How much Thermal Paste to apply?

[Leopardos]

Hello,

Im getting a new motherboard with i7 2600k ...
i dont want to ruin the parts like the last time ...

Last time i bought ‎Zalman Super Thermal Grease ZM-STG1 (3.5g)‎
i applies all the bottle which is 3.5g ... and then after 2-3 months ... i noticed that there was a leak to my CPU slot on the the motherboard between the pins ..

im getting the Antec Silver 5 ... do i have to put all the bottle or just 3/4 or 1/2 ?

Thanks

 

[hell_storm2004]

Just put a pea sized drop and apply it with a card. Credit cards are good at putting it on. I used some old credit card to put them on. Make sure that the layer isn't too thick. With pastes... to much is also bad.

DONT use hands!

 

[Leopardos]

Just put a pea sized drop and apply it with a card. Credit cards are good at putting it on. I used some old credit card to put them on. Make sure that the layer isn't too thick. With pastes... to much is also bad.

DONT use hands!

so you mean the 3.5g is too much, right ?
And about putting pea sized drop ... put them in the middle ONLY and spread with old credit card or not ? which option is more safe ? i dont want to get my paste leak to Motherboard cpu pins like the last time ... spreading them wrongly could get the thermal paste very close to corners and leak as i imagine ...

What would be more safe ?
(and sorry about my english ) ;O

 

[hell_storm2004]

3.5g is too much. The tubes are only 5g to 6g. And they last a long time. Put them in the middle and spread it. You can google and find pics on thermal paste application techniques.

 

[Leopardos]

3.5g is too much. The tubes are only 5g to 6g. And they last a long time. Put them in the middle and spread it. You can google and find pics on thermal paste application techniques.

K thank you very much ...

 

[aviconus]

A whole tube?! thats too much. You want to be generous (this is whats helping your heatsink keep your CPU cool) but too much is bad. If you put to much, your going to prevent heat dispersion. As stated above "A Pea Size" is plenty.

 

[beanoslim]

This may help.
http://www.arcticsilver.com/methods.html

 

[das_stig]

I normally use as little as possible and use my finger inside a surgical glove and q-tip with cotton cut off to smooth out across the heat spreader and always get very good coverage and cool temps. 😀

 

[beenthere]

Thermal grease is ONLY meant to fill the tiny scratches in the surfaces of the heatsink and CPU heat spreader. As noted a pea size or smaller drop is plenty of TIM. A 3.5g tube would be enough for at least (20) CPUs...

When in doubt READ AND FOLLOW THE INSTRUCTIONS ! 😉

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

 

[jitpublisher]

I like a line down the middle of the CPU about the size of a long grain of rice. It is only meant to fill the tiny imperfections in the surface of the heatsink and CPU, no more. If it is squeezing out all around the CPU, you have too much and heat transfer will not be optimum.

 

[realibrad]

Actually, you will want to put only enough to fill in the gaps. Less is actually more here. Thermal compound is actually not all that great at moving heat from the cpu to the cooler, its just better than nothing.

pretty much, if you get a thin layer, the cpu cooler will push out some of the extra. just make sure its an even coating and that there does not seem to be any gaps.