Does thermal compound go off?

Harnser · 2 Dec 2020 at 11:53

I've got a tube of Gelid GC Extreme that must be about 5 years old, and another of Akasa AK456 of similar vintage.

I need to reseat a CPU cooler - will the Gelid work just fine, or should I get a new tube? It's still got the original consistency (I squeezed some out to check it hadn't set solid).

MeddlE · 2 Dec 2020 at 11:57

It will be fine.

Harnser · 2 Dec 2020 at 12:02

Thanks @MeddlE !

pc-guy · 2 Dec 2020 at 12:09

Harnser said:
I've got a tube of Gelid GC Extreme that must be about 5 years old, and another of Akasa AK456 of similar vintage.

I need to reseat a CPU cooler - will the Gelid work just fine, or should I get a new tube? It's still got the original consistency (I squeezed some out to check it hadn't set solid).

mine is from 8 years ago, still as sticky as it was the day i bought it and works equally well. got some MX4 from 10+ yrs ago, and it was still as good as fresh.

pp111 · 2 Dec 2020 at 15:06

Most manufactures print the recommended time you should use them for.

MeddlE · 2 Dec 2020 at 17:06

pp111 said:
Most manufactures print the recommended time you should use them for.

There's a difference between use and store though. Store in a cool dry place would be fine for many years.

EsaT · 2 Dec 2020 at 18:45

MeddlE said:
There's a difference between use and store though. Store in a cool dry place would be fine for many years.

While keeping that tube sitting on desk next to windows with sun shining on it daily would probably make paste go bad clearly before claimed shelf life.

pc-guy · 2 Dec 2020 at 22:33

EsaT said:
While keeping that tube sitting on desk next to windows with sun shining on it daily would probably make paste go bad clearly before claimed shelf life.

Very doubtful it will degrade through UV cos a) the sun ray will need to pass through glass which already filter out most of UV b) the tube itself is not transparent so unlikely any light will get through to the paste itself either.

mine has sat in my box for 8 years and the mx4 is 10+ years. Still all gunky and sticky as before. Worked perfectly fine on my 1600AF which I ran tests to 130w.

Dg834man · 4 Dec 2020 at 00:26

pp111 said:
Most manufactures print the recommended time you should use them for.

Yeah that's just to ensure repeat business, total agreement with pc guy

Sparky1978 · 11 Apr 2023 at 00:15

Harnser said:
I've got a tube of Gelid GC Extreme that must be about 5 years old, and another of Akasa AK456 of similar vintage.

I need to reseat a CPU cooler - will the Gelid work just fine, or should I get a new tube? It's still got the original consistency (I squeezed some out to check it hadn't set solid).

I know this is a fairly old post, but I'm wondering whether to use a 3 year old tube of Gelid GC Extreme (never been opened), just wondered if you tried yours and whether it was ok?

mickyflinn · 11 Apr 2023 at 09:41

Sparky1978 said:
I know this is a fairly old post, but I'm wondering whether to use a 3 year old tube of Gelid GC Extreme (never been opened), just wondered if you tried yours and whether it was ok?

Should be fine open it and try it

Deleted member 77746 · 11 Apr 2023 at 10:04

Give it a lick and find out.

random_matt · 11 Apr 2023 at 10:29

I would just buy a new one.

tom_e · 11 Apr 2023 at 10:33

Never been opened will be absolutely fine

pc-guy · 15 Apr 2023 at 08:50

Sparky1978 said:
I know this is a fairly old post, but I'm wondering whether to use a 3 year old tube of Gelid GC Extreme (never been opened), just wondered if you tried yours and whether it was ok?

Open it and squirt it into your mouth like cream and find out if you end up in A&E or not

Wing-Man · 15 Apr 2023 at 09:56

Sparky1978 said:
(never been opened)

its fine to use

jigger · 15 Apr 2023 at 14:46

From experience you’re safe for another decade or two.

cjgardens · 18 Apr 2023 at 03:15

What was that paste that was given away on these forum as samples? Diamond or something like that.

Had a tube of each in my draw. They both went off after a few years. Was like dried toothpaste

Ic diamond 24 carrot and the 7 carrot. Both in the bin after a few years.

Wing-Man · 18 Apr 2023 at 09:25

IC Dimond was like toothpaste. I got a tube of OcUK years ago and called up to complain. I was told it supposed to be like that and let it site on a radiator for 2 mins

TBF it lasted a year or too before I changed my phenom 2 out

gbgt2 · 18 Apr 2023 at 10:04

I had some Thermal Grizzly paste (might have been Kryonaut) go off. It had been opened before and it basically turned into putty.