How to Use Ceramique Premium High Density Thermal Compound
Building your own desktop is a rewarding experience that saves you money, and gives you a better understanding of how a computer works. When fastening the processor to the mother board, a ceramic thermal compound is used to bond the two together and provide the necessary heat transfer while allowing the two to communicate. Preparing the surfaces properly and applying the Ceramique thermal compound to the correct locations is necessary for a proper installation.
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Things You'll Need
- Plastic scraping tool
- Xylene-based cleaner
- Lint-free cloth
- High-purity isopropyl alcohol
- Old credit card
Instructions
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1
Remove the wax coating on the motherboard's heat-sink thermal pad with the plastic scraping tool. Clean the thermal pad with a lint-free cloth dipped in a Xylene-based cleaner. Clean the thermal pad again with a lint-free cloth dipped in high-purity isopropyl alcohol.
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2
Clean the CPU's core with a lint-free cloth dipped in high-purity isopropyl alcohol. This is the square, or rectangular, section on the CPU.
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3
Apply a small dab of Ceramique thermal compound to the heat sink and spread it around with an old credit card. Do not use your finger to spread around the material, as this contaminates the surface. Wipe away any excess compound with a clean lint-free cloth.
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4
Apply a small dab of Ceramique thermal compound to the processor's die and spread around with the clean credit card. The compound needs to cover the entire die while maintaining an even thickness of 0.003 to 0.005 inches.
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5
Double check both the heat sink and the top of the processor's core for any contamination. If the surfaces are contaminated, clean the surface and start over again.
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6
Lower the heat sink straight down onto the core and press down very gently. Hold the heat sink and very gently rotate it one degree clockwise, then one degree counterclockwise.
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References
- Photo Credit Comstock/Comstock/Getty Images
