PC Dust buildup

[Newbie]

I have your basic ATX form setup with one side fan, 1 rear. I don't have any
additional fans beyond this.

I've noticed my side fan is a culprit for quick dust buildup.

Anyone have any suggestions for cutting the dust buildup?

 

[Mike Hall \(MS-MVP\)]

Newbie

Dust is not generated by the computer.. it is collected by the computer..
locate the source of the dust.. tops of doors and picture frames are a good
start..

 

[Newbie]

So there's no special fans or tools I can install in my computer to cut some
of the buildup?

 

[Al Dykes]

So there's no special fans or tools I can install in my computer to cut some
of the buildup?

I buy a fiberglass air conditioner filter and cut squares out of it
that match the INTAKE openings and use grey tape to stick it
place. Cover the biggest of the holes on the from panel with the same
tape. (this mess is hidden by the pop-off plastic panel. Remember to
change the filters once in a while.

Every time you open up the system use a can of compressed air to blow
the dust out of all the fans, including the PSU. Don't use a vacuum
cleaner.

 

[Mike Hall \(MS-MVP\)]

Newbie

Assuming that your fans blow 'out', filters over the fans will be of little
value.. dust will enter the vents behind the front panel and through the
small gaps between optical and diskette drives and the case.. dust being
pulled through optical drives and diskette drives is one of the reasons that
these units fail prematurely.. your best bet is to keep the atmosphere in
the room as dust free as possible..

--
Mike Hall
MVP - Windows Shell/user

 

[Leythos]

I have your basic ATX form setup with one side fan, 1 rear. I don't have
any additional fans beyond this.

I've noticed my side fan is a culprit for quick dust buildup.

Anyone have any suggestions for cutting the dust buildup?

First and easiest - vacuum your house/surrounding area. Second, get the
computer at least 2 feet above the floor (desktop is good). Dust is heaver
than Air, so it mostly remains near the floor as that's where foot traffic
stirs it up.

If you can change your fans so that they suck instead of blow air, you can
install filters on the outside of the case, but that may also impact the
air-flow/cooling performance. Most of the PSU's will blow, which means you
can't easily filter the air inbound to the computer.

Dust comes from the floor and air if in a construction area, filter the
air in your room and keep the computer away from the floor.

 

[Jerry]

And if you have pets - keep them away as they are a major source of
dust/dander.

 

[Michael Solomon \(MS-MVP\)]

About every 6 months or so, I use the following to blow out my cases:
http://www.cyberguys.com/templates/searchdetail.asp?T1=114+0570&dept=&search=&child=

You don't need to use the concentrator, it's fairly powerful and will blow
out fans and cases without leaving any residue.

--
In memory of our dear friend, MVP Alex Nichol.

Michael Solomon MS-MVP
Windows Shell/User
https://mvp.support.microsoft.com/communities/mvp.aspx
Backup is a PC User's Best Friend
DTS-L.Org: http://www.dts-l.org/

 

[Newbie]

Great ideas. Any idea where I can get the fan that sucks in air?

 

[Al Dykes]

Great ideas. Any idea where I can get the fan that sucks in air?

Look at a fan. The arrow is there for a reason.

 

[Newbie]

This is great. I take it use blow out the dust that resides on CPU coolers
and mobo's and other hard to get places, right?

 

[Michael Solomon \(MS-MVP\)]

The blower is pretty strong so I don't really have to move it too far into
the case and trust me, it will get to all the nooks and crannies!

--
In memory of our dear friend, MVP Alex Nichol.

Michael Solomon MS-MVP
Windows Shell/User
https://mvp.support.microsoft.com/communities/mvp.aspx
Backup is a PC User's Best Friend
DTS-L.Org: http://www.dts-l.org/

 

[Al Dykes]

The blower is pretty strong so I don't really have to move it too far into
the case and trust me, it will get to all the nooks and crannies!

--
In memory of our dear friend, MVP Alex Nichol.

Michael Solomon MS-MVP
Windows Shell/User
https://mvp.support.microsoft.com/communities/mvp.aspx
Backup is a PC User's Best Friend
DTS-L.Org: http://www.dts-l.org/

Using a VAC on electronics can cause static
discharge and damageq. Canned air is the right thing to use.

 

[Leythos]

Great ideas. Any idea where I can get the fan that sucks in air?

With the exception of the PSU fan (and it would work there too), all you
do is reverse the fan itself - they work forwards or backwards.

 

[Timothy Daniels]

Using a VAC on electronics can cause static
discharge and damageq. Canned air is the right thing to use.

A vacuum cleaner is only bad if you touch it to the electrical
components on the PC. I use a vacuum cleaner in conjunction
with a cheap pulsed air pump. With the pump, I blow at the
dust, and I suck up the airborne dust with the vacuum cleaner.
Nothing solid touches the electronics, and the dust doesn't
settle in the room. It's much more effective (and neater) than
blowing with canned air.

*TimDaniels*

 

[Al Dykes]

A vacuum cleaner is only bad if you touch it to the electrical
components on the PC. I use a vacuum cleaner in conjunction
with a cheap pulsed air pump. With the pump, I blow at the
dust, and I suck up the airborne dust with the vacuum cleaner.
Nothing solid touches the electronics, and the dust doesn't
settle in the room. It's much more effective (and neater) than
blowing with canned air.

*TimDaniels*

Yup. It can be done, but I can imagine someone with brush nozzle
wiping down all the boards and parts and zapping something. The pros
don't use vacs.

A static discharge below human perceptability can damage an integrated
circuit. A discharge can "wound" a chip, resulting in a failure later.

I was painfully taught the power of moving air to generate static when
I spent the day blowing insulation into an atic. There was a big
blowing machine at street level and a hundred ft hose with me at the
end of it. Every few minutes I would get a really static big wack
from the metal nozzle I had to hold.

 

[Michael Solomon \(MS-MVP\)]

This is a blower and this blower has no exposed metal parts including the
nozzles, no brush nozzle attachment either. Canned air can leave a residue
which over time can build up.

If users take proper precautions, ground themselves by touching something
metal before they open the case and wear a static discharge band as well,
they should not have a problem. The danger should be no greater than the
simple process of opening the case to use canned air or to install a
soundcard, graphics card or anything else that requires the user to open the
case.

--
In memory of our dear friend, MVP Alex Nichol.

Michael Solomon MS-MVP
Windows Shell/User
https://mvp.support.microsoft.com/communities/mvp.aspx
Backup is a PC User's Best Friend
DTS-L.Org: http://www.dts-l.org/

 

[Leythos]

This is a blower and this blower has no exposed metal parts including
the nozzles, no brush nozzle attachment either. Canned air can leave a
residue which over time can build up.

Any vac, used in any mode (blower/vac), which has a ungrounded hose to
provide the air, can and almost always does, generate static of some
level. The simple physics are that a wand like they provide in those cheap
units is going to give a much higher chance of a bad experience.

I used compressed, dry, air, from a compressor set to 50PSI, when I clean
cases. In a pinch I will use a normal compressor if the air appears to be
clean and water free.

If you are grounded, and holding a nozzle (even a vac hose) at the end, it
would discharge any static, but most people unplug their computer, move
it, open it, and clean it.

If users take proper precautions, ground themselves by touching
something metal before they open the case and wear a static discharge
band as well, they should not have a problem. The danger should be no
greater than the simple process of opening the case to use canned air or
to install a soundcard, graphics card or anything else that requires the
user to open the case.

While I own two static bands, I've never seen anyone else that owns even
one, not in 40 years. The only people I know that own them are people that
have been through ESD training, and not many residential users have

 

[Al Dykes]

Any vac, used in any mode (blower/vac), which has a ungrounded hose to
provide the air, can and almost always does, generate static of some
level. The simple physics are that a wand like they provide in those cheap
units is going to give a much higher chance of a bad experience.

I used compressed, dry, air, from a compressor set to 50PSI, when I clean
cases. In a pinch I will use a normal compressor if the air appears to be
clean and water free.

If you are grounded, and holding a nozzle (even a vac hose) at the end, it
would discharge any static, but most people unplug their computer, move
it, open it, and clean it.


While I own two static bands, I've never seen anyone else that owns even
one, not in 40 years. The only people I know that own them are people that
have been through ESD training, and not many residential users have

Good advice, above.

I own a static strap and use it if:

I'm working inside on a server with parts cost a week's wage, or
spares are not on hand and I'll be fired if I can't get the system I'm
working on back online by deadline when the dawn comes up.

If the customer is watching me and I don't want any coulda or
hindsight if the server dies a day later. The strap is just for show.

If the part I'm handling costs more than I feel like paying for out of
pocket.

Remeber; Static discharge below the level of perceptability can damage
a component, and the effect can be delayed.

 

[Michael Solomon \(MS-MVP\)]

I agree fully. I should have made that point about properly grounding
yourself in my original post.

--
In memory of our dear friend, MVP Alex Nichol.

Michael Solomon MS-MVP
Windows Shell/User
https://mvp.support.microsoft.com/communities/mvp.aspx
Backup is a PC User's Best Friend
DTS-L.Org: http://www.dts-l.org/