When or how often to clean a CPU heatsink

Discussion in 'Overclocking & Cooling' started by rt, Nov 29, 2008.

  1. rt

    rt Geek Trainee

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    My CPU has a heatsink and fan like:

    [​IMG]
    [​IMG]

    Installing an additional hard-drive I noticed that there was a considerable amount of grungy fluff on top of the vanes. I cleaned it off as best I could, got a stiff stencil brush and a tooth pick to clear out as much as I could from the vanes and set the vacuum cleaner nozzle on the job too. However, it is still far from completely clean.

    Code:
    $ sensors
    w83627ehf-isa-0290
    Adapter: ISA adapter
    VCore:       +1.19 V  (min =  +0.00 V, max =  +1.74 V)   
    in1:        +12.36 V  (min = +13.46 V, max = +13.25 V)   ALARM
    AVCC:        +3.34 V  (min =  +2.03 V, max =  +4.08 V)   
    3VCC:        +3.34 V  (min =  +2.74 V, max =  +3.47 V)   
    in4:         +1.69 V  (min =  +2.02 V, max =  +1.50 V)   ALARM
    in5:         +1.60 V  (min =  +2.04 V, max =  +2.01 V)   ALARM
    in6:         +5.12 V  (min =  +6.53 V, max =  +6.53 V)   ALARM
    VSB:         +3.34 V  (min =  +4.08 V, max =  +2.99 V)   ALARM
    VBAT:        +3.25 V  (min =  +2.29 V, max =  +0.98 V)   ALARM
    in9:         +1.62 V  (min =  +2.04 V, max =  +2.04 V)   ALARM
    Case Fan:   1834 RPM  (min =    0 RPM, div = 8)
    CPU Fan:    2636 RPM  (min = 2122 RPM, div = 4)
    Aux Fan:       0 RPM  (min =   55 RPM, div = 128)  ALARM
    fan5:          0 RPM  (min =    0 RPM, div = 128)
    Sys Temp:    +32.0°C  (high = -17.0°C, hyst =  -5.0°C)  ALARM  sensor = thermistor
    CPU Temp:    +45.0°C  (high = +80.0°C, hyst = +75.0°C)  sensor = diode
    AUX Temp:    +45.0°C  (high = +80.0°C, hyst = +75.0°C)  sensor = thermistor
    cpu0_vid:   +1.563 V
    
    coretemp-isa-0000
    Adapter: ISA adapter
    Core 0:      +52.0°C  (high = +84.0°C, crit = +100.0°C)  
    
    coretemp-isa-0001
    Adapter: ISA adapter
    Core 1:      +56.0°C  (high = +84.0°C, crit = +100.0°C) 
    Generally both cores run in the mid-fifties. Sometimes under load the temps rise to the low sixties. This still seems to me well below the 84℃ that ls-sensors indicates is high.

    Is it worth taking the risk that removing a heatsink involves at the current time to do a more thorough clean or should I leave it until the temperatures are more continually running red?
     
  2. donkey42

    donkey42 plank

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    generally you only need to power system down and dismantle stuff & clean it about every 6 months assuming the system vital net server but having said that a standard home system should be ok if you give it a good clean not more than 2 years after the last time you gave it a good clean or when you think it need it or when you can be bothered using a standard hoover is not good you are best using a can of compressed air (available from most good computer stores)
     
  3. rt

    rt Geek Trainee

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    Thanks for the input.

    The computer is now just over two years old and I have not cleaned the heatsink on it before, so perhaps it is indeed time.
     
  4. gazaway

    gazaway Geek Trainee

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    Yep, just make sure you do use the compressed air and hold the can correctly.
     
  5. rt

    rt Geek Trainee

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    After a clean and new thermal paste:

    Code:
    $ sensors
    w83627ehf-isa-0290
    Adapter: ISA adapter
    VCore:       +1.19 V  (min =  +0.00 V, max =  +1.74 V)   
    in1:        +12.41 V  (min = +13.46 V, max = +13.25 V)   ALARM
    AVCC:        +3.34 V  (min =  +2.03 V, max =  +4.08 V)   
    3VCC:        +3.34 V  (min =  +2.74 V, max =  +3.98 V)   
    in4:         +1.69 V  (min =  +2.02 V, max =  +1.50 V)   ALARM
    in5:         +1.60 V  (min =  +2.04 V, max =  +2.01 V)   ALARM
    in6:         +5.12 V  (min =  +6.53 V, max =  +6.53 V)   ALARM
    VSB:         +3.33 V  (min =  +4.08 V, max =  +2.99 V)   ALARM
    VBAT:        +3.23 V  (min =  +2.29 V, max =  +0.98 V)   ALARM
    in9:         +1.62 V  (min =  +2.04 V, max =  +2.04 V)   ALARM
    Case Fan:   1721 RPM  (min =    0 RPM, div = 4)
    CPU Fan:    2636 RPM  (min = 2122 RPM, div = 4)
    Aux Fan:       0 RPM  (min =   55 RPM, div = 128)  ALARM
    fan5:          0 RPM  (min =    0 RPM, div = 8)
    Sys Temp:    +25.0°C  (high = -17.0°C, hyst =  -5.0°C)  ALARM  sensor = thermistor
    CPU Temp:    +38.5°C  (high = +80.0°C, hyst = +75.0°C)  sensor = diode
    AUX Temp:    +44.5°C  (high = +80.0°C, hyst = +75.0°C)  sensor = thermistor
    cpu0_vid:   +1.338 V
    
    coretemp-isa-0000
    Adapter: ISA adapter
    Core 0:      +43.0°C  (high = +84.0°C, crit = +100.0°C)  
    
    coretemp-isa-0001
    Adapter: ISA adapter
    Core 1:      +46.0°C  (high = +84.0°C, crit = +100.0°C) 
    Still leaving one core processor in amber and consistently running two or three degrees warmer than the other:

    [​IMG]

    but an improvement of about 10℃ and no running in the red region.

    Improvement of alignment of silver particles after some hours running expected to improve things further?
     
  6. gazaway

    gazaway Geek Trainee

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    Ya, thermal paste does have a burn in time, but the temperatures won't drop more than two or three degrees further. The cores being two different temperatures are not a big deal, as it is pretty normal. Mid 40's is good if that's full load, depending on your processor and if you are overclocked. I'm curious as to what you're running to get thermals like that?
     
  7. rt

    rt Geek Trainee

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    That's basically with just a few applications open (Thunderbird, Firefox) but essentially running idle. Opening something up, e.g. VMware and another operating system with it, will force the temperature up something like another three degrees, but the temperature will then drop back immediately when the load on the processors drops. As the temperature in the room I'm using (we have freezing conditions outside at the moment) goes up and the session continues the temperature goes up further. Generally it only just goes above fifty; the highest I've seen since cleaning the heatsink is 55℃ while the highest it reached before was about 65℃ – so in all the temperature has fallen by ten degrees.
     
  8. gazaway

    gazaway Geek Trainee

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    I hope you're running a Pentium D or a processor with a huge overclock, because that type of thermal change is not really acceptable.
     
  9. rt

    rt Geek Trainee

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    No, just a Core 2 Duo 2.13GHz.

    Wouldn't dream of it.

    Actually I just successfully installed O3Spaces for the first time. Opening that up it went above 60℃ again.
     
  10. gazaway

    gazaway Geek Trainee

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    Ya, your thermals are WAY WAY too high then. It could be the sensors, but it's kind of doubtful. Personally, I would be a little worried by it.
     
  11. HardwareAffair

    HardwareAffair Geek Trainee

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    Wait, what model Core 2 Duo are you running? Some of the older models have a tjmax of 85C, and in that case your temps are perfectly normal.
     
  12. mothergoose729

    mothergoose729 Geek Trainee

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    It is a good idea to clean it every few months. Just use a air gun and blow out the dust.
     
  13. Dartht33bagger

    Dartht33bagger Geek Trainee

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    Dude these are all really old posts...
     
  14. bluemanunder

    bluemanunder Geek Trainee

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    2x a year aprox every 6months and also when you clean you heat sync also replace the thermal paste
     
  15. Net Jockey

    Net Jockey Geek Trainee

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    Why?
     
  16. Dartht33bagger

    Dartht33bagger Geek Trainee

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    When you clean the heatsink your removing the old paste so you need to add new paste.
     
  17. Net Jockey

    Net Jockey Geek Trainee

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    Hmmm??? I do not remove my heat sink...to clean it.:confused:
     
  18. Dartht33bagger

    Dartht33bagger Geek Trainee

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    It depends on the level of cleaning. If your going a full clean your going to change the thermal paste and everything. You might just do a quick blow over on the parts like I do with this crappy dell.
     

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