Is watery thermal paste bad?

This paste then needs to be spread across a metal surface so that you can observe its consistency and smoothness. If it is smooth and evenly distributed, the paste is still in good condition. If it is watery, clumpy, or separated, the paste has expired. So, there you have it.

How do I know if my thermal paste is bad?

You can recognize a thermal compound that's gone bad – it's either going to be flaky, hard, or completely dried out. If this is the case, you need a new thermal compound.

Should thermal paste be thick or thin?

A TIM is good if it is like grease in consistency and not a thick oil. It should be applied as sparingly as possible to fill just the tiniest of Voids. TIM should not squeeze out the sides of the thermal plate as it can cause issues and applying too much will deplete thermal efficiency.

What is the life span of thermal paste?

In general thermal paste lasts for about 2 to 4 years on your CPU or GPU or any other chip. Your thermal paste can last as short as 2 years to as long as 10 years depending on the cooling system, weather, usage, and the quality of the compound.

Does thermal paste degrade over time?

Thermal paste will degrade over time. Sure, you can choose high-quality thermal paste for a longer-lasting solution, but the heat from the CPU will dry out the thermal paste over time and cause it to degrade eventually.

Watery and horrible thermal paste!! Corsair XTM50 thermal paste failure!!

How often should I repaste my CPU?

How Often Should You Replace Thermal Paste? In most cases, you shouldn't need to reapply more than once every few years, though you should replace your paste if you remove your cooler for any reason. You may also want to consider reapplying thermal paste if you find your CPU temperatures are climbing.

How fast can thermal paste dry up?

Drying occurs because the constant CPU usage cycles apply continuous heat to the substance. And of course, no matter how good your thermal paste is, using your computer will inevitably dry it out (though with higher quality thermal pastes, it may take a longer time).

What happens if thermal paste dries?

Once in place there is no place for the dried paste to go. But were it to happen,the symptoms would be excessive temperature rise in the processor or graphics chip,and the computer turning off or throttling back in performance.

Can I use 2 years old thermal paste?

Generally the thermal paste lasts at least 5 years, sometimes up to 10. In the normal run of things people have replaced their CPU/GPU (or even the entire computer) long before that happens. Thermal paste does not go bad. It does not need to be replaced -ever- if the heatsink is not removed.

Can too much thermal paste damage?

Remember that if you spread thermal paste too thick, this could actively work against the heat transfer taking place. So one telltale sign of too much thermal paste is a high CPU temperature. The heat isn't able to efficiently transfer into the heatsink, so it remains in the CPU.

Should you spread or squish thermal paste?

All in all, you should always spread the thermal paste if it doesn't have good fluidity. However, thermal pastes that don't have good fluidity, are often not top-quality pastes either. So, you may end up with air bubbles and reduced thermal performance anyway.

Is too much or too little thermal paste worse?

“Putting too much paste on a socket generally won't hurt thermal performance, because the act of tightening down the cooler squeezes out the excess. Too little paste is bad, but anything above the minimum threshold will have the same effect once the cooler is tightened down.

Why is my thermal paste runny?

If it is watery, clumpy, or separated, the paste has expired.

How often should I reapply thermal paste?

You should replace thermal paste every two to three years, whenever you remove the central processing unit, whenever you notice your paste is dry or flaky, or as soon as your central processing unit shows signs of overheating.

What is a common mistake when applying thermal paste?

Apply too little of it and the air gaps won't be filled up. Put too much of it, and it spills to the sides. Plus, a thick layer of thermal paste essentially increases the physical distance between the CPU and heatsink, which, again, can cause overheating.

How often should you repaste GPU?

While there's no “perfect” timeframe to replace your GPU's thermal paste, it's advised to do it every 4 years OR whenever you feel like your GPU is running hotter than it should. Plus, it's also advised to always use a good-quality thermal paste, like Kooling Monster KOLD-01.

What happens if you don't clean off old thermal paste?

Over time it can dry out and become less effective at transferring heat from the CPU to the cooler, so you might want to clean thermal paste off your CPU and reapply it every so often.

What happens if you never replace thermal paste?

Thermal paste dries out over the years. When it has, heat from the CPU to the cooling block is not transferred sufficiently anymore, meaning the CPU will heat up. Too much heat, can damage your processor.

Can I use toothpaste as a thermal paste?

Simply put, no. You should never use toothpaste in place of thermal paste. The main reason is that “toothpaste” is too broad of a term to be even considered an alternative. You see, the primary purpose of thermal paste is to conduct heat, which is ultimately dissipated from your CPU to keep it cool.

Does thermal paste go bad if exposed to air?

How Long Does Opened Thermal Paste Last? Open thermal paste has almost the same shelf life as an unopened thermal paste if stored correctly. If the opened thermal paste exposes to air or water, it will oxidise and go bad.

How do you rejuvenate thermal paste?

Whether you skipped the previous step or not, grab some coffee filters, lint-free cloths, or q-tips. Wet one with either rubbing alcohol or a cleaner specifically designed for thermal materials. Then use the wet end to moisten, loosen, and remove the old paste. Repeat as needed with fresh filters, cloths, or q-tips.

Does thermal paste need to cover entire CPU?

It is best to cover the entire area. Normally the entire interface area is covered then when the heat sink is attached the excess paste that flows out is wiped up.

How hot is too hot for CPU?

At the highest loads, your average CPU temps can go up to 80–85°C, but consider this the absolute limit. Sustained CPU temps above 80°C can do long-term damage to the CPU and its silicon. If your CPU goes higher than 90°C for several hours, it will likely reduce the lifespan of your processor.

Is 1 gram of thermal paste enough?

No, do not put all 1g on your CPU. The purpose of thermal paste is to have the thinnest layer possible while covering the entire CPU, generally speaking a pea sized dot in the middle is enough, and mounting pressure will spread it on it's own.

How dry should thermal paste be?

Thermal paste is a paste-like material that does not dry. It remains in a paste form in order to fill the gaps between the processor and the heatsink. I have immediately used my PC after applying thermal paste after every PC build or heatsink replacement, and I have never had an issue.