Thermal Compound Application

Narj

Narj

Narj

Soldato
Joined
19 Feb 2010
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London
Am I right in saying that a large rice grain or small pea-sized amount in the centre of the CPU cover is the correct way to apply TIM? Looking at the manual for my Silver Arrow it mentions applying compound to both the CPU and the contact surface, which, IMO makes no sense.

Sorry for the stupid question but I've watched so many Youtube videos of people using the credit card spreading method that I wonder if I'm going mad...
 
Small pea sized lump of it is the way I've always done it. Make sure you spread it out slightly though but no where near the edges of the CPU, just to ensure equal distribution when the weight of the heatsink spreads it out further.
 
If your that concerned. Get yourself some of the arcticlean thermal grease remover for 7 quid. Experiment with different applications/methods of paste. See which one gives you the best temps.

If you can't be bothered with all that. A rice grain in the centre is sufficient.
 
I've never found any appreciable difference between the three methods I've used (the rice grain, the credit card spread, and the finger in cling-film spread methods).

The rice grain is definitely the easiest, though, and fairly reliable.
 
I think it's down to personal preference but remember that the purpose of the application is to apply a thin layer of paste to fill tiny microscopic pits on the metallic surface. Nothing more. This is to aid better contact between two conducting surfaces otherwise those pits will just fill with air which as you may know, is a bad conductor of heat. Therefore, the method they suggest makes sense as you are filling these pits on both surfaces not just one. However, applying too much paste can be just as detrimental as having none, so you only need a smidgen on both.

I've always smoothed the paste out using cling film over my finger, covering the entire surface. I've never been too keen on the blob n squash method as you could end up with too much in one area. As I said though, it's preference only and there's nothing wrong with this.
 
OK Cheers chaps... I'd have thought that the blob in the centre would have filled pits as the pressure pushed it outwards anyhow. I've never been a fan of the credit card method as it's likely to leave air bubbles IMO. Same goes for pre-applied TIM as well, surely?

I've got some Akasa TIM remover in case it doesn't work well anyhow. :p
 
Last edited:
Admiral Huddy said:
How do you mean?
Click to expand...

Credit card method - I'd have thought that pushing a machined surface down onto an uneven layer of TIM would result in the TIM equivalent of an Aero. :D

A bit like trying to put a screen protector on a phone in one go rather than from the edges...
 
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