can v mix thermal compounds

[lolitha]

i got a stock p4 cooler, which i am tired of . i am going 2 clean my heat sink and processor this weekend, there is still old compound(stock) on the h sink i am going 2 apply new compound on top that is it ok?
or do i have 2 clean old stuff b4 doing it ? how?

 

[1Tanker]

Please, don't post same question twice...Thank You. :?

 

[chuckshissle]

No, it's not okay to apply new thermal paste over the old one. If alcohol don't cut it then try using acetone (nail polish remover) and let it soak for several seconds which should break down that thermal paste.

Warning: Acetone can damage non-metallics so do not let it spill other than the surface of the cpu. Use for last resort.

Or get this for safer and cleaner surface.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16835100011

 

[wun911]

Can we mix say a bit of AS5 and a little bit of zalman paste and a bit of thermal right paste?

Just wondering caus I have like a tinnny tinnny amout of each and if I use a little of each I could probably JUST cover my CPU?

 

[duke8989]

no, because each is differnt type of thermal paste. They are made of different substances and have different grit levels. So mixing them would cut down preformance. Dude you dont need any more than a BB size of AS5 to cover the largest CPU. Just use a razer blade and spread it paperthin. Thats the most effective. Dont mix thermal pastes its like saying well can i use 1 nvidia video card and another ATI card and run dual card setup. No because they are made differently and are not built to run together. Same principle here. Yeah just becareful. go the extra mile and get some more artic silver 5 if you have to.

 

[wun911]

I dont really like the analogy of the 2 vid cards.... We mix differnt bags and brands of cement and concrete and the house we build is still fine.

Sigh... seems like i must buy a new tube of AS5....

 

[duke8989]

well ok, maybe you dont full understand the purpose of the Thermal Paste, which is fine because i didnt either until about january this year. It provides thermal conductor between your heatsink and your cpu. so you dont slap it on top of each other and have hot air inbetween doing nothing. This stuff slides into the grit of each your HSF and your CPU. Its a very big deal to cooling, but different Thermal Paste is made of different things. ITs not just like they go get thermal paste out of the ground and slap a label on it. They have to produce in a lab/factory. And its made of different Things mainly Ceramic and Silver(artic silver 5). But its all at different Grain levels so the size of the silver/ceramic grains in there will be different for each thermal paste. Similar to the different engineering of the video cards. They have the same function just 2 different sub catagories of doing it. Its much much more important than you think. A well thin coat of Artic silver 5 can drop CPU temps 10C.
I totally understand where your coming from, but as i got more into cooling i found out the more exact science of this stuff and it was intresting. And people use sandpaper on there heat sinks to match grit of thermal paste (lapping). So good luck let me know if you have any other questions.