Jason Craig wrote:
David C. Rankin wrote:
Listmates,
I thought I would pass on the results of a (non-official) scientific test concerning the huge difference in cpu temperature just a small difference in the amount of thermal grease can make. The results below are on an AMD thoroughbred 2400+ using Manhattan silver grease.
Test #1 (dab of grease on processor core with syringe, pencil eraser size, roughly 3mm high -- result - way too much)
w83697hf-isa-0290 temp2: +62.5°C (high = +120°C, hyst = +115°C) sensor = transistor
Test #2 (minimal amount of grease brushed on with Q-tip, very thin layer, much less than 1mm thick)
w83697hf-isa-0290 temp2: +51.0°C (high = +120°C, hyst = +115°C) sensor = transistor
Word to the wise, DON'T USE TOO MUCH GREASE!
The main key here is surface area. The greater percentage of the die surface covered in goo that actually touches the heatsink area, the better the heatsink will draw heat of the processor. I've always had the best success applying with my finger as little as possible that fully covers the die, and smoothing it as much as possible, though I do like Benji's idea of using a plastic bag or glove or something to avoid contaminating the goo with hand oils and such that probably decrease it's efficiency.
Efficiency? Oils are insulators. What makes thermal greases thermally conductive is all of the metal particles they mix into it.
It's like a bed of nails, it is actually quite easy to lay on a bed of many nails if you are careful, the total surface area of all the nail points actually becomes fairly significant. I want to see some guru lay on a bed of 4 nails, now that is mind over matter!
Well, laying on even a normal bed of nails is "mind over matter" in the fact that you have to get your mind over the idea that it's gonna hurt. That is what the "mind over matter" statement means... not a claim to the physically impossible. -- To unsubscribe, e-mail: opensuse+unsubscribe@opensuse.org For additional commands, e-mail: opensuse+help@opensuse.org