Thermal paste on base of cpu pins

[Golden113]

My ryzen 3700x has had thermal paste accidentally splatered on the cpu pins.

I have tried my best to clean most of it with isopropyl and a toothbrush but the base of the pins seemed to still have small small spots of grey. This wad thermal paste from the prism cooler pre installed. Im stressing out because thats $500+ aud down the drain and it would take me abit to get a new cpu.

 

How can i fix this ive tried the options on google but its still slightly visable and idk if i will die from electric shock if i put it back in my pc.. .

[NineEyeRon]

Vote for post of the day!

[Jrdi]

F

[IntMD]

Try some contact cleaner. Not sure what types you have in Ozzyland, but something along the lines of the below. I imagine you should be able to get something similar in a local hardware store over there. Just make sure it is fine for use on electrical equipment and follow any instructions it says on it.

 

https://www.amazon.co.uk/WD40-Drying-Contact-Cleaner-250ml/dp/B00KPUBO2S/ref=sr_1_1?

[Tristerin]

As long as your thermal paste is non-conducting than it wont hurt anything to try to boot up to see if its plenty cleaned away.

 

Looks like it would boot to me

[Valkyrie Lenneth]

use a toothbrush with alcohol, easy to clean

 

take no risk just brush it before putting it back

[Golden113]

This is what it does and im prett sure before i got the thermal paste all over the pins that orange light was still showing up

 

1 hour ago, Tristerin said:

As long as your thermal paste is non-conducting than it wont hurt anything to try to boot up to see if its plenty cleaned away.

 

Looks like it would boot to me

 

[Tristerin]

4 minutes ago, Golden113 said:

This is what it does and im prett sure before i got the thermal paste all over the pins that orange light was still showing up

 

 

Is that an orange light?  Isnt that the DRAM light?  Got an internal speaker to hear the beeps and boops codes if it has any?

[Golden113]

1 minute ago, Tristerin said:

Is that an orange light?  Isnt that the DRAM light?  Got an internal speaker to hear the beeps and boops codes if it has any?

No beeps no audio. But when i had the cpu connector plugged in the cpu fan wasnt spinning. But the rgb was on. Then i unplugged the cpu connector from the mobo and the cpu fan started spinning. Idk what is going on. Ive changed around the ram and everything and left one out buts its just not working 

[Đỗ Đức Huy]

Tooth brush and dish soap to clean the pins, wait for it to dry and try again.

Trust me, I do this shit for a living.

[Tristerin]

26 minutes ago, Đỗ Đức Huy said:

Tooth brush and dish soap to clean the pins, wait for it to dry and try again.

Trust me, I do this shit for a living.

Have to agree if its supported RAM and the board isn't borked (not likely) than you just need to keep on cleaning

[Vejnemojnen]

accidentally got some paste onto pins when I was removing a cpu. The paste was CM MasterGel pro. I've used edges of a paper& a toothbrush (with some brake cleaner sprayed onto the brush).

Removed residues. I did not try it, neither will I in the next ~ few weeks to come, but I want to make sure, it works. Tell me that I was not abusing this stuff with the brush and gentle cleaning. : )

 

Just want to relaxx.

[XHT_001]

it shouldn't matter if the paste is MX-2, its part of the specifications and hollywood, they will buy you a new CPU if it dies due to a short circuit

[7FigureSwagger]

3 hours ago, Vejnemojnen said:

(with some brake cleaner sprayed onto the brush).

Just a piece of advice, I work in automotive, and I can say without a doubt, NEVER use brake clean on electronics. Let alone ones this sensitive, it WILL degrease what you're working on, but will ALSO leave A LOT of residue. That's why they have "contact cleaner" like someone above me mentioned, which can be sprayed even on live electronics.

[Vejnemojnen]

57 minutes ago, 7FigureSwagger said:

Just a piece of advice, I work in automotive, and I can say without a doubt, NEVER use brake clean on electronics. Let alone ones this sensitive, it WILL degrease what you're working on, but will ALSO leave A LOT of residue. That's why they have "contact cleaner" like someone above me mentioned, which can be sprayed even on live electronics.

I see. So, what shall I use? (I already used some of the stuff though. I don't think it'd be problem. label says "special cleaner for degreasing". No ingredients listed though, but most of the times is Isopropyl alcohol.

[7FigureSwagger]

12 minutes ago, Vejnemojnen said:

I see. So, what shall I use? (I already used some of the stuff though. I don't think it'd be problem. label says "special cleaner for degreasing". No ingredients listed though, but most of the times is Isopropyl alcohol.

No, brake clean is only really intended for grease and dust from brake systems. As I mentioned, you CAN use it, but shouldn't, and thats on car electronics. When it comes to sensitive components especially, forget it even exists, it leaves huge amounts of residue. The contact cleaner on the other hand yes, is mostly isopropyl. It's for this same reason brake clean isn't used when painting, great for degreasing surface, but waaaaaay too much white chalky residue is left behind.

[Vejnemojnen]

I guess we are talking about different things  here "brake cleaner" is pure isopropyl alcohol with some gas, used for degreasing anything, even smartphone screens before putting the protective cover onto them.

 

Contact "cleaners" on the other hand are greasy&oily substances, mostly used on rusty screws and frozen metal parts. Never had problem with "brake cleaner", never used "contact cleaner".

 

let's assume that I've used a few droplets of this stuff on the brush, then I gently rinsed some of the pins. What is your take? It evaporates really quickly btw, in a few secs.

[Tellos]

had some arctic silver cleaner get on my pins used iso 99% and soft tooth brush my 3900x works fine. Also used it when some thermal grizzly got on a pin on motherboard.

[bignaz]

OMG people have no idea what they are doing telling you to use break cleaner and soapy water.

 

 

You want the highest isopropanol you can get. 90% or higher. Then get the absolute softest tooth brush you can find but I would use a ESD safe horse or hog hair brush. Then very lightly clean it with that.  Keep in mind if you don't pick the proper brush you you will be creating triboelecttic charge by rubbing the brissles over the pins and this is a guaranteed of creating ESD.  You have to clean around some pins that are pretty sensitive to ESD. I highly recommend you get a proper brush. You can also get some of this https://www.all-spec.com/Catalog/Soldering-Rework/Soldering-Chemicals/Flux-Removers/ES897B-9700?gclid=Cj0KCQjwqs3rBRCdARIsADe1pfR2mWCp1vKG2PIZWvUzEK9DGXw95U3qw3fkDM4xySHDn3I8F6DxVHsaAlDKEALw_wcB that stuff cleans pretty well.

 

 

And the orange light means there is no gpu present. System needs a gpu to run. 

 

 

Also don't trust a word someone says when they say they do this for a living then give you horrible advice. That just means they don't have a real job or basic electronics knowledge.   And I don't wash cpu's like cars. I work in the semiconductor industry and Im TR53 certified among other certifications. 

[Vejnemojnen]

but what's the big issue with brake cleaner? evaporates instantly, mostly isopropyl-alcohol, gentle on plastic as well. When working with greasy stuff or washing kitchen boxes, I frequently spray some onto the boxes to ease up grease removal.

 

is this BS?

 

What about him?