Author Topic: Is it dangerous to clean your computer with compressed air or vacuum?  (Read 22828 times)

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Offline crazy_driverTopic starter

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Some say Compressed air like that can create A LOT of static electricity, others that the last time they used a vaccum the computer gave intermittent problems they had to get a new one.

So what do you think is the best way?
 

Online wraper

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With vacuum you will touch the parts of the PC, there is a high danger to cause static discharge or break something off. Compressed air is much safer and cleans much better. As a downside it is better to use it outdoors as the dust will fly all over the air.
 
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Offline AntiProtonBoy

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I dust my machine with my old man's air compressor all the time. You'll be fine. If you are worried about static electricity, leave the mains plugged in for earthing, but I never bother.

One thing to note is not to blow air at close proximity when using a compressor, as the high air pressure can crack/dislodge things, or put a lot of flexing pressure on cards. Also, put a pencil into fans to prevent them from spinning, as you will wear them out when they spin-up really fast and abruptly.
 
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Offline station240

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I've heard first hand of a computer that stopped working entirely after someone used a household vacuum to suck dust from the insides. Worse still it wasn't their computer, but belonged to a university student. |O

You can get special mini vacuums that are designed for cleaning inside electronics/PCs, as they use conductive plastics to prevent static build up.
 
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Offline hexreader

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A group of experts could theorise all day long about whether vacuuming is harmless, dangerous or suicidal.

Bottom line is that just opening up your computer could result in malfunction, and the chances increase the more chances you take.

The main thing is to consider the possibility that your computer could die at any moment in time, and make sure to have backup strategy to cope.

If you are feeling brave - use the air compressor. If you are feeling cautious, use a soft brush and gentle vacuuming. If you have plenty of money, buy an anti-static vacuum cleaner, wear wrist strap and unscrew case with antistatic tools whilst placing PC on antistatic work bench.

I use brushes and a good strong breath to clean my PC, with no bad result so far. But you have to decide for yourself how much care you want to take.

I might be tempted to use an air compressor, but I think I would worry more about mechanical damage than ESD damage. Either way, I see no need to do it, other than speed and laziness.

Hope for the best, but prepare for the worst.

Just my thoughts and experiences, feel free to ignore.
 
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Offline Howardlong

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The biggest problem of using a vacuum on a PC is that it sucks the keytops off the keyboard. No need to ask me how I know this.
 
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Offline tszaboo

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Make sure not to vacuum any jumpers from your IBM compatible personal home computer. There was a story, 20 years ago, someone was cleaning their PC...  ;D
 
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Offline digsys

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I've been using a compressor to clean out PCs for years, in fact 2 last weekend. Never ever had a problem, AND I really blow the heck out of every crevice !
Directly into the fan / cpu, fan / psupply, other fans and grills, CD/DVDs and m/board. Often get huge amounts of dust ejected. Done 100s this way. YMMV
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Offline hexreader

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Well, I am in mischievous mood today. Since my last post I have blasted my tower PC with compressed air whilst being as brutal as possible.

The result - well here am am telling you about it using the very PC that I cleaned out just now :)

That is not to say that it is a good idea in theory. I guess it all depends on just how precious you are about your PC.
 
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Offline Spyke

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Sometimes you can cause an expansion or ram slot to have a bad connection just by disturbing it after its sat there for years, however this is due to the dust itself getting in places it shouldn't. If that ever happens simply remove the ram/cards and blow the slots out as well. Reinstall the cards after cleaning any dust off the edge connectors.
« Last Edit: June 23, 2016, 04:08:24 pm by Spyke »
 
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Offline nctnico

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Re: Is it dangerous to clean your computer with compressed air or vacuum?
« Reply #10 on: June 23, 2016, 04:41:06 pm »
I use both a compressor or vacuum cleaner (not at the same time). IMHO the trick is to be careful so I keep the opening from the vacuum cleaner away from the electronics and set the pressure on the compressor low.
There are small lies, big lies and then there is what is on the screen of your oscilloscope.
 
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Offline CatalinaWOW

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Re: Is it dangerous to clean your computer with compressed air or vacuum?
« Reply #11 on: June 23, 2016, 05:27:10 pm »
There are several potential dangers from compressed air.  In my experience, in order of likelihood they are:

1.  Getting dust or other particles in your eyes.  Wear eye protection.  Much more important if using high pressure air.
2.  Physically breaking or ejecting components.  This is almost entirely limited to use of 100 psi or more air from a shop compressor.  I have had parts come out of sockets, entire blades come out of fans, covers come off relays and other similar events.  Most, but not all easily repairable.  Again read number 1.  These things could put your eye out.

I have never encountered a problem from static charge using compressed air, but my nozzles are metallic and I am grounded.  It is a theoretical possibility.

Vacuuming has it's own set of dangers:

1.  Physically removing or breaking components.  Almost always repairable, almost always a pain to find the part in the vacuum bin, so falls outside the easy repair category.  Especially if you don't notice the removal right away.
2.  Static charge.  This is very equipment specific, but I have one shop vacuum which has very high airflow, with plastic hoses, waste bin and attachments.  This routinely builds up charges that cause painful muscle spasms if they jump to my hand.  I would assume that this vacuum cleaner is very dangerous to electronics.  Easy problem to rectify by using a grounded metal wand.
 
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Offline bitseeker

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Re: Is it dangerous to clean your computer with compressed air or vacuum?
« Reply #12 on: June 23, 2016, 05:42:49 pm »
I use both a compressor or vacuum cleaner (not at the same time).

These can work well together. Have the vacuum near the PC, placed like you would a fume extractor. Commence with the compressor, blowing everything toward the vacuum. Of course, if you blast it with very high pressure, the vacuum won't be much help.

Using the compressor outside is still the best option, but if you're stuck working indoors, the vacuum helps.
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Offline vodka

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Re: Is it dangerous to clean your computer with compressed air or vacuum?
« Reply #13 on: June 23, 2016, 05:56:44 pm »
Quote
Getting dust or other particles in your eyes.  Wear eye protection.  Much more important if using high pressure air

And how can  you  put dust  into eyes? i  have done a many times and i never put dust into eyes , and with  filter vacuum cleaner that is the worse.
 
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Offline richnormand

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Re: Is it dangerous to clean your computer with compressed air or vacuum?
« Reply #14 on: June 23, 2016, 07:40:25 pm »
I have cleaned computers with the shop compressed air many times. Never an issues with static. I use a fine metal tube, 1mm or so, at about 100psi.

I have a soldering station air intake that captures most of the ejected dust. I connect it to a large cardboard box over the computer. Otherwise the whole bench would get dirty and I really do not want to breathe that junk. In particular if the machine comes from a smoker's house....

I always wear eye protection. Having a metal lathe and milling machine you realise quickly that a loose metal shaving getting in your eye at high speed will ruin your day. I did find some loose metal shaving in cheap computer desktop cases in the past, so you cannot rule it out.

Second issue, that was not raised, is the same one as using compressed air to clean and dry bearings. It is very easy to over-rev them with the air jet. That can damage them. Same for fans in the computer.

I remember at least three motherboards and several keyboards that I ended up dismantling and cleaning with soap and running water, isopropil and then warm air dry for several days. They all survived. Got the procedure from a failure analysis company and this was part of a testing standard!

 
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Offline apis

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Re: Is it dangerous to clean your computer with compressed air or vacuum?
« Reply #15 on: June 23, 2016, 08:06:16 pm »
You can get special esd-safe vacuum cleaners.

I use an ordinary household vacuum but I am very very careful not to touch anything or get to close (which can be a bit tricky since it tend to suck itself towards things). I also try to keep things as earthed as I can by touching the chassis. I don't recommend it, but it's necessary to clean out the pc every now and then and I don't own a compressor. I haven't experienced any problems.
 
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Offline RGB255_0_0

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Re: Is it dangerous to clean your computer with compressed air or vacuum?
« Reply #16 on: June 23, 2016, 08:31:58 pm »
Get a decent case with filters and never worry about it.
Your toaster just set fire to an African child over TCP.
 
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Offline jsi

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Re: Is it dangerous to clean your computer with compressed air or vacuum?
« Reply #17 on: June 23, 2016, 08:37:27 pm »
Wow! finally something on this board I know a little about.  Vacuums suck for cleaning computers  :-DD Thank you, thank you very much, I'm here all week folks. In all seriousness this ain't rocket science.  The only thing you can hurt in a computer with compressed air is the fan.  Don't be a duffus and blow canned air onto the fan until it sounds like a jet taking off.  I usually put my finger on it to stop it from spinning and then blow the heck out of it.  I don't care how dirty your computer is take it outside and used compressed air on it until it's clean. Done, no worries.


(My experience comes from supporting computers on mining and construction sites.  I have cleaned computers out that were literally packed with powder fine dust.  I don't care how dirty you think your computer is, these were worse.  Now powder fine dust causes other problems like wearing out fan bearings, blocking air flow, and causing overheating, but compressed air is harmless.)
« Last Edit: June 23, 2016, 08:40:41 pm by jsi »
 
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Offline bitseeker

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Re: Is it dangerous to clean your computer with compressed air or vacuum?
« Reply #18 on: June 23, 2016, 08:44:59 pm »
Get a decent case with filters and never worry about it.

Just don't forget to clean the filters.
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Offline bitseeker

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Re: Is it dangerous to clean your computer with compressed air or vacuum?
« Reply #19 on: June 23, 2016, 08:48:36 pm »
My experience comes from supporting computers on mining and construction sites.  I have cleaned computers out that were literally packed with powder fine dust.

That sounds horrifying. :o
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Online Halcyon

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Re: Is it dangerous to clean your computer with compressed air or vacuum?
« Reply #20 on: June 23, 2016, 09:25:48 pm »
In the last 20 or so years, I've never had a single machine fail due to being vacuumed or blown out with compressed air. I generally use a combination of a normal household vacuum cleaner and a lens cleaning "pen" (it has very soft bristles that won't damage or dislodge even the smallest SMDs).

I hold the vacuum above the area being cleaned, just to create enough suction to lift airborne dust, then use the lens pen to dislodge dust from boards and components. For things like heat sinks where I can't get the brush into, I use a can of Electrolube EADP which has a very high pressure blast (moreso than your standard "air in a can" products you buy at office supply stores).

I just vacuum around optical drives but I'd never blow compressed gas into the tray area. Chances are you'll just blow dust around the inside of the chassis and further contaminate the lens. If it's that bad that a CD/DVD drive needs a desperate clean, for $30 I'd just replace it.
« Last Edit: June 23, 2016, 09:29:29 pm by Halcyon »
 

Offline nctnico

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Re: Is it dangerous to clean your computer with compressed air or vacuum?
« Reply #21 on: June 23, 2016, 10:11:37 pm »
Every now and then I buy used test equipment. If it is very dusty I take it outside and use compressed air to get rid of the dust.
There are small lies, big lies and then there is what is on the screen of your oscilloscope.
 

Offline Tinkerer

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Re: Is it dangerous to clean your computer with compressed air or vacuum?
« Reply #22 on: June 23, 2016, 10:42:31 pm »
As long as you dont blow parts off the boards, no problems.
 

Offline jsi

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Re: Is it dangerous to clean your computer with compressed air or vacuum?
« Reply #23 on: June 23, 2016, 10:59:40 pm »
My experience comes from supporting computers on mining and construction sites.  I have cleaned computers out that were literally packed with powder fine dust.

That sounds horrifying. :o
I kind of liked it when they would call with an overheating computer, cause it meant I got to get out of the main office.  Unfortunately it was in the days before cell phone cameras or I would have some awesome pictures.   
 

Online Circlotron

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Re: Is it dangerous to clean your computer with compressed air or vacuum?
« Reply #24 on: June 24, 2016, 03:05:03 am »
Make sure your compressor has a water trap. You don't want moisture spitting all over the place.
 
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