Blowing out the dust with a Hairdryer

[Daffy D]

We all know using a vacuum cleaner to clean out your computer is not a good idea because of possible damage from static electricity which the can harm the electronics.

To day I used the wife's hair dryer to blow out the dust on my computer and it worked a treat. Much better than a those expensive cans of compressed air that hardly shift anything.

If you try this be sure to do it outside as there is a lot of dust that blows out everywhere.

Also if your hairdryer does not have a cold blow setting be sure to use only short bursts as you don't want to melt anything.

[harrry]

Still a dangerous practice due to static in the air. You may be lucky but one day you will not be.

[Jack Mountain]

@OP "Much better than a those expensive cans of compressed air that hardly shift anything."

Any idea where i can buy those cans? (Pattaya)

[JakeBKK]

@OP "Much better than a those expensive cans of compressed air that hardly shift anything."

Any idea where i can buy those cans? (Pattaya)

armorn - basement tuk-com -it city- a can goes for 180 THB and the do not have them all the time.

[Ajaan]

Are you the "Daffy Duck" that got banned from Bangkok Tonight forum?

[8OA8]

Why not use one of the 350w Blowers that the supermarkets Lotus and Big C sell. They cost about Baht 300 and are used for blowing dust away.

[sniffdog]

Are you the "Daffy Duck" that got banned from Bangkok Tonight forum?

No, not the same person. And Daffy Duck was not banned from BKK Tonight. He left voluntarily in a deal to get another member banned.

[circusman]

Are you the "Daffy Duck" that got banned from Bangkok Tonight forum?

No, not the same person. And Daffy Duck was not banned from BKK Tonight. He left voluntarily in a deal to get another member banned.

Boys will be kids.

[Loles]

I use always a normal hoover which has a power reducer. I take it to "min" and never get problem. This hairdryer idea is not so good, cause you make a really big mess.

[hkt83100]

You might take the computer around the corner to the next motorbike repair shop, they got the stuff to blow your socks off :-)

[jackflash]

A hair dryer is much more likely to cause static than a vacuum cleaner.

Air blowing out is more likely to carry static charges than air being sucked in..

Plus at least a vacuum cleaner will catch the dust.

Mind you, I think the static risk is very low. Especially if you don't poke anything with the nozzle.

And you could bridge between the nozzle and the metal case with a clip lead.

[jackflash]

> You might take the computer around the corner to the next motorbike repair shop, they got the stuff to blow your socks off

But be careful blowing the fan blades with compressed air. It's very easy to bugger the bearings due to excess revs.

[HerbalEd]

Why does a vacuum cleaner have a static electricity problem but a hair dryer does not? They both simply blow air with a fan, albeit in different directions. I've used various vacuum cleaners hundreds of times ... including on wool carpets ... and have never experienced static electricity.

Edited February 15, 2014 by HerbalEd

[HerbalEd]

> You might take the computer around the corner to the next motorbike repair shop, they got the stuff to blow your socks off

But be careful blowing the fan blades with compressed air. It's very easy to bugger the bearings due to excess revs.

Very unlikely that such a small fan would have bearings.

[kaveh]

as my experiance over 20 years of computer maintanace, the best way is just using a brush and a vaccum (and don't need to be so close to the boards, only).

i'd never recommend any blowing methods, as it would just replaces the dust! and it will be settle down somewhere else

vaccum with a brusing (the best is women make up brushes) not only works with dusts but also it would remove stains from grease and smoking.

after removeing dust, you also use some kind of stain removal sprays, something like contact cleaners. this method also cleans the inside of slots (PCI or other slots with tiny holes) andother deeper holes.

[Daffy D]

Are you the "Daffy Duck" that got banned from Bangkok Tonight forum?

Certainly Not

I sir am Daffy D and have no connection to the gentleman to whom you refer and furthermore I have never been banned from any forum.

AFAICR

[HerbalEd]

as my experiance over 20 years of computer maintanace, the best way is just using a brush and a vaccum (and don't need to be so close to the boards, only).

i'd never recommend any blowing methods, as it would just replaces the dust! and it will be settle down somewhere else

vaccum with a brusing (the best is women make up brushes) not only works with dusts but also it would remove stains from grease and smoking.

after removeing dust, you also use some kind of stain removal sprays, something like contact cleaners. this method also cleans the inside of slots (PCI or other slots with tiny holes) andother deeper holes.

Are you actually advising to spray a liquid cleaner inside a computer?

[ravip]

I have used an air compressor (of course with a controlled pressure) on more than a 100 PC's. Worked 100%.

Static issues depends on the atmosphere...

[Daffy D]

Where I live there is lots of dust so have to clean out the computer at least a couple of times a year.

In the past I've spent hours unplugging everything inside the computer carefully brushing it all off wiping all the contacts and trying to get into all the dust in nooks and corners with the cans of expensive air, but it was never a satisfactory job.

Then spraying all the contacts with contact cleaner before reassembling everything. A good few hours work

Yesterday after opening it up I thought about taking the computer round the local bike repair shop and use their airline to blow it out but was worried about possible water in their airline, didn't want to end up with a waterlogged computer.

So decided to give the hair dryer a go.

I tell you the satisfaction of seeing the great cloud of dust blown out by the hairdryer was worth any sight problem there might be with static.

Just a couple of minutes and the inside of the computer was looking like new.

Great blow job

When cleaning the computer don't forget the Power Supply amazing amount of dust collects in inside there.

[ravip]

> You might take the computer around the corner to the next motorbike repair shop, they got the stuff to blow your socks off

But be careful blowing the fan blades with compressed air. It's very easy to bugger the bearings due to excess revs.

Very unlikely that such a small fan would have bearings.

It does

[Tywais]

> You might take the computer around the corner to the next motorbike repair shop, they got the stuff to blow your socks off

But be careful blowing the fan blades with compressed air. It's very easy to bugger the bearings due to excess revs.

Very unlikely that such a small fan would have bearings.

They all have bearings. The cheaper ones will have sleeve bearings and the higher end ones will have ball bearings.

[ravip]

@Daffy D

Blow jobs are great.(here I am referring to computers - )

Power supplies too gather a hell of a lot of dusty, true.

[ravip]

as my experiance over 20 years of computer maintanace, the best way is just using a brush and a vaccum (and don't need to be so close to the boards, only).

i'd never recommend any blowing methods, as it would just replaces the dust! and it will be settle down somewhere else

vaccum with a brusing (the best is women make up brushes) not only works with dusts but also it would remove stains from grease and smoking.

after removeing dust, you also use some kind of stain removal sprays, something like contact cleaners. this method also cleans the inside of slots (PCI or other slots with tiny holes) andother deeper holes.

Are you actually advising to spray a liquid cleaner inside a computer?

Would NEVER try that!

[lucifer666]

I use a scuba cylinder with a tyre inflator attachment. One quick burst and all the dust is gone.

[gandalf12]

Use the hairdryer at minimum heat and hold it away from the computer and you wont have any problems

[shrimpythailand]

i couldn't find any compressed air so I just used a bunch of q tips... put some water on some and made sure they weren't too wet...just damp enough to clean all the fuzz but - haven't tried any WD40 on it yet tho ar ar ar

[khunPer]

as my experiance over 20 years of computer maintanace, the best way is just using a brush and a vaccum (and don't need to be so close to the boards, only).

i'd never recommend any blowing methods, as it would just replaces the dust! and it will be settle down somewhere else

vaccum with a brusing (the best is women make up brushes) not only works with dusts but also it would remove stains from grease and smoking.

after removeing dust, you also use some kind of stain removal sprays, something like contact cleaners. this method also cleans the inside of slots (PCI or other slots with tiny holes) andother deeper holes.

+1

So true, brush and vacuum has always been the advice I've heard from experts in electronics; which I did work with for nearly 30 years.

[Crossy]

as my experiance over 20 years of computer maintanace, the best way is just using a brush and a vaccum (and don't need to be so close to the boards, only).

i'd never recommend any blowing methods, as it would just replaces the dust! and it will be settle down somewhere else

vaccum with a brusing (the best is women make up brushes) not only works with dusts but also it would remove stains from grease and smoking.

after removeing dust, you also use some kind of stain removal sprays, something like contact cleaners. this method also cleans the inside of slots (PCI or other slots with tiny holes) andother deeper holes.

+1

So true, brush and vacuum has always been the advice I've heard from experts in electronics; which I did work with for nearly 30 years.

+2

It's what I've been doing since the year dot, back to old valve based equipment, disturb the dust with a small paintbrush and let the vacuum suck it in, vac tube never gets anywhere near the sensitive bits.

[HerbalEd]

> You might take the computer around the corner to the next motorbike repair shop, they got the stuff to blow your socks off

But be careful blowing the fan blades with compressed air. It's very easy to bugger the bearings due to excess revs.

Very unlikely that such a small fan would have bearings.

They all have bearings. The cheaper ones will have sleeve bearings and the higher end ones will have ball bearings.

I stand corrected ... you're absolutely right ... duh. For some reason I was stuck on thinking of roller bearings and that the "sleeves" weren't actually "bearings"... but indeed they are "sleeve bearings." In fact, I once installed sleeve bearing when I rebuilt a can engine. Wow ... old age is a bitch.

Edited February 15, 2014 by HerbalEd

[sms747]

Are you the "Daffy Duck" that got banned from Bangkok Tonight forum?

And Teak Door and SZS?