Thermal Grease

[Seifer]

Is Thermal Grease the same thing as Thermal paste such as Arctic Silver. When I bought my Zalman CU700 it came with thermal paste and I'm not sure if I should use the grease or the arctic silver.

 

[31computers]

They are the same thing. Use the Zalman with the stuff it came with

 

[CmdPT]

Yes they are the same.

People just say different wording for like me for example I like to say thermal paste.

 

[31computers]

I agree. The proper name is TIM (Thermal Interface Compound) but you can't spend all day typing ALL that out.

Thermal Grease, Thermal Compound, Thermal Paste are all used to denote the same thing.

Some heatsinks come with strips of something ready applied. This is Thermal Paste which spreads with pressure and heat. Because it looks new and strange, people have mistakenly removed it and started again!

Even worse, they have added more paste on top of the strips, so it squeezes out of the sides when installed! :?

 

[Seifer]

well this stuff is way more liquidish than my arctic silver, its almost like water...

 

[sailer]

well this stuff is way more liquidish than my arctic silver, its almost like water...

If you have doubts about it, just remove it and put on some of the arctic silver that you have. Won't hurt anything.

 

[31computers]

If you ever need to clean off TIM and start again, use Nail Varnish Remover

 

[Jodym2]

I like the brush on Zalman Thermal Compound but the white stuff that comes with some is not as good a AS5.

 

[sailer]

If you ever need to clean off TIM and start again, use Nail Varnish Remover

I use 99% alcohol. Its always worked. As nail polish remover is basically a laquer tinner, I'd wonder if it left a film behind.

 

[31computers]

No film left if cleaned with paper towels

A lot of experts on UK websites use it

 

[CmdPT]

I use paper towel to clean off the TIM or thermal grease.

It works great for me so why change it

 

[Mobius]

FYI: There's no grease in "thermal grease". It just feels like it.

 

[drummerdude]

i thought thermal paste has adhesive qualities, were as thermal grease doesnt? that's what i heard somewhere.

 

[CmdPT]

Thermal Grease and Paste are the same thing its just how people use. Some likes to use paste and some people uses grease, it doesn't really matter because they are all the same.