Is it possible that alcohol/humidity gets inside CPU?

[Guest]

I have an i3 3220 CPU, and I was wondering if alcohol (from cleaning thermal paste), thermal paste or humidity can get inside CPU (under the metallic case in which thermal paste is applied), and what would be the consequences/symptoms and the way of fixing it. Or maybe CPU is hermetic and nothing can get inside it.

Thanks!

 

[FinneousPJ]

No, it isn't.

 

[Guest]

No, it isn't.

Why? Is it hermetic or something? I read in these forums that, when removing thermal paste, you should grab the CPU upside down to avoid alcohol getting inside it.

 

[FinneousPJ]

That's not something I've ever heard.

 

[adamv1]

Few things to know in order to understand why this wont happen.

First a CPU sits in a sealed case, it resides in the center of the metal cover, usually taking up 1/2 the available space.

Around the processor there is a rubber gasket that is glued to the metal cover and silicon wafer board, his is covered in thermal paste up to the metal cover. The outside of the case is also sealed with a rubber gasket which is glued in the same way to the wafer board. This is the sealed part of the processor. It has to be air tight. Any humidity or liquid that get's into the case will destroy the processor. CPU's are built in billion dolor environmentally controlled facilities because they are extremely susceptible to dust and moisture. They are vacuum sealed before leaving.

Your processor could and probably would survive a dunk In a toilet, if it wasn't powered on, because the case is so well sealed.

So, I wouldn't worry about getting anything on the processor, if you did there was probably more wrong with the processor to begin with.

 

[Guest]

Few things to know in order to understand why this wont happen.

First a CPU sits in a sealed case, it resides in the center of the metal cover, usually taking up 1/2 the available space.

Around the processor there is a rubber gasket that is glued to the metal cover and silicon wafer board. This is the sealed part of the processor. It has to be air tight. Any humidity or liquid that get's into the case will destroy the processor. CPU's are built in billion dolor environmentally controlled facilities because they are extremely susceptible to dust and moisture. They are vacuum sealed before leaving.

Your processor could and probably would survive a dunk In a toilet, if it wasn't powered on, because the case is so well sealed.

So, I wouldn't worry about getting anything on the processor, if you did there was probably more wrong with the processor to begin with.

Thanks, extremely interesting stuff. So, from your words I understand that even "polishing" the CPU surface using your own breathe would not affect it, and the folks that claim that CPUs must be cleaned grabbing them upside down to avoid liquids getting in are just wrong.

 

[adamv1]

Yes, they are.

Alcohol is the best way to clean your processor since it evaporates clean and quick. I wouldn't recommend cleaning your processor under a sink faucet because residual moisture could be contained around the chip which may cause a short.

If blowing on a processor could cause problems we wouldn't have computers in the tropics because humidity would destroy them. I think they are concerned more with you bending pin's on the processor than getting moisture in the chip. Never touch the pins, oil and dirt from your hands can decrease the conductivity of the chip lowering the performance or even causing it not to function, if you are a really dirty person.

 

[Guest]

Never touch the pins, oil and dirt from your hands can decrease the conductivity of the chip lowering the performance or even causing it not to function, if you are a really dirty person.

How can the pins be cleaned? With alcohol? I mean the CPUs that don't have "pointy" pins but "metallic circle" ones, like mine (Intel Core i3).

 

[IntelEnthusiast]

LGA or Lan Grid Array is the contact points on the bottom of the processor are called. If you were to get something on these contact points I would use the 97% isopropyl rubbing alcohol would be what I would use to try to clean. You may also use some contact cleaner. Just make sure that you dont leave any junk on a contact.

 

[Guest]

LGA or Lan Grid Array is the contact points on the bottom of the processor are called. If you were to get something on these contact points I would use the 97% isopropyl rubbing alcohol would be what I would use to try to clean. You may also use some contact cleaner. Just make sure that you dont leave any junk on a contact.

Land Grid Array, OK. Thanks for your tips!