Really dumb thermalpaste question

[SomeGuyNamedSean]

When I apply thermalpaste and then put on my air cooler and then it takes lets say 2 days before the first time the pc will boot. (because I want to work on it after work and it is my first time building a pc myself)

 

Will this be bad for the thermalpaste and cpu connection? 

Will it not harden and then when you boot for the first time get worse performance then normaly out of it?

 

All thermal tips are welcome,

I know to apply about 1 rice    x d

 

 

[shaz2sxy]

You will be fine

 

for the amount of paste i would say a pea size is enough.

 

you need enough to cover the IHS

[minibois]

2 minutes ago, SomeGuyNamedSean said:

When I apply thermalpaste and then put on my air cooler and then it takes lets say 2 days before the first time the pc will boot. (because I want to work on it after work and it is my first time building a pc myself)

2 minutes ago, SomeGuyNamedSean said:

Will this be bad for the thermalpaste and cpu connection? 

No.

2 minutes ago, SomeGuyNamedSean said:

Will it not harden and then when you boot for the first time get worse performance then normaly out of it?

that won't happen.

 

If thermal paste was going to harden after two days of non-use, it would harden regardless of turning on the PC or not. 

Good thermal paste will not harden after such a short time (of non-use).

[flashiling]

2 minutes ago, SomeGuyNamedSean said:

When I apply thermalpaste and then put on my air cooler and then it takes lets say 2 days before the first time the pc will boot. (because I want to work on it after work and it is my first time building a pc myself)

 

Will this be bad for the thermalpaste and cpu connection? 

Will it not harden and then when you boot for the first time get worse performance then normaly out of it?

 

All thermal tips are welcome,

I know to apply about 1 rice    x d

 

 

if you mount the cpu cooler after you put the thermalpaste on it shouldn't be a problem, if you just place the thermalpaste and leave the pc entirely then it's not so smart

[SomeGuyNamedSean]

1 minute ago, flashiling said:

if you mount the cpu cooler after you put the thermalpaste on it shouldn't be a problem, if you just place the thermalpaste and leave the pc entirely then it's not so smart

Thankyou!

[SomeGuyNamedSean]

1 minute ago, flashiling said:

if you mount the cpu cooler after you put the thermalpaste on it shouldn't be a problem, if you just place the thermalpaste and leave the pc entirely then it's not so smart

Thankyou!!

[mariushm]

How much time is between application and first start up doesn't matter. Won't make any difference.

 

The paste will be trapped in the impurities and denivelations in the two metal surfaces and help transfer the heat between the two metals.  The amount of evaporation going on on the edges of the heatsinks is extremely small, practically doesn't matter.

 

A rice or a pea size is a bit outdated, you can put a bit more.  Too little is bad.  A bit more than ideal won't make any meaningful difference, it's like maybe cpu being 0.1..0.3c hotter than ideal case. A LOT is a bit worse... but you'd really have to go overboard with paste to be A LOT.

 

You can apply a bit more, let's say about as much as you see people in toothpaste ads apply toothpaste on a toothbrush. 

 

edit: don't spread the thermal paste yourself  as in don't use a ruler/card/finger to paint the cpu surface with thermal paste ... put a big blob in the middle, or make an X on the surface of the cpu, basically two lines of paste crossing each other. When you put down the cooler and gently press it down, it will flatten the paste and push it towards the edges so you won't have any trapped air bubbles between cpu and heatsink. 

 

[SomeGuyNamedSean]

3 minutes ago, mariushm said:

How much time is between application and first start up doesn't matter. Won't make any difference.

 

The paste will be trapped in the impurities and denivelations in the two metal surfaces and help transfer the heat between the two metals.  The amount of evaporation going on on the edges of the heatsinks is extremely small, practically doesn't matter.

 

A rice or a pea size is a bit outdated, you can put a bit more.  Too little is bad.  A bit more than ideal won't make any meaningful difference, it's like maybe cpu being 0.1..0.3c hotter than ideal case. A LOT is a bit worse... but you'd really have to go overboard with paste to be A LOT.

 

You can apply a bit more, let's say about as much as you see people in toothpaste ads apply toothpaste on a toothbrush. 

 

edit: don't spread the thermal paste yourself  as in don't use a ruler/card/finger to paint the cpu surface with thermal paste ... put a big blob in the middle, or make an X on the surface of the cpu, basically two lines of paste crossing each other. When you put down the cooler and gently press it down, it will flatten the paste and push it towards the edges so you won't have any trapped air bubbles between cpu and heatsink. 

 

 

Thankyou! 

I got a 5,5 gram thermalpaste tube so that will get the job done! I will use a bit more then a rice / pea sized on it.

[mariushm]

4 minutes ago, SomeGuyNamedSean said:

 

Thankyou! 

I got a 5,5 gram thermalpaste tube so that will get the job done! I will use a bit more then a rice / pea sized on it.

That will probably be good for 3-5 applications, maybe a bit more. 

[LogicalDrm]

-> Moved to Cooling