Is a 70% isopropyl wipe good enough to clean off thermal paste?

[Guest]

Is it good enough? I'm really worried.

 

[ccampy]

It should get it clean enough yes not ideal but should work

 

[LucoTF]

Yeah it's fine, just dab some on a paper towel and you're good to go

 

[Dark Lord of Tech]

90% is ideal , but 70% will work , will just take a tad longer.

I use a coffee filter.

 

[Guest]

I forgot to ask. How long should I wait for the substance to evaporate?

 

[Flyfisherman]

Hi,

So there is the very small variations and "valleys" on the cooling surfaces that is needed to be covered with the thermal paste. To much thermal paste will actually get things worse, and to little well it will not transfer heat properly.

A very thin layer is the normal way to go (after the heat sink is mounted) - unless there are very uneven surfaces on both sides.

Then some thermal pastes need sometimes to burn in. Up to 40 hours or more, som thermal paste do not req. any burn in like Arctic Silver no.5 with normal up and running and shut down cycles.
Some thermal paste can actually reduce the CPU temp between 4-6 °C after a while.

Remember, thermal paste is a poor thermal heat transfer, worse than pure metal - but way better than air.
So there is the very small variations and "valleys" on the cooling surfaces that is needed to be covered with the thermal paste. To much thermal paste will actually get things worse, and to little well it will not transfer heat properly.

A very thin layer is the normal way to go (after the heat sink is mounted) - unless there are very uneven surfaces on both sides.

Then some thermal pastes need sometimes to burn in. Up to 40 hours or more, som thermal paste do not req. any burn in like Arctic Silver no.5 with normal up and running and shut down cycles.
Some thermal paste can actually reduce the CPU temp between 4-6 °C after a while.
Best Regards from Sweden