cleaning parts

[SoBeiT]

What's the best way to remove dust from inside the computer and how often should it be done?

Don't say there should be no dust there, everytime it's opened something is in there.


I have a dog, 2 cats & tile floors where the computer is and everything seems to be dusty these days.

[Phanataz]

Well, whatever you do..dont do what this guy did:

[-F7]

LOL Phan!

I usually clean once every other month Sobe although I have been known to wait longer.

What I do is get 2 large cans of Canned Air and spray the inside down good. I take grills off fans and wipe them down, I usually take the fan and chassis off my heatsink and clean the heatsink fan and spray between the fins on the heatsink. Any surfaces, I wipe down with a dry rag. Be sure to unplug the power supply before you clean.

2 cans should do it and a good wipe down.

[Turkish]

If dust is a major annoyance problem for you.

I recommend putting filters in front of your case intake fans.

Best way to get rid of that problem.

I do that and all I do is wash the filters once every month.

[SoBeiT]

Jeeze, Phan even I wouldn't fall for that one :rolleyes: hehe



Turkish, they sell fan filters, really?

That sounds like an easy idea.



F7, I was told canned air leaves "wet foam" behind and will ruin the parts it touches.

So that was another computer gotcha?

[MadMikey]

Based on Sobe's question and Phan's picture, I must share a story with you all. :D

I had recently purchased a new motherboard, processor, RAM and video card to upgrade my PC. Got it all assembled, plugged it all in hit the power switch.....nothing. Not a single beep. Now I hate troubleshooting hardware, but I run the the fridge, grab a fresh can of Mountain Dew and dig in to try and solve this problem (little bit of foreshadowing there, in case you didn't catch it).

Swap out this, swap out that, unplug this, unplug that. You guessed it, in my frustration, I accidentally knocked the can of soda off of my desk. Time slowed down, as I watched the can slowly tumble toward my newly built PC. Sure enough, it landed perfectly upside down inside my case, only to spill its contents all over the inside of my PC which was POWERED ON at the time. :(

I took the can out, grabbed the whole PC and took it into the kitchen, where I completely disassembled it. I made a quick trip to the store for some alcohol, toothpicks and q-tips, and spent the next *several* hours going over every square inch of every component with alcohol.

In the end, all I lost was my power supply. Other than the power supply and the RAM (which was bad, and the whole reason I had to troubleshoot in the first place), I am still running with all of the "Mountain Dew" components.

Needless to say, if I have to open the case on any of my PCs, I am always aware of where any liquids are placed. :D

[SoBeiT]

hehehe :)

Mikey you make me feel...better. If stuff can happen to you, it's ok to happen to me then.

[Orion]

are you kidding?!?!?! dumping MT dew on your pc is not ok! ;) and even though I know you really want to, you do NOT have to do everything mikey does. take landmines for instance....

[-F7]

Damn you got away lucky Mikey!

Sobe- Canned air only leaves behind that foam stuff if you spray the can UPSIDE DOWN. Give it a try and you'll see what I mean. Always spray with the can upright.

[SuperDank]

Based on Sobe's question and Phan's picture, I must share a story with you all. :D

I had recently purchased a new motherboard, processor, RAM and video card to upgrade my PC. Got it all assembled, plugged it all in hit the power switch.....nothing. Not a single beep. Now I hate troubleshooting hardware, but I run the the fridge, grab a fresh can of Mountain Dew and dig in to try and solve this problem (little bit of foreshadowing there, in case you didn't catch it).

Swap out this, swap out that, unplug this, unplug that. You guessed it, in my frustration, I accidentally knocked the can of soda off of my desk. Time slowed down, as I watched the can slowly tumble toward my newly built PC. Sure enough, it landed perfectly upside down inside my case, only to spill its contents all over the inside of my PC which was POWERED ON at the time. :(

I took the can out, grabbed the whole PC and took it into the kitchen, where I completely disassembled it. I made a quick trip to the store for some alcohol, toothpicks and q-tips, and spent the next *several* hours going over every square inch of every component with alcohol.

In the end, all I lost was my power supply. Other than the power supply and the RAM (which was bad, and the whole reason I had to troubleshoot in the first place), I am still running with all of the "Mountain Dew" components.

Needless to say, if I have to open the case on any of my PCs, I am always aware of where any liquids are placed. :D


hehehe.... MM smoking some good shiat!

[Hort]

LOL Mikey! See? Another good reason to kick the MD habit.

[SFT]

Yes, air is best. I have three compressors (I'm an airbrush painter) and I use those to blow out the dust.

Yes, they make filters, but you may need stronger fans to use them. I imagine Turkish is probably using high power fans rather than off the shelf stuff. Remember that you still want to cool the computer and not block the flow.

[Phanataz]

MM is a MD junkie? Damn, I should post a picture of my fridge. It's filled with MD!

...although I have yet to spill any into my computer parts.
:D

[Turkish]

I use to love MD but now I find it too sweet for my tastes.

It's all about the "dnL" and Vanilla Coke.

[-F7]

http://www.arizonabev.com/int/images/gal-lem.jpg

Gallon jugs baby! This is pretty much all I drink.

[SoBeiT]

This went from cleaning parts to emptying others...hehehe.

[Phanataz]

http://www.themercury.news.com.au/common/story_page/0,5936,8944547%255E401,00.html

Interesting reading about how dirty your computer is..

[SoBeiT]

poor computers get all the blame... it's the people who are dirty :eek:



Cooties can live a long time...waiting...waiting...waiting for YOU! hehe

[radio667]

lol - very good cleaning tips here ( Turkish's idea is very clever ) SHIRL - i didnt know you are an AirBrush Artist :D Please - if you want , can you post some of your work UP !!

[FiX]

Sorry I didn't see this post sooner.
The other thing you can use when cleaning your heat sinks is a mini paint brush and depending on the quality of vaccum you have most new vacs are Hepa, you may use that as well. The one thing you just want to avoid is touching pc parts with the vac due to the static that vacs can have if not grounded (note by keeping physical contact to the metal of your case or by using a grounding bracelet you will greatly reduce or eliminate that danger while vaccuming) . But using the furniture tool or accessory hose near, you can brush the grills, fan blades, and heatsink fins or rods and really get them free of dust and dirt and the dirt will get sucked away and not just blown around right back into the general area that it came from in the first place. To see what dust really does use a flashlight and watch where the dust goes when you use canned air. It will generally float in the same room you are working in and if you didn't move you PC out of the room that you use you computer in, it willl only take a day for you pc to pull 1/4 of that dust you just removed back in as you PC exchanges the air in the room several times a day.
The fan filter idea is one I use as well: http://www.crazypc.com/products/fans/fanaccessories.htm
look at the bottom of the site on the filter designs and sizes.
http://www.frozencpu.com/cgi-bin/frozencpu/scan/se=Fan%20Accessories/se=Fan%20Filters/mp=menu_search.html

These are also slick and a little more sturdy:
http://www.frozencpu.com/cgi-bin/frozencpu/scan/se=Fan%20Accessories/se=Anodized%20Filters/mp=menu_search.html

If you don't already have a case fan on the back of your PC , putting one in place that directs flow out of your pc depending on you case design will assist the front one or ones in pulling air in through the filter.. most filters do not put excessive restriction to air flow especially the anodized ones above mentioned. But you need to keep them cleaned.

You can pick these up from several websites or some local stores even. That way only really small particles get by, but most won't settle in the PC and you will need to actually go into you case fewer times a year.

[Phanataz]

Some great tips, Fix.. thanks!

[Turkish]

If you don't already have a case fan on the back of your PC , putting one in place that directs flow out of your pc depending on you case design will assist the front one or ones in pulling air in through the filter.. most filters do not put excessive restriction to air flow especially the anodized ones above mentioned. But you need to keep them cleaned.


That sound's odd ... I mean putting a filter on the exhaust fans will catch some dust, but why? Doesn't the dust just get "exhausted". Wouldn't you want the dust to leave? I mean the only reason why you'd want to put a filter on exhaust fans is to keep the exhaust fans relatively clean. I had this idea too put this "Ionic Breeze mini" inside my PC.

That would clean up the dust :P
You'd have too put 2 of them in there.

[StealthDP]

I think he meant that the filter would be on the intakes, and the exhaust fan would help the intake fans circulate the air through the case (and the filters).

[FiX]

That is correct... No filters needed or wanted on the exhaust fans. In fact I cut the pre drilled or punched hole areas away from the case as to give an unobstructed exit and placed a simple wire grill fan cover just to protect the fan from being touched.
If you are worried about the added sound that an additional fan can make then spend about 12-16$ on the Vantec Stealth fan. I have these babies for all my circulation fans as not to make extra noice on getting air through the case, and use a little more noise producing fans for the main cpu, and video card.

Another modders concept that I use, but not needed by most is using a 4 channel fan controller that gets added to a front 5 1/4 or 3 1/2 slot depending on make and model.I use this to control the speed and monitor the temp of the 4 different locations. When I'm playing or working hard on the PC I turn the fans up, but when idle I turn em down and decrease the overall air going in when not needed.

[SFT]

I usually just have a forward variable speed fan in front (intake), one in back (outtake) and CPU and PS fan. Make sure to check you power supply fan. An overload from the power supply will cook lots of stuff. I've never tried the side fan yet. Also, keep other boards and ribbon cables away from the fan on your vid board.

I bought some Volcano fans for my CPUs. I'm going to put them on before the summer.

There are a couple sites out there with instructions to build a water cooling system for your computer, but if you're not good at tapping threads into aluminum blocks I wouldn't bother. :)