High Purity Isopropyl at home? AS5 vs. Ceramique?

[Eldonko]

I use methanol, it's 99% and is about $2.50 a jug at home depot.

[LUCI5R]

Definitely a variety of solutions, it appears!

[Bobsama]

Meh--I used to use "normal" isopropyl alcohol--but it was 70%. Lemme tell ya--using that to clean was a real b***h. I've not used anything higher-purity, though with my last build (Dec '07) I decided to get some Arctic Silver ArctiClean. Easy to use stuff--plenty of it too. Cleans like a charm. On NewEgg it was only $6 or so. I used primarily paper towels actually--they're handy. I usually covered the heatsink or processor with each part, soaked for anywhere from 30 seconds to 30 minutes (depending on what I was doing), and then wiped it all off by a single swipe of the paper towel. After that there's a surface purifier that seems to work pretty well.

[Bad213Boy]

I use MX-2, it's the best stuff, non-conductive. Should improve your CPU and GPU by 5 degrees. Works just as good as Ceramique but without the wait.

[MasterOfTheReal]

If you ask in your local pharmacy they will usually have 99%. Alternativly local hospitals will have it too.
Be nice and get some distilled water from them while your there :P

Also I use AS5 on Above ambient stuff. And ceramique on sub ambient (Dont really know why just has always seemed right)

[003]

I use MEK -- it was the only solvent capable of taking off the stock TIM from the Rampage Formula NB. It's expensive though, cost $8+ for not even a half gallon.

Also get some of this:
http://www.amazon.com/CRC-5102-QD-El.../dp/B000BXOGNI

This is the ONLY solvent I have found that evaporates almost instantly, does not react badly with anything, and leaves ZERO deposits or streaks on heatsink bases when wiping them clean with it.

[Brave758]

I use MEK -- it was the only solvent capable of taking off the stock TIM from the Rampage Formula NB. It's expensive though, cost $8+ for not even a half gallon.

Also get some of this:
http://www.amazon.com/CRC-5102-QD-El.../dp/B000BXOGNI

This is the ONLY solvent I have found that evaporates almost instantly, does not react badly with anything, and leaves ZERO deposits or streaks on heatsink bases when wiping them clean with it.

Dam you know how bad that stuff is.... Its paint stripper, can't use it on composites, perspex, causes entitlement in titanium and not to mention what it does to you. Its banned in the military and civil aviation just using last of stock.

But is is the best dam degreaser out there and ill miss it when its gone

[WoZZeR999]

All the ArticClean really is, is Goo Gone. I don't like putting greasy oils on my cpu, and their cleaner (number 2) doesn't really get rid of the left over oils all that well. After cleaning the processor, it should not still have a strong orange odor.

[003]

Dam you know how bad that stuff is.... Its paint stripper, can't use it on composites, perspex, causes entitlement in titanium and not to mention what it does to you. Its banned in the military and civil aviation just using last of stock.

But is is the best dam degreaser out there and ill miss it when its gone

Which are you referring to? MEK or the second thing I posted? You can get both in great quantities at all my local hardware stores

[Brave758]

Which are you referring to? MEK or the second thing I posted? You can get both in great quantities at all my local hardware stores

MEK mate, Methyl Ethyl Ketone that stuff is bad mojo, used a load to strip blades when i was younger was coughing up blood for a week needless to say don't go near the stuff unless ive got a ressy now.

http://www.jtbaker.com/msds/englishhtml/m4628.htm

[sdsdv10]

MEK mate, Methyl Ethyl Ketone that stuff is bad mojo, used a load to strip blades when i was younger was coughing up blood for a week needless to say don't go near the stuff unless ive got a ressy now.

http://www.jtbaker.com/msds/englishhtml/m4628.htm

MEK isn't all that bad. It is a close chemical relative of acetone (otherwise know as nail polish remover). Using the methyl ethyl ketone (MEK) nomenclature, acetone would just be dimethyl ketone. Thus MEK is just a one carbon higher homologue of acetone. Here is the MSDS for acetone.

http://www.jtbaker.com/msds/englishhtml/A0446.htm

While OSHA exposure limits are lower for MEK compared to acetone, you can see many of the biological effects are very similar (the lethal ED50 for acetone is about twice that of MEK). Neither is very good for you. The key is to limit exposure by using this type of material in a well ventilated area. When I use these chemicals it is in a proper fume hood with a face velocity of ~100 ft/min. People seem to forget that just because you can do and purchase something at the drugstore, that if you don't use it correctly it can injure or kill you.

As illustration, look at the MSDS for isopropyl alcohol (the material purchased by the OP).

http://www.jtbaker.com/msds/englishhtml/I8840.htm

The SAF-T-DATA(tm) Ratings are worse than MEK, OSHA exposure ratings similar to MEK and an LD50 in rat somewhere between acetone and MEK. Again, just because you can purchase this chemical over the counter at a drug store doesn't mean it can't do you harm. Just remember to use any type of solvent like these in a well ventilated area (open garage, outside if possible, or room with open windows). I'll get off my chemical soap box now.

[LUCI5R]

Man, you guys are so knowledgeable about things, makes some of us discussing using toilet paper & running to the local CVS to get that thing that you find in the first aid kits look like 'dorks'.

Anyhow - much variant information acquired in this thread - a whole lot more then I expected. And this forum is like that in many ways. There are times a crucial question or yelp for help goes unnoticed, unanswered & gets buried in the sands of time. And sometimes when I'm least expecting any response, the whole brotherhood jumps in to give a hand!

Well my re-seating the CPU/Heatsink went rather well. I used toilet paper to remove off all the AS5 that was already there on the heatsink & CPU heat spreader, and then used Coffee Filter (Lint Free) and the 91% Isopropyl I got to clean it off properly. Seemed nice & shiny by the time I was done. Let them both sit for a few before applying fresh AS5 on the CPU (This time following the 45nm Quad-Core Instructions) and reinstalled everything.

Haven't been able to mess with the system much (home issues) but temperatures already looked better when I had booted back into the system to test if everything was works. Seems effort was successful.

Thanks guys!