Author Topic: CPU Cases & Dust (Read 2792 times)

roo_ster · « **on:** October 18, 2009, 09:43:38 PM »

Don't like dust in my CPU case. Bought a cheap air compressor just for the purpose of blowing outmy single desktop CPU case out a few years back.

I thought, "Self, if I keep the case up off the hardwood floor, it will be less likely to suck up dust."

Well, I lied to myself, 'cause I found a potful of dust in the case, again, today.

Yes, yes, the air throughput with 4 of the smaller (80mm, IIRC) fans and 1 of the larger fans (120mm, IIRC) is prodigious. But, this is a 6YO+ Athlon XP2200 (1.85GHz) that sure likes to make the heat.

Any ideas from the computer-savvy types? Any such thing as an input air filter for a cheap old PC? Water-cooling is not an option.

Nick1911 · « **Reply #1 on:** October 18, 2009, 09:56:17 PM »

I just periodically blow out my fan cooled electronics with compressed air.

Laptops are the worst.

cosine · « **Reply #2 on:** October 18, 2009, 10:02:12 PM »

Every six months I have to dust out my computer too. And it's sitting 5 feet off the floor.

Brad Johnson · « **Reply #3 on:** October 18, 2009, 10:14:37 PM »

Computer wrap made of filter material.

http://dirtbag.biz/

There's always the option of a custom sealed case with filtered forced-air circulation. Had a friend that made a simple plywood box with a flat automotive air filter on one side, exhaust fans on the other. Cables ran through a port in the back that was sealed with thick strips of foam weatherstripping and some tape. Ugly as sin, but worked pretty well.

Brad

lee n. field · « **Reply #4 on:** October 18, 2009, 10:14:53 PM »

Quote

Any ideas from the computer-savvy types?

Get a room HEPA air filter.

Gewehr98 · « **Reply #5 on:** October 18, 2009, 10:45:44 PM »

Got mine sitting 2 feet off the floor, and it still sucks dust in and out. Not quite so much now that I killed the CPU fans in lieu of water cooling, but the power supply, video card, and case intake/exhaust fans still move stuff through there.

I just make it a point to use a can of compressed air every 6 months - 1 year. I know the school district in Florida where I helped out as a volunteer IT guy had their computer "blow-out" cleanings scheduled during summer break for that exact reason.

Marnoot · « **Reply #6 on:** October 18, 2009, 11:07:12 PM »

Quote from: Nick1911 on October 18, 2009, 09:56:17 PM

I just periodically blow out my fan cooled electronics with compressed air.

Laptops are the worst.

Just don't let the air spin the fan too much... I knew that was considered ungood to do, but kept at it until I asploded a fan in my power supply once. Couple fins just flew right off.

Doggy Daddy · « **Reply #7 on:** October 19, 2009, 12:25:22 AM »

Definestration?

Can you only do that on a Windows machine?

DD

zahc · « **Reply #8 on:** October 19, 2009, 06:36:03 PM »

You can use panty hose, or dryer filters over the vent holes, which you can then change without having to break open the machine and blow dust around.

Myself I just take it out and blow the wads of dust out whenever the power goes off and I have to reboot, or a new Ubuntu comes out.

Headless Thompson Gunner · « **Reply #9 on:** October 19, 2009, 09:09:19 PM »

I've never been able to accumulate dust in a PC case. I have no idea why. Must be my mad housecleaning skillz.

Perd Hapley · « **Reply #10 on:** October 20, 2009, 12:40:47 AM »

What is this CPU case you speak of? My CPU's are on sockets, with heat-sinks on top. I didn't know those were called cases.

Physics · « **Reply #11 on:** October 20, 2009, 01:08:46 AM »

My case has filters on all inputs and I still have a lot of dust inside. An air ionizer would help remove the dust from the air but I don't know about the availability of a cheap one for home use.

Nightfall · « **Reply #12 on:** October 20, 2009, 11:38:47 AM »

Quote from: Physics on October 20, 2009, 01:08:46 AM

My case has filters on all inputs and I still have a lot of dust inside.

Me, too. I keep toying with the idea of carefully going over it and sealing/filtering every little unfiltered entry point I can find. Add a finer filter of some type and perhaps I can nip the problem. Doubt it, though.

Telperion · « **Reply #13 on:** October 20, 2009, 12:07:01 PM »

One recipe I learned for reducing computer case dust: filter all the fans and then make sure the case is at positive pressure (more intake flow than exhaust). If the inside is at negative pressure, then air and dust will be sucked in through cracks, ports, and the optical drive.

Mabs2 · « **Reply #14 on:** October 20, 2009, 01:06:06 PM »

My case has built in reusable filters and dust still gets inside. The filters work nice tho.

Tallpine · « **Reply #15 on:** October 20, 2009, 04:46:27 PM »

It's only dust,
it does what it must.

RaspberrySurprise · « **Reply #16 on:** October 21, 2009, 12:21:01 AM »

A friend of mine has an automotive air filter rigged up to the main air intake on his case.

sanglant · « **Reply #17 on:** October 21, 2009, 11:02:16 AM »

hmm, if your using a car air filter. anybody know who makes the smallest radiator fan?

i can see it now a comp case with a 300mm fan

Nightfall · « **Reply #18 on:** October 21, 2009, 11:19:03 AM »

Quote from: sanglant on October 21, 2009, 11:02:16 AM

hmm, if your using a car air filter. anybody know who makes the smallest radiator fan? i can see it now a comp case with a 300mm fan

I've got a 200mm fan. Surely they make a case with a 300mm fan on the side of the case or something...

RaspberrySurprise · « **Reply #19 on:** October 21, 2009, 03:48:23 PM »

A fan takes up most of one side of my case, i believe it's in the neighborhood of 250mm. The company also makes cases with large front intake fans as well. Named Xclio http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811103014

Newegg also sells individual 250mm fans as well http://www.newegg.com/Product/ProductList.aspx?Submit=ENE&N=2010090573%201372744400&name=250mm

I imagine you could find even larger ones if you looked.

Brad Johnson · « **Reply #20 on:** October 21, 2009, 03:58:26 PM »

Quote from: RaspberrySurprise on October 21, 2009, 03:48:23 PM

I imagine you could find even larger ones if you looked.

You can. A bit noisy when operating, though...

Brad

RaspberrySurprise · « **Reply #21 on:** October 21, 2009, 04:02:32 PM »

That's why you get either a fan controller and turn them down or just buy low rpm fans.

Gewehr98 · « **Reply #22 on:** October 21, 2009, 04:31:43 PM »

Or go water-cooled.

KPT · « **Reply #23 on:** October 22, 2009, 01:42:53 AM »

Keep it like this? Break the leaf blower out occasionally?

That is my server and it stays side off like that. Dust doesn't get bad, it hasn't been blown out in a year or so in that pic. I keep meaning to take it down and add fans + filters but it is more useful to me online. For example right now I'm downstairs on my laptop listening to music the xbox is playing off that computer.

Either way you keep your PC, blow out the CPU HSF and the GPU periodically and filtering won't matter.

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Author Topic: CPU Cases & Dust (Read 2792 times)