What's the best electrically non-conductive thermal compound?

[Sprocket]

Ok... As you may know, I may have shorted out a cpu with too much AS III :(. so... I need to use something else till I get the hand of it. :)

I was reading this one review on a heatsink and they had used something called... I don't remember but it was "________ goop" What is that anyway? :rolleyes:

[Sprocket]

Ok, I just read a review at http://www.thetechzone.com/reviews/roundup/thermal_compound/page9.htm that compared several different thermal compounds. The winner was Artic Silver Premium Silver Thermal Compound. It says that is NOT electrically conductive. What is the difference between this and Artic Silver III??? Which is more thermally conductive? If it's true that this stuff isn't electrically conductive, I'll probably buy some. Is it true, is it, is it? :p

[Teus]

AS Céramique all the way

[gobbo]

AS3 is apparently only thermally conductive if placed in a very thin layer, but i've never had the guts to test it to see if it is!

For non thermal conductive you are looknig at:
Coolermaster Premium with Shin Etsu
Arctic Alumina
Atric Ceramique

Out of those i'd recomnd Alumina atm, as i don't have any Ceramique yet and the reviews are a bit all over thep lace atm although ceramique does look promising.

[Johnny Knoxvill]

Shin-Etsu 751 it beats AS3 and AS ceramique
this review is good:
http://www.ocprices.com/index.php?rev_id=128&page=1&action=reviews

[Teus]

electrical conductivity isn't comparable nowadays, there are 101 ways to test it. there exist standard, official tests for that.
but the manufacters test their own stuff in their own labs using their own ways so you can't compare it
:rolleyes:

[Sprocket]

Ok... I'm not sure I completely understand here. I was told that I could have shorted my cpu because I used AS III--way, way too much of it, which was said to be electrically conductive. It was recommended to me that I use a silicon thermal paste that isn't electrically conductive until I get the hang of applying it. It seems all thermal paste is made with silicon, so that's a given. I needed to know which to get that is the least or that isn't electrically conductive at all. Will the Arctic Silver Ceramique work for me--is it electrically nonconductive?

[Dr. Possum]

Well, even huge amount of AS3 won't cause problems of shorting out as long as it is solely applied to the core . I don't know if it was you or not, but I saw someone that had AS3 splattered all about the socket and the wafer of the chip....that is bad news. As long as you keep it on the core, you should be fine.

Well, it's down currently...but bookmark this and check in later, it might help you realize the amount of AS3 to use. (http://www.elitecool.com/tutorials/arctic.php)



~DP

[MrLavender]

Google is a great tool y'know Sprocket...

http://www.arcticsilver.com/

From that site:

"While much safer than electrically conductive silver and copper greases, Arctic Silver 3 should be kept away from electrical traces, pins, and leads. The compound is slightly capacitive and could potentially cause problems if it bridged two close-proximity electrical paths."

i.e. don't do this (http://www.xtremesystems.org/forums/showthread.php?postid=150891#post150891). ;)

Also:

"Ceramique does not contain any metal or other electrically conductive materials. It is a pure electrical insulator, neither electrically conductive nor capacitive."

They also have detailed application instructions, I would strongly suggest that you read them. ;)

[Sprocket]

Originally posted by MrLavender
Google is a great tool y'know Sprocket...

Yeah, I know, but this is what forum's are for! lol :p

And, yep, that was my post alright. :( with that splattery AS III all over my cpu... the whole cpu... not just the core of the cpu.


Guess I should be getting my hands on some of that ceramique stuff. :) that'd be good, I suppose.

I finally ordered my replacement/new gear. Got another nf7-s, 2500+ barton, slk-800, 40gig hd, and an ati xpert for old pc. This whole process is costing a bunch of money. :( oh well.

[NyCUndaGrounD]

I know for sure that it is Shin-Etsu Micro Si that comes with the 3.0ghz is that the best type of Shin-Etsu compound

[Susquehannock]

If you want the best Thermal Compound, get the Shin Etsu G-751.

Only one thing though, Shin Etsu is a bear to apply.
Definitely NOT for the novice.
The reviews that have it testing poorly don't take into account
that it has to "cure" for a few days before optimum effect.
Indeed, the one I found yesterday only tested it for 15 min & 1 hour.

Shin Etsu G-749 is the only compound that AMD states
that won't void your warranty. They say it only for "evaluation purposes" though.:rolleyes:


So, you believe your CPU was shorted by the AS3 Sprocket?
Man, that suX! ... sorry to hear that.:(
Can't say it's a surprise though as I saw the image of your chip.
It had entirely too much on there. To be honest, I saved
it for the marks that the bottom surface left in the compound.
The machine marks were clearly visible.

If you do decide to try the Shin Etsu based compounds Sprocket
you might try the Coolermaster PTK-001 first.
it's easier to apply and gives similar results to the G-751.

Good luck!:D

[`schr0et]

Nanotherm XTC, non conductive, but still silver based. Check www.esgn.com

[Susquehannock]

Originally posted by PRanganathan
Nanotherm XTC, non conductive, but still silver based. Check www.esgn.com

Interesting stuff. That compound utilizes the thermal properties of crystals too. "Boron Nitride"

Not sure what the "nano powders" are made of, but they
are likely some type crystallite as well.

[Tweaked!]

I've had great results and experience out of AS ceramique. It's easy to apply, and clean off, and does a great job of conducting the heat. Plus it's quite inexpensive compared to some of the competition. I've even used it as gap filler for bridging;) :D

[Sprocket]

So... I mean... uh

whats the best out of the electrically non-conductive ones? Or is there really no best?... I guess I may get some of the Arctic Silver Ceramique stuff. It sounds pretty good... :) Where's the place I can get it the cheapest? I'll look around.

[Johnny Knoxvill]

new shin-etsu coming out :slobber:
http://www.meetthegeeks.org/ourreview/2002/shinetsu7798d/index.htm

[Tweaked!]

You can get the AS Ceramique here (http://svc.com/chidethcobya.html):cool:

[Ewok]

Originally posted by Johnny Knoxvill
new shin-etsu coming out :slobber:
http://www.meetthegeeks.org/ourreview/2002/shinetsu7798d/index.htm

eeeeeeeeeerm

"Load 36 34.5"
"Gaming 38 37"

how exactly does "gaming" create higher temps than "load"? i dont think ive ever seen anything so rediculous. what the hell are they using to "load" it? the windows desktop? rofl

[Johnny Knoxvill]

Originally posted by Ewok

how exactly does "gaming" create higher temps than "load"? i dont think ive ever seen anything so rediculous. what the hell are they using to "load" it? the windows desktop? rofl

yeah i thought that was pretty funny too, most UK reviews are really bad.

[shogan191]

sprocket just head up to RadioShak and pick up some of their white heatsink compound. It's as good as any and should be easy to work with. I like it better than the Arctic Silver 3.:)

[Dissolved]

Originally posted by Ewok
eeeeeeeeeerm

"Load 36 34.5"
"Gaming 38 37"

how exactly does "gaming" create higher temps than "load"? i dont think ive ever seen anything so rediculous. what the hell are they using to "load" it? the windows desktop? rofl


Hm, Gamming Heats up your video card and makes alot more heat in the case. if you have an older system or a small case with bad air flow, then of course the cpu will be hotter due to a higher case temperture.

Make sense?

[Evil_Spork]

uh.. sprocket.. just use a cd jewel cse and squirt a lil ASIII on there, then use a baggy on your finger(the skin oil actually effets the thermal conductivity.. go figure) and smear a VERY thin layer on your cpu core ONLY, AS3 is safe as long as you use JUST enough to cover the whole cpu core only. and use a clean cloth and alcahol(whoa @ spelling) to clean it. try applying AS3 and take a pic, we'll let you know how you did, dont worry about it so much, now that you know how to do it just do it the right way with what you have.

[Sprocket]

I... Guess... I... could just use the ASIII. :D I'll do it right this time. Hopefully I'll get my parts by the end of next week--if not then, the beginning of the week after. ;) I'll post l8ter. thanks!