Thermal Paste Spill

[ParaoraBlue]

Hi guys.

 

I have an issue, I accidentally applied a little too much thermal paste to my CPU and still stupidly went ahead and attached the cooler. I then had issues fitting it and had to move the cooler around a little to get the clamp to fit. I fear this may have pushed some compound onto the CPU sides as I did see a mark on the clamp that holds it down.

 

I used the Hyper Evo 212 and it's thermal paste. I say this purely because I read if the paste doesn't conduct electricity it shouldn't be a problem?

 

If it is, what should I do next? Have I screwed up my CPU/motherboard?

 

Thanks for any help.

[defunkt]

Clean it up?

[Theo]

Got some leakage going on? Just take off the cooler and clean it, apply less next time and everything should be fine!

[ParaoraBlue]

So even if it's on the side of the CPU or the pins, it can be cleaned the same?

[Theo]

So even if it's on the side of the CPU or the pins, it can be cleaned the same?

If it fell into the pins of the socket or mb then, you might have a problem since its a lot hard to clean and not mess anything up!

[Vitalius]

If the CPU was in the socket when you did this, I wouldn't worry. It's latched into the socket, so getting the Thermal Paste into the pin-hole area would be hard.

Just undo everything, take the CPU out, and clean it. If Intel, take a needle and wrap a paper towel sliver around it and wipe it up carefully. If AMD, do the same thing. 

It shouldn't mess anything up as long as it didn't create a short (doubtful imo).

[Shrubpig]

So even if it's on the side of the CPU or the pins, it can be cleaned the same?

Oh god, I hope you didn't get it on the pins :( That would be ridiculously hard to clean. If you did get it on there, be careful when cleaning it. :P

[ParaoraBlue]

Yes, the CPU was in the socket and clamped down. I think I'll just take it off (the heatsink) and clean it up just to be safe. I didn't realise how quickly the paste was going to come out! I don't know if it has leaked over the edges or if I just transferred some when I moved the heatsink to fit in in place as it moved.

 

It's my first build so I'm a nervous wreck, sorry guys! 

 

Thanks for all your help.

[Vitalius]

If it's on the CPU itself, I would just run it under some water to clean it. 

Here is why I would do that:

So yeah. 

[Ghost]

youtube.com/watch?v=ZTGar7aoLDs

I sent the person who made that video a few hundred word argument about why he was lucky that he didn't short out his components. He replied to my first comment and deleted them immediately and when I replied again he deleted that as well.

He seems to be un-aware that static can build up on non-conductive surfaces and that could short out your components. An example being static building up on a plastic rod when you rub it with a cloth. If the anti-static bag was charged on the outside and he lay the board down on it it could have blown a component.

 

All he proved with that video is that water evaporates and that plastic (the outside of the anti static bag) isn't conductive.

[Vitalius]

All he proved with that video is that water evaporates and that plastic (the outside of the anti static bag) isn't conductive.

Yes, and that first point is all that's relevant for this :P. 

Still, interesting about that. I knew non-conductive materials could still build up static electricity (old TV screens, for example), but I didn't think of that in regards to PC components. Huh.

[Ghost]

Yes, and that first point is all that's relevant for this :P.

Still, interesting about that. I knew non-conductive materials could still build up static electricity (old TV screens, for example), but I didn't think of that in regards to PC components. Huh.

If there is a high enough charge build up on the bag and you lay your motherboard on it a spark will pop up. You still need to earth the bag if you are going to use it as a stand for a motherboard.

 

And it would be better to clean the board with isopropyl rather than water because it would dry much faster. ;)

[Alex(PlayMedium)]

As long as it isn't conductive it's no big deal, I once wanted to apply thermal paste while the PC was standing (REALLY stupid idea btw) and it dropped on the back of my graphics card, which reminds me till this day that it is not a good idea to apply thermal paste while the CPU is vertical lol