Arctic Silver 5 Does Not Conduct (w/photos)

[swaaye]

The Incredible Non-Conductivity of AS5. Final Proven Edition. (Take note naysayers)

I said above that I would go home and stick use my multimeter to test the resistance (conductivity) of AS5. So here I am, with photos.


My fab Walmart multimeter showing infinite resistance (=1) (zero conductivity) cuz the wires aren't touching anything.


My fantastic printer paper laboratory. On the left, a 1U copper server heatsink. On the right, on top we have OCZ Ultra 5+ silver paste and on bottom we have the one and only Arctic Silver 5. The little silver spots are my samples of each, in the same order.


Here I am proving that copper does, in fact, conduct electricity. The 0.02 reading shows a very, very low resistance in this mode. The little beast is chirping, telling me it's got a connection on that heatsink.


And first up is the cheaper OCZ Ultra5+ I bought for lesser CPUs, lol. Zero conductivity there. Showing 1, meaning for all intents and purposes, infinite resistance.


And, Le Grande Finale! AS5 has infinite resistance too!!!! That means it doesn't conduct! Just like it says on the product documentation, believe it or not! Wow!

It was a pain to hold the cam and shoot the pics. I am an incapable baffoon with chopsticks, so that probably didn't help.

[Major]

Thanks for going through the trouble to test it

Its not conductive but it is capacitive in nature, IMO even more so at very high frequencies.

[dinos22]

ok so this proves what

[swaaye]

ok so this proves what

oh for god's sake.

Its not conductive but it is capacitive in nature, IMO even more so at very high frequencies.

If it's this non-conductive, the capacitive tendency of it is probably so miniscule it is unlikely to do jack. I've read that under extreme pressure the stuff can become more conductive I believe. But, the only time it's under pressure is between the heatsink and the core, not around caps or whatever. So honestly I'd consider this stuff completely safe around electronics.

[dinos22]

you have to excuse my n00bness.....i'm not asking to be a smartass but to exactly understand what this project is about

[thegoatman]

he was proving that you can basically use AS5 anywhere in your computer because it won't damage electronics

I personally don't want to take the chance though. I want my computer to work 5 years from now or however long it'll take for the AS5 to build up enough charge to break stuff.

[TMM]

If it's this non-conductive, the capacitive tendency of it is probably so miniscule it is unlikely to do jack.

Wrong. Go get a capacitor (preferably a large one) and put it on your multimeter. You will find that its conductive for a split second, and then once its charged it resists current from flowing. When the current drops, the capacitor discharges and it becomes passive again and the cycle repeats.

It even says so on the AS site:

While much safer than electrically conductive silver and copper greases, Arctic Silver 5 should be kept away from electrical traces, pins, and leads. While it is not electrically conductive, the compound is very slightly capacitive and could potentially cause problems if it bridges two close-proximity electrical paths.

http://www.arcticsilver.com/as5.htm

[sin0822]

owned ^^^

[Dave_Sz]

"very slightly"?

[WeStSiDePLaYa]

it has already been proven by accidents as5 can kill your hardware.

[swaaye]

Wrong. Go get a capacitor (preferably a large one) and put it on your multimeter. You will find that its conductive for a split second, and then once its charged it resists current from flowing. When the current drops, the capacitor discharges and it becomes passive again and the cycle repeats.

It even says so on the AS site:

Yes I know. I've been to their site many times and read that myself. I also read on forums everywhere almost daily how AS5 conducts, even when AS spells it out on their site. Obviously many people are too lazy to visit AS's site before spouting BS. So I thought I'd show the "fact"-ridden world myself that it isn't like spreading liquid wire on your CPU.

I've been personally using AS since AS2 in 2000 or so. I've NEVER had an "accident". I don't understand how people can. I've used the stuff on so many different things over the years. Video cards, CPUs, chipsets, RAM whatever. I use AS epoxy for various things too. I can't see how it's risky. Even if the stuff was totally electrically non reactive, like Ceramique supposedly is, you shouldn't be getting paste on anything but the two surfaces you want to conduct heat. I'm just sick of the dumb ass mis-info spread by so many people.

The stuff isn't even notably more expensive than the Ceramique paste. Why use Ceramique? I've read AS5 isn't happy with ultra low temps for extreme cooling, so if that's the case then it's understandable to use something else. But that doesn't negate the fact that AS is the best paste out there for air and water cooling, other than perhaps that new questionable liquid metal stuff.

[WeStSiDePLaYa]

so then that means your tests are kinda pointless.

just because YOU havent had an accident doesnt change the fact it CAN kill hardware.

[swaaye]

so then that means your tests are kinda pointless.

just because YOU havent had an accident doesnt change the fact it CAN kill hardware.

As far as I know you are making things up. When I hear first hand experience of problems with the stuff, in a situation where it is obviously the culprit, then I will believe you. Otherwise you are just another member of the nonsense-spouting crowd. Unfortunately it's rare to see someone really break down what went wrong. I wouldn't say that most overclockers are very careful or diligent in their methodology.

If it doesn't conduct, it can't fry stuff. Capacitance on such an insignificant level isn't going to make things go poof.

[WeStSiDePLaYa]

As far as I know you are making things up. When I hear first hand experience of problems with the stuff, in a situation where it is obviously the culprit, then I will believe you. Otherwise you are just another member of the nonsense-spouting crowd. Unfortunately it's rare to see someone really break down what went wrong. I wouldn't say that most overclockers are very careful or diligent in their methodology.

If it doesn't conduct, it can't fry stuff. Capacitance on such an insignificant level isn't going to make things go poof.

if your so sure, go rub some on some contacts on your ram. and then feed it some volts.

[humeyboy]

AS5 is the best you get for air cooling overall (some find different results on differnt set ups), but its advised to use ASC for water cooling as you may be running 20-25C, so the AS5 may never even cure at these low temps, as most know it takes upto 200hours of normal on/off use to get to its full potentual.

Now the above makes sence to me, but since im on air i use AS5 untill AS6 comes out if ever

P.S I dont give 2 hoots what anyone here says, I prefer to go by Artic Silver own website as they are the EXPERTS, it may or may not short out live legs/bridges after all its 99+% silver, but they do need print that to be carefull incase of legal matters.

Im pretty sure I has a gpu issue with some silver on the bridges (must have dripped onto over time as wasnt there at install), I has to clean gpu and reapply and never had issues again, this would be running approx 1.55V core on gpu (bios mod), so it may or may not carry volts if lower (stock).

[swaaye]

I don't think it cures. It just sort of settles into the imperfections of the metal due to the pressure and heat it's under beneath the heatsink.

I'm considering slopping it all over an Athlon I have, but I don't really want to waste the stuff.

Sorry if I'm seeming hostile here. But it just irks me when a n00b drops by and asks about the best paste and immediately some guy says "AS5 conducts = poofs!".

[sin0822]

i like asc before as5.... at least i know im safe with it, especially aorund my nb

[TMM]

I'm considering slopping it all over an Athlon I have, but I don't really want to waste the stuff.

Just put a few dots of AS5 in/on the bridges. I bet it'll fail to POST

[Nanometer]

Pins on your CPU are closer than a half inch, I'll believe you when you show it a mm apart.

[[XC] DragonOrta]

I had AS5 kill my FX-53 over the fall. I had taken the IHS off a few months earlier, and reseated my HSF, just to make sure I was getting the best temps that I could and must have gotten it on one of the resistors along the edge, and it now refuses to POST.

[Kasparz]

No matter about tests. If it contains "real" silver, it is conductive.

[swaaye]

No It Is Not! The documents say it's not and the multimeter says it is not. That means, it is not conductive.

I don't know why it's not. Those chemists out there are a rather smart bunch. Obviously whatever the silver is suspended in, it insulates it extremely well.

[swaaye]

Ok. I got out my old Athlon T-Bird just to slop up for you guys. 850MHz barn burner here. Retro energy slicked up with some snazzy silver.


There she be. AMD's finest. Athlon Thunderbird @ 850MHz. Glory days stuff here.


Oh this is painful. This is an example of a situation where you have someone who should not be overclocking at all. If this isn't extreme enough for you guys, I'm not sure what could be.


Yeah, I really did do this. There is it in my trusty Shuttle AN35N Ultra. Like my ghetto PWM heatsinks? There's also the home-jobber epoxy covered toroid inverters that started whining on me one day and I shut them up after a forum tip. Oh, and see that variable resistor? How about 2.3v CPU if ya need it. Heh Heh. Recently retired this board. 4 years of service, hardcore overclocked. Initial cost = $80.


Oh look. It works perfect at default 1.75v 850MHz! T-Bird on a nForce2 Ultra 400! I guess AS5 isn't dangerous afterall!


Here I am running Prime95. It's still running behind me as I type this. I have Everest up to prove it's the same CPU.


Ok. Now what does this say? Well it sure as hell ends any worries I had about the stuff. If slopping it all over those bridges and caps didn't even cause instability, well, I'm going to say AS5 works for me and should work for you too.

[Mr. Tinker]

if your so sure, go rub some on some contacts on your ram. and then feed it some volts.

^^^do it^^^

[alexio]

Put it on some traces at your graphics card and watch the arties.

EDIT: Those little things on the cpu have like zero resistens. So there's nothing to short there.