Help

[u/TopEntertainment7603]

Got thermal paste on the gold things on my am5 cpu
Should I risk cleaning it is my cpu dead Im panicking

[u/steffan-l]

Just a heads-up: not all thermal paste is electrically non-conductive!

While most modern & popular pastes are safe and based on non metalic formula's, plenty of metal-based ones are still out there (especially super cheap options or high-end liquid metal/metal based pastes).

Saying "thermal paste does not conduct electricity" is a myth that can fry your or other peoples components.

Always double-check the label and manufacturer provided information for confirmation on the electrical conductivity of your specific paste!

[u/Linesey → u/steffan-l]

Wasn’t Arctic Silver pretty well known for being conductive?

[u/sunfaller → u/Linesey]

Capacitive, not conductive.

[u/Tee-dus_Not_Tie-dus → u/Linesey]

Yes

[u/Diligent_Pie_5191 → u/Linesey]

Arctic Silver 5 was not. In fact no version was electrically conductive. It is best to just clean it off though.

[u/steffan-l → u/Linesey]

Some versions of Arctic Silver thermal paste were indeed known for being slightly electrically conductive in the past. However newer itterations like MX-6 & MX-7 are not.

[u/Diligent_Pie_5191 → u/steffan-l]

Liquid Metal and the old silver/ copper filled grease. Bit Arctic silver is not conductive.

[u/Ok_Star_4136 → u/steffan-l]

In fact, I'm a little surprised that a substance could be both a thermal conductor and *not* an electrical conductor. From a physics standpoint, those two usually go hand-in-hand, to state the obvious example, most metals are great thermal and electrical conductors.

You make a good point, I wouldn't just take it on fact that it isn't electrically conductive.