Dust filled computer

[Clyde]

A vacuum has an electric-powered motor in it.

So, does your hard drive, CD drive, printer, scanner, etc. Your electric
motors had better be insulated and grounded or you are in real trouble.
Nope, that's not the answer.

I'm guessing that my upright generates static electricity by the
rotating brushes. Those brushes are going around against something. Of
course, that's a fair distance from a hose attachment. Besides, I'm not
sure how that static would travel up a plastic hose. I wonder if that
would NOT be an issue with canister type vacuum cleaners?

Then again, I'm still asking the question that our friend asked. "Why?"
I don't get any static problems when I use our Hoover. We use it in many
ways with many attachments. I've never felt or seen any evidence of
static electricity. True, I may not be as sensitive to it as computer
chips, but...

I suppose the brush attachment rubbing up against electrical equipment
might create a bit of static. If so, why wouldn't a camel hair brush? I
don't see how that long attachment with the smaller opening would create
any though.

I wonder if this is just one of those urban stories that no one has ever
tested. Maybe we need to get the Mythbusters on it. Does anyone of know
of any tested evidence for sucking air from a vacuum cleaner actually
generating any static electricity?

Clyde

 

[ToolPackinMama]

I wonder if this is just one of those urban stories that no one has ever
tested. Maybe we need to get the Mythbusters on it.

Here we go with another suck vs. blow thread, LOL.

Look, I'm going to come out of the closet as a vacuumer. I use the
hand-tool suction device to suck out dust bunnies. I don't touch
anything in there. I keep one hand on the case and one on the tool the
whole time. I've done it hundreds of times. I have never seen any
evidence of static discharge, and I've never had any problems because of
it. Maybe I was just lucky.

To reduce the static build-up on rugs, try spritzing a fabric-softener
solution around on it. A capful of Downy (or something similar) per
pint is about right. Spray that all around in traffic areas
periodically, and even the rotating brushes of your vacuuming won't
create static.

The idea of taking a PC outside and blowing dust out with expensive
canned air seems excessive to me.

And washing circuit boards with water is... I dunno. Terribly time
consuming? Psychologically I resist the idea. Even if it is possible,
even if it is a superior method, I couldn't bring myself to do it, any
more than I could eat bugs.

 

[Mac Cool]

Al Dykes:

FIrst hand experience; I did disaster recovery planning for the
computer facilities for a big bank.

I first learned about it a few years ago, our state, NC, has experienced
severe flooding from all the hurricanes. It isn't worthwhile for
individuals or small businesses to hire professionals, but many PCs that
were completely submerged in flood waters and in some cases filled with
mud, were recovered, except for the PS and drives, just by disassembling
and washing them in soapy water, followed by a good rinse and dry.

 

[Al Dykes]

So, does your hard drive, CD drive, printer, scanner, etc. Your electric
motors had better be insulated and grounded or you are in real trouble.
Nope, that's not the answer.

Air motion accumulates a charge on either the nozzle, or
the grounded object.

One of the more misserable days I ever spent was running a machine
that blew insulating cellulose into an attic, from a big machine on
the ground and a long 3 inch plastic hose with a metal nozzle.

If I hung onto the nozzle I got a mild static whack every few minutes.
If I held onto the hose I got a bigger whack, but less often.

I don't have the citation handy, but electronic chips can be blown by
static votlages that are below what humans can sense. A static hit can
also do damage that makes the device fail latter.

 

[David Besack]

A vacuum has an electric-powered motor in it.

So, does your hard drive, CD drive, printer, scanner, etc. Your electric
motors had better be insulated and grounded or you are in real trouble.
Nope, that's not the answer.

The vacuum is channeling MUCH more power. The motor itself is (or shoule
be) properly grounded, but it generates a magnetic field that in turn helps
accumulate charge on parts of the vacuum that aren't as well grounded,
facilitated by fast moving air. Often, YOU are the ground when you handle
the device, but the charge is so minimal you don't get a shock unless you
let go of the vacuum and come back and pick it up. However, those minimal
charges might damage computer components. If you are grounded while you do
it however (wrist strap or keep your computer plugged in and touch the case)
you're probably fine.

IMHO, YMMV, etc.

 

[T Shadow]

Air motion accumulates a charge on either the nozzle, or
the grounded object.

One of the more misserable days I ever spent was running a machine
that blew insulating cellulose into an attic, from a big machine on
the ground and a long 3 inch plastic hose with a metal nozzle.

If I hung onto the nozzle I got a mild static whack every few minutes.
If I held onto the hose I got a bigger whack, but less often.

I don't have the citation handy, but electronic chips can be blown by
static votlages that are below what humans can sense. A static hit can
also do damage that makes the device fail latter.

I believe its 35volts.
A real world test of this would very interesting. I remember the warning of
your crt erasing your floppy disks. One day I wanted to erase the
information on 10 disks without taking the time to do it in a drive. Anyway
I tried demagnitizing them with industrial demagnitizers at work. Didn't
erase anything. I never worried about getting the disks close to the crt
after that and never had a prolbem.

Compressed air would have a higher moisture content. Vacuming would depend
more on the ambient humidity.

 

[Al Smith]

I'm guessing that my upright generates static electricity by the

I believe its 35volts.
A real world test of this would very interesting. I remember the warning of
your crt erasing your floppy disks. One day I wanted to erase the
information on 10 disks without taking the time to do it in a drive. Anyway
I tried demagnitizing them with industrial demagnitizers at work. Didn't
erase anything. I never worried about getting the disks close to the crt
after that and never had a prolbem.

Compressed air would have a higher moisture content. Vacuming would depend
more on the ambient humidity.

This is sort of an interesting thread (to me, anyway). I still
haven't read any reason why moving air should generate static.
Come to think of it, we don't get static shocks when the wind
blows, do we? Maybe the heat from the motor of the vacuum cleaner
lowers the humidity inside the vacuum, and that enables the build
up of static?

 

[Dave C.]

This is sort of an interesting thread (to me, anyway). I still haven't
read any reason why moving air should generate static. Come to think of
it, we don't get static shocks when the wind blows, do we? Maybe the heat
from the motor of the vacuum cleaner lowers the humidity inside the
vacuum, and that enables the build up of static?

Research van der graaf generators. The typical vacuum cleaner acts like a
van der graaf generator. The worst ones are the ones with a rubber belt
spinning the brushes. But air moving through a plastic wand or extension
can have the same effect. MASSIVE static buildup. And keep in mind that
voltages can be high enough to damage computer circuits long before there is
enough voltage to create a visible spark. -Dave

 

[Mac Cool]

Al Smith:

I still haven't read any reason why moving air should generate
static. Come to think of it, we don't get static shocks when the wind
blows, do we?

http://home.att.net/~waterfront-woods/Articles/Electricity/static.htm

some more reading
http://www.ce-mag.com/archive/2000/janfeb/mrstatic.html

 

[Mac Cool]

T Shadow:

One day I wanted to erase the
information on 10 disks without taking the time to do it in a drive.
Anyway I tried demagnitizing them with industrial demagnitizers at
work. Didn't erase anything. I never worried about getting the disks
close to the crt after that and never had a prolbem.

You should have given them to me, it often seems that all I have to do is
touch a floppy and the data is corrupted.

 

[Al Dykes]

This is sort of an interesting thread (to me, anyway). I still
haven't read any reason why moving air should generate static.
Come to think of it, we don't get static shocks when the wind
blows, do we? Maybe the heat from the motor of the vacuum cleaner
lowers the humidity inside the vacuum, and that enables the build
up of static?

A google of "helicopter static electricity" comes up with lots of
discussion of what happens if you grab a cable lowered from a copter
before it hits the ground.

Google for "physics static electricity air flow" will propably come up
with an axplanation of wht the accumulation happens.

 

[T Shadow]

T Shadow:


You should have given them to me, it often seems that all I have to do is
touch a floppy and the data is corrupted.

Where were you in 1990? :^) Actually I wanted to totally erase financial
information not just corrupt the FAT/directory.

 

[T Shadow]

If I understand this correctly, the air passing over the end of the
palstic(dielectric) nozzle is causing a charge to build up at there.
Wouldn't using a metal nozzle, preferably grounded or attched to the
chassis, elimenate the problem?

Using compressed air the nozzle is metal and/or if plastic it stays farther
from the computer, right? I have a compressor so its my weapon of choice.

 

[Clyde]

Research van der graaf generators. The typical vacuum cleaner acts like a
van der graaf generator. The worst ones are the ones with a rubber belt
spinning the brushes. But air moving through a plastic wand or extension
can have the same effect. MASSIVE static buildup. And keep in mind that
voltages can be high enough to damage computer circuits long before there is
enough voltage to create a visible spark. -Dave

In theory, you are right. In practice, is that really so? Sure, I
remember those generators from HS Physics class. I suppose a vacuum
cleaner COULD be working that way; it kind of LOOKS like it. However, I
don't get any static shocks from my vacuum cleaner. Why?

Your last sentence it why I've never done it, but...

Clyde

 

[Clyde]

Al Smith:




http://home.att.net/~waterfront-woods/Articles/Electricity/static.htm

some more reading
http://www.ce-mag.com/archive/2000/janfeb/mrstatic.html

Ah, very good. The best answers yet; particularly the first one. Thanks.

I'm not sure that would transfer directly to my vacuum cleaner, but the
science is close enough to not start using it to vacuum the inside of my
computer.

Thanks,
Clyde

 

[Clyde]

A google of "helicopter static electricity" comes up with lots of
discussion of what happens if you grab a cable lowered from a copter
before it hits the ground.

Google for "physics static electricity air flow" will propably come up
with an axplanation of wht the accumulation happens.

No, no! We want you to spoon feed us. We don't want to have to think or
work on our own. ;-)

Clyde

 

[Al Smith]

A google of "helicopter static electricity" comes up with lots of

No, no! We want you to spoon feed us. We don't want to have to think or work on our own. ;-)

Clyde

I'll think on my own if I absolutely have to. Anyway, Googling
isn't quite the same as thinking.

 

[Conor]

A vacuum can generate lots of static.

And the case is grounded...

 

[Conor]

NOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

NEVER use a vacuum cleaner to clean any electronic equipment, especially
computer equipment. The vacuum cleaner is a very efficient static
electricity generator.

And the case is grounded thus discharging any static directly to
earth...

 

[Conor]

It is best not to touch the boards.

Why?