Keeping your case dust free.

[vivid_vibe]

I realize this is not a new concept, but I just sometimes neglect this chore. I just got through dusting the inside of my case completely, and I lowered my idle temp from 37C to 25C, no kidding. I am guilty of postponing this simple task for some reason. But I implore everyone to do this on a regular basis, especially anyone who may just be discovering this concept. Just buy a can of duster and go to town. Hope this helps someone.

vivid

 

[Aprox]

Always a good idea, I try to do it every other month or so. I would do it more often than that if my Lian Li PC-75 case was not so large and heavy. I have to blow out my radiator otherwise my gpu and cpu temps rise about 3 - 4c, and I usually top off the coolant while I'm in there too.

Do you happen to have an air compressor in your garage? Works great for cleaning computers, so much better than buying expensive and awkward cans of air.

 

[X-Istence]

If you are blowing it out with a can of air, please keep a vacuum cleaner near by, and try to suck up as much dust as you possibly can. Otherwise it will be back inside that case in no time.

Also, try to reduce the amount of air vents in the computer that allow dust to get in. I have several smaller PC's that run without any passive cooling (fans) and instead have copper tubing. Means I can close off the entire case and keep it dust free.

One of them is a smaller Soekris board, which is entirely enclosed in a case which is water proof.

 

[madmatt]

My production box and Exchange Server get cleaned once a month.

 

[Lawman82]

I'm a once month person also, I just make a day of it by cleaning my man room.

 

[American Zombie]

Positive or neutral case pressure = less dust build up.

 

[LordOfLA]

I'm the type that buys a new case to become dust free.

I guess case manufacturers like me

 

[madmatt]

I'm the type that buys a new case to become dust free.

I guess case manufacturers like me

You have too much money to burn =)

Buy one of those new Intel chips yet?

 

[LordOfLA]

nope. need to throw some more storage and new monitors at my pc first. Some Dell 2407-HC's will be landing on a desk near me in January

 

[LeeJend]

Mine get cleaned regularly, once every 1,2,3,6 or 12 months depending on which comes last...

Don't use a compressor to clean the cases unless the compressor has an oil/water filter on its output. Compressors inject oil into the air which will coat the PC and make the dust impossible to remove. They can also have rusty water in the tanks (makes a good conductor on the boards).

Use the canned air outdoors only. It is not air, it is a noxious fluorocarbon compound. One of the idiot IT guys at work was using the stuff one day for about 30 moinutes to clean out a couple systems and he got so bad he was gagging and coughing for 2 hours after he stopped using it. I called medical for him becasue he had no idea what he had done to himself. Now most of the PC cleaning stuff has been pulled from inventory.

 

[Steevo]

Some of the duster stuff is also explosive. Works good for cooling incoming air charge as well.