black_zion Heavy Wizardry
Posts: 9875
Joined: 04/17/2008
Yea, so today I had some thunderstorms come through that were setting off my UPSs and lightning screwing with my internet, so I decided to shut down and do some routine cleaning of my filters and fan blades. On a whim I decided to do my CPU heatsink and fan, as well as the CPU, as well. Well it started as usual, even though I cranked up Prime95 on max heat before I shut down the CPU still came off with the heatsink (as usual), and when I did pry it off...oh my God it stank to high heaven, it was like...how do I describe it...I don't think I can, just think of the kind of smell that makes you wince, close your nostrils, and get nauseous at the same time. Oh, and there was a bit of mysterious gold liquid as well, don't think it was heatpipe fluid as it all appeared intact. So after about half an hour of hard scrubbing with alcohol and a rag both heatsink and CPU were nice and clean, so I put my heatsink in the sink and let it soak a bit to clean off the fins and a quick dry with the hair dryer later (followed by a little Goldbond lotion after my stupid self decided to pick the thing up right after I finished drying it, grabbed my IR thermometer and the fins showed 150°F) and got it all back together with some IC Diamond F'ing expensive stuff.
So, after that experience, quite a bit of alcohol, ruined a rag, minor burn, worst smell ever, and a few coughs from the dust, I wind up with a couple of degrees higher temps. I didn't scrape and spread the TIM though, so through the heat cycling it should spread out.
I can't wait until I get a Corsair H series...If I can figure out how to attach it to my existing rear fan, as they are hardwired into speed controllers...
So, anyone else have any "I cleaned my stuff and wound up with a negative result" stories?
Where I live is very poluted, so I have to do it like every 2-3 months, top.
This process involves taking apart my H80+fans, clean the rad fins under pressured water, and a wet cloth for the fans blades. Evidently, it involves to apply new TIM.
Well, the last few times I did it, I ended up with 2-3°C more degrees on my system.. And I kept asking myself "W T H Am I doing wrong here??"..
How could I ended up with more temps on my CPU after a full cleaning??.
It turns out that I was "all this time" taking the wrong way on my method to apply the TIM compound. I used to use an old credit card to spread the TIM. Obviously, I was done it wrong. So, I change my methodology and use the "pea size dot" method and let the pressure to do the job.
This change droped my temps about 6°C. And I'm using it since.
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08/04/2012 01:43 AM
