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Stop using isopropyl alcohol on thermal paste jobs
I keep seeing people spray IPA directly on boards when swapping thermal paste. That stuff can seep under sockets and cause corrosion over time. Just use a lint free cloth and some gentle pressure, you don't need to drench it.
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aaron_perry4mo ago
Wade250 I get where you're coming from but I've seen dry paper towels leave fibers behind on CPU lids. That can mess with contact over time. A little bit of IPA on a microfiber cloth isn't overkill, it's just being thorough without leaving residue.
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wade2504mo ago
Exactly, people act like they're scrubbing a hazmat scene or something. I've seen dudes soak a whole motherboard in 99% IPA and then wonder why their PC won't turn on a week later. Like yeah, you just drowned the board in solvent, good luck with that. A dry paper towel or microfiber cloth works fine for 99% of thermal paste jobs, I've been doing it for years. But nah, everyone wants to be a pro tech YouTuber and spray everything down like they're cleaning a crime scene. Just keep it simple, you're not performing surgery, you're just wiping some goo off a chip.
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leo_black764mo ago
People really do go overboard with the solvents and sprays, it's like they think a little bit of dust will explode their rig or something. A dry microfiber has never let me down either, and I've built more machines than I can count at this point without any issues from fibers. The whole "you need 99% IPA and a lab coat" approach is just overcomplicating a simple wipe down that takes thirty seconds.
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