Heatsink Cleaning

[Dave101]

I have experienced high temps in my rig lately. It's due to the accumulation of thick dust particles on the heatsink fins. I want to clean it but I don't know the best method of cleaning the components in the VRM area around the CPU which also has dust. I want to use a brush but I might experience electro-static discharge which in turn might damage the board. If I use pressurized air, the dust can't be removed completely. I'm not a trained technician & I just want to make sure that safety is always prioritized. Please help..Thanks..

[Qwerty]

In my opinion pressurized air should be enough to remove the dust.

There are different types of aerosol cans with pressurized air for cleaning purposes. I use a "high-pressure" one - the blow is sufficient to remove any type of dust from heatsinks and components. The pressure is so high that the dust flies through the whole room. That's why I use a vacuum cleaner to catch the dust before it leaves the computer case.

There is one important thing to remember when using a vacuum cleaner - don't let it to absorb small, but crucial parts of your PC!

[Neon]

I agree with Qwerty - use of pressurized air is usually the best method.

There are specialized anti-static vacuum cleaners, intended for safe work with electronics, but they are expensive. I have not used one, and cannot say if they are more effective than canned air.

It is good to use a computer case that is designed with filters at the air inlets. This helps to reduce dust accumulation on internal components. The filters can be removed, rinsed, and re-used as necessary.

Also don't smoke tobacco or other tarry substances near the computer. The tar in the smoke will accumulate on internal components, which is messy to clean up. This includes the fans, which may eventually fail.

[johnorun]

If You can blast the dust away outside, so much the better.

[xrror]

As long as it's not a super dry day (static electricity) I've had good luck with an old toothbrush or soft bristle paint brush to remove thick layers along with the canned duster. But like everyone else says usually a fresh can of "Compressed Gas Duster" gets most dust bunnies out of there. If there's a smoker in the house ugh... that transforms the bunnies into brown tarred dust mutants. That's when you have to use the brush, or just pull the board out and start spraying it down with 99% Alcohol ;p

ESD (electrostatic discharge) is one of those old gremlins that I think has become much more fear mongered than needs to be. It IS a threat, but you'll usually know when it's not a good day to work on electronics since you'll probably have been shocked a few times beforehand. At the very least I suppose, don't just roll out of bed and start prying stuff out of your computer before the morning cup of coffee or maybe don't work on your computer in a laundromat?

Just as long as the first metal/conductive thing you touch is NOT a circuit board, or something that GOES to something important (don't start licking the ends of your video cables for instance) you will probably be alright.

If it's a really bad static day, keeping one hand on your case frame (somewhere not painted preferably) on the assumption it's still plugged in and grounded will probably be enough. The golden rule is though that any time you "come back" to working on the computer be sure the first thing you touch is something "non-sensitive" like the case, and not something like a motherboard jumper or a stick of memory!

The times I've really zapped a component were usually when it was a dry winter day, a carpeted room with my shoes on, and I'd waltz up to the table and pick up something like a shiny new vid-card off the table... pop But luckily it didn't seem to kill anything important on it... but that's just dumb luck too.

The fear with vacuums I *think* stems from how most modern ones use plastic hoses/pipe which can create static electricity from airflow, but in my (unprofessional) experience if the environment is that dry and static prone, you'll probably already know since you would have shocked yourself touching the case beforehand. But like Querty said, the biggest problem is with a small enough nozzle you sometimes can suck parts off the board outright!

Air compressors are fun, but make sure you drain the water out of the tank before you start, and there is a very real risk if you shove the air blower attachment right up to the board, you can blow components off.

[JAC]

I take my machine outside and blast it from all directions with compressed air*. DO NOT SPIN THE FANS LIKE A RETARD, put a stopper in them to stop them spinning.

If you manage to blow components off the board then give yourself a Gold Star Idiot award.


* using the airline from the machine shop - it has a moisture trap.

[Guest]

So I'd always heard that too, not to blow tons of air through your fans. Thus I took a small 40mm fan and hooked my multimeter up to the leads and started spraying the "Compressed Gas Duster" at it...

I got it up to around 2.5v lawlz... So yea. It really is true... don't do that. Imagine what a bigger fan would do!

[CPUShack]

Its not just that, compressed air can and WILL spin a fan well above its design parameters, it will toast the bearings and brushes in a heart beat.

[6a6ar09a]

I agree, those small fans are so fragile and should not be abused but there are no bearings and brushes in them. This fans are the PMDC brushless motors. Actually, when you spin them using compressed air, they acting as generators (produce current) and it is possible to toast something on the board, if you go to far.

[JAC]

[6a6ar09a]

[CPUShack]

Technically the motherboard is suppose to be protected from these transients (diode protection and/or others) but not always

Older boards, and case fans have had brushes, I have some laying about I am sure.

[6a6ar09a]

Cool, thanks. It is god to know that. I have scraped dozens of them, some were broken... and I saw coils, magnet ring... so my conclusion was that some current could go out if you spin them, specially if you spin them to fast... (pressurized air)

Anyway, I will keep my old-fashion fun/heatsink cleaning way just in case... Disconnect first.

[Guest]

[quote="JAC"]DO NOT SPIN THE FANS LIKE A RETARD

OH SHIT I FEEL OF MY CHAIR FROM LAUGHING!!!! YOU ARE HILARIOUS>

[SGINERD]

I think we should all get some fans and just start blowing them with compressed air, then hold a contest to see what fans last longest!



SGINERD

JAC thats my comment above, just forgot to sing-in before posting. But I did
fall of my chair when I read that. Thank You! Oh and before you can say "who's the retard now for not signing in" I know.

Greetz