Author Topic: Friendly Reminder: Don't forget to check your hardware once in a while.  (Read 211 times)

Offline hazmatt

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I usually take my computers apart right regular to do something and end up cleaning them out at that time. I hadn't had my 12700/4070S apart since I put the GPU in a little over a year ago. When I did take it apart I was surprised at the amount of dust in it. I was even more surprised I wasn't having thermal issues.

Offline AKIron

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Re: Friendly Reminder: Don't forget to check your hardware once in a while.
« Reply #1 on: August 15, 2025, 10:18:36 AM »
Don't spin any fans too fast with compressed air. They can induce current. I used to do it and never had trouble but some have.
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Offline CptTrips

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Re: Friendly Reminder: Don't forget to check your hardware once in a while.
« Reply #2 on: August 15, 2025, 10:55:56 AM »
I cleaned mine out the other day.  It was ridiculous. lol.

They should put HEPA filters on those intakes.
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Offline Shuffler

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Re: Friendly Reminder: Don't forget to check your hardware once in a while.
« Reply #3 on: August 15, 2025, 12:10:27 PM »
Filters and positive pressure in the case.
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Offline hazmatt

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Re: Friendly Reminder: Don't forget to check your hardware once in a while.
« Reply #4 on: August 15, 2025, 12:25:08 PM »
Filters and positive pressure in the case.

How do you create positive pressure in the case? Do you have like a scuba tank pumping air into it?

I think most suck air in the front and blow it out the back. At least that's how all of mine work :)

Offline AKIron

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Re: Friendly Reminder: Don't forget to check your hardware once in a while.
« Reply #5 on: August 15, 2025, 01:44:41 PM »
If all of your case fans have filters and blow inwardly you could create positive pressure by restricting the outflow. Of course you need a steady flow for heat exchange so don't restrict much.

https://www.titanrig.com/blog/post/pc-guides-positive-pressure-how-and-why?srsltid=AfmBOooLh8RBOgRW2SKqtnklyC6gdOabrfz0tFcttnFO8flIexxvQrcI
« Last Edit: August 15, 2025, 01:47:30 PM by AKIron »
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Offline hazmatt

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Re: Friendly Reminder: Don't forget to check your hardware once in a while.
« Reply #6 on: August 15, 2025, 02:06:42 PM »
If all of your case fans have filters and blow inwardly you could create positive pressure by restricting the outflow. Of course you need a steady flow for heat exchange so don't restrict much.

https://www.titanrig.com/blog/post/pc-guides-positive-pressure-how-and-why?srsltid=AfmBOooLh8RBOgRW2SKqtnklyC6gdOabrfz0tFcttnFO8flIexxvQrcI

There's no way I could do that. My machine generates as much heat as one of those portable electric heaters when I'm running it wide open with VR 1.5ss and movie detail settings. Maybe some liquid nitrogen is what I need :)

Offline AKIron

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Re: Friendly Reminder: Don't forget to check your hardware once in a while.
« Reply #7 on: August 15, 2025, 05:04:10 PM »
You can still move a lot of air through it while maintaining a little positive pressure.
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Offline Bizman

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Having the case elevated from the floor keeps a lot of dust outside. A trolley with 2" wheels makes a big difference! For the modern cases with PSU air intake in the bottom I'd recommend a cart with a mesh instead of a solid base - those are usually sold for heavy flower pots.

Offline CptTrips

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Having the case elevated from the floor keeps a lot of dust outside. A trolley with 2" wheels makes a big difference! For the modern cases with PSU air intake in the bottom I'd recommend a cart with a mesh instead of a solid base - those are usually sold for heavy flower pots.

Yeah had mine sitting on the carpet. ;)  Not bright. I put it on a table now.

I think the case should be hermetically seal against dust and the shell of the box covered with Peltier and aluminum fin coolers. 

Or water cooling, but running water lines into an electrical device seems deviant to me somehow.



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Offline Bizman

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Yeah had mine sitting on the carpet. ;)  Not bright. I put it on a table now.
Just remember to wipe/vacuum the table every so often! And don't let your papers slide under the case, especially not if you're having a modern case with the PSU airtake in the bottom.

Quote
I think the case should be hermetically seal against dust and the shell of the box covered with Peltier and aluminum fin coolers. 

Or water cooling, but running water lines into an electrical device seems deviant to me somehow.
Meh. If the room temperature is cool enough for you it's cool enough for the computer if there's enough space around it to ensure proper airflow. If the ambient temperature ("Mainboard" in some monitoring programs) inside the case when idling is more than some 10 degrees (c or f) higher than the room temperature the airflow isn't sufficient.

Offline hazmatt

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Having the case elevated from the floor keeps a lot of dust outside. A trolley with 2" wheels makes a big difference! For the modern cases with PSU air intake in the bottom I'd recommend a cart with a mesh instead of a solid base - those are usually sold for heavy flower pots.
Ya, I'm at fault here. I have most of my computers up off the floor but this one is in a room with carpet and I was shocked at how dirty it was. I gotta do something about it for sure.