than the Radio Shack tube of heat sink paste. Another trick is to get your wifes diamond finger nail file, her gold or silver ring, mothers silver utinsels ect., you get the idea, or just a piece of copper pipe and file off enough to make a very small pile of silver or copper dust on a peice of aluminum foil. After filing away for a few minutes over the foil fold it and tap the stuff to the center of the foil. When the pile of dust is about 1/4" around by 1/8" high, pinch off a 1/4" or so of Radio Shack paste next to the pile of metal dust and mix it in really well with a tooth pick. With your finger smear a thin layer over the chip lug. With either of these metalic pastes you have to be sure you DO NOT have a excessive amount on the chip and do not get any of it on the pin board as it will short out the CPU. Put enough on to coat the lug good but don't get carried away. Fasten the heatsink to the CPU and look all around the edges to make sure you haven't any ozing over onto the pins, if there is take the sink off carefully and wipe with a towel with a little alcohol,and wipe the outer board very clean. Then put the sink on and you are ready to crank. You can drop up to a few degrees on your CPU temp doing this trick. The easy way to go though is to use the Never Seize stuff, no filing and stuff to go wrong if your not handy at this kind of thing. By the way do not try using sanding papers or emery papers for this, as the grains will come off into the metalic dust and this is NOT good. Also do not use a course file, the filings should be DUST and a diamond finger nail file is perfect for this endevour. Be careful as you can fry your CPU and anything else you get it on if your sloppy with this stuff, because it is electrically conductive.

[wtp]

I use RadioShack and the one that came with my Alpha.

wtp