Can you reuse thermal paste

TidusZ Golden Member. Nov 13, 1, 2 Reusing TIM is like reusing old underwear, just wash it and start over. VirtualLarry No Lifer. Aug 25, 52, 6, I've re-used AMD heatpipe heatsinks that had the thermal paste pre-applied. If I planned big overclocks, I might re-apply just to be safe. BonzaiDuck Lifer. Jun 30, 15, 1, AS5 degrades over time, anyway. You can re-use diamond thermal paste, but I recommend applying a small amount of regular silicon-grease to it, because the commercial stuff dries out a bit.

Frankly, I just wouldn't do it -- even with diamond paste. Better to clean it all with isopropyl and apply new paste. Originally posted by: BonzaiDuck AS5 degrades over time, anyway. You must log in or register to reply here. Question Thermal paste that is resistant to pump out Question Thermal Compound in Post thread. CPUs and Overclocking. Graphics Cards. AnandTech is part of Future plc, an international media group and leading digital publisher.

Visit our corporate site. Electronic components can be sensitive to temperature fluctuations because they need to maintain a certain level of performance in order to function properly. Thermal paste fills in microscopic air gaps that would otherwise impede the ability of cooling fans or heatsinks to dissipate heat away from components, making them function more efficiently. It can be hard to measure how much better one thermal paste is than another without testing them side-by-side in controlled conditions.

The role of thermal paste in computer processors is to provide a connection between the processor and cooler for transferring heat away from the processor. Thermal paste does not reduce temperatures by itself but instead provides a pathway for heat to escape from the processor as quickly as possible.

There are various types of toothpaste and their level of thermal conductivity also differs. While on the lookout for toothpaste in place of a thermal paste, most people tend to consider the following factors:. Thermal pastes actually have shelf lives and they can also go bad. Additives in one paste may break down additives in the other, producing compounds that may degrade the paste. This can cause damage to the CPU over time. Thermal Grizzly Conductonaut is a liquid metal thermal compound based on a eutectic alloy.

Our special mixture of metals like tin, gallium and indium, Conductonaut excels with a very high thermal conductivity and excellent long-term stability.