cleaning out psu

[LOUISSSSS]

for those who have actually opened a psu before... is it safe to unscrew the casing screws and use compressed air to clean out the dust inside of a psu? mines really dusty as the 120mm fan in my FSP epsilon are sucking in air from the bottom of my case picking up a lot of dust from my carpet

 

[acegazda]

Are you already out of your warrenty? Opening the psu will void your warrenty... but I think that will work, as long as it's not hot air.

 

[LOUISSSSS]

no, i believe its still in warranty, i've only used it for about a year

 

[boomerang]

If it's still in warranty, just blow through it. It will clean it out just fine. I would make sure any fan(s) inside don't spin up though. I usually block them from turning with a small screwdriver. Anything would work that will fit between the grill and the fan blades.

 

[jackschmittusa]

I have opened many and blown them out. It doesn't hurt them, but as acegazda siad, it does void the warranty.

 

[DaveSimmons]

Be careful poking things, especially metal things, into the PSU though, the caps can give you a nasty shock.

 

[Sforsyth]

I used to take them apart to oil the fan and clean them all the time

 

[boomerang]

Yes, I should have said you don't need to bury the screwdriver in up to the handle. Just enough to keep the fan from spinning. They can zing up really fast using compressed air.

 

[sjandrewbsme]

As others have posted - I've done this many times without incident. But, be careful with the capacitors as they can still hold a charge when it's not plugged in (they're the big battery looking things soldered to the main board).

 

[LOUISSSSS]

ok so u guys think it'll be fine just to use compressed air to blow between the grills? i'm guessing its going to be really dusty inside thats why i wanted to open and do a complete cleaning...

 

[boomerang]

I do it all the time. You'll be fine.

 

[LOUISSSSS]

Originally posted by: boomerang
I do it all the time. You'll be fine.

you open it all the time and clean?

 

[Navid]

The point is that you will be voiding the warranty if you open it. So, don't.
Use a dust buster or compressed air to clean it without opening it.

 

[boomerang]

You're getting too weirded out over a simple thing.

I blow them out closed.

The only time I open them is if I need to service the fan. I would then blow it out opened, and I would only open it then if it's out of warranty or I don't care about the warranty.

I fix a lot of computers here. They all get a good cleaning.

 

[LOUISSSSS]

ok got it

 

[Harvey]

Yes, it's safe, as long as you disconnect it from everything, first. The best thing would be to use compressed air blow the dust out out.

I've done more extensive cleaning when the PSU fan was making noise by shooting some WD40 into the fan motor bearings, but that's a last resort before replacing it.

 

[GalvanizedYankee]

Harvey, WD40 is water dispersant type 40 not a lubricant or penetrant
If one must...use 3 in one oil.

LOUISSSSS, Go after the cause, get your rig 8" off the floor and vacuum the room
every two weeks.

 

[LOUISSSSS]

what are some ideas to get my rig 8" off the floor besides putting it on my desk

 

[sjandrewbsme]

Originally posted by: GalvanizedYankee
Harvey, WD40 is water dispersant type 40 not a lubricant or penetrant
If one must...use 3 in one oil.

WD40 says lubricant and penetrant right on the can. It was invented as a water displacement solution but that doesn't mean it's not also appropriate for those other uses.

Most fans are sintered bushing type. I think WD40 would actually work better as it's a penetrant and significantly less viscous. That being said - I would spend the $5 and get a new fan before I started oiling anything that goes on my PC case.

 

[nutxo]

Originally posted by: sjandrewbsme

Originally posted by: GalvanizedYankee
Harvey, WD40 is water dispersant type 40 not a lubricant or penetrant
If one must...use 3 in one oil.

WD40 says lubricant and penetrant right on the can. It was invented as a water displacement solution but that doesn't mean it's not also appropriate for those other uses.

Most fans are sintered bushing type. I think WD40 would actually work better as it's a penetrant and significantly less viscous. That being said - I would spend the $5 and get a new fan before I started oiling anything that goes on my PC case.

You do need to be careful with wd40. I was talkin with the guy at the hardware store ( a real hardware guy, not a refugee form taco bell that works at home depot ) and he told me about a guy that used it on a fan and started a fire.

 

[sjandrewbsme]

Originally posted by: nutxo

Originally posted by: sjandrewbsme

Originally posted by: GalvanizedYankee
Harvey, WD40 is water dispersant type 40 not a lubricant or penetrant
If one must...use 3 in one oil.

WD40 says lubricant and penetrant right on the can. It was invented as a water displacement solution but that doesn't mean it's not also appropriate for those other uses.

Most fans are sintered bushing type. I think WD40 would actually work better as it's a penetrant and significantly less viscous. That being said - I would spend the $5 and get a new fan before I started oiling anything that goes on my PC case.

You do need to be careful with wd40. I was talkin with the guy at the hardware store ( a real hardware guy, not a refugee form taco bell that works at home depot ) and he told me about a guy that used it on a fan and started a fire.

That could be from the propellant (I think they use isobutane). Regardless, I know lots of us here have fans laying around from previous builds or old PSU's. If not, they're like $5.

I have been able to "fix" fans with WD40 and 3-in-1 in the past. The noise stopped and it worked for another day or so. Then, it was back to the way it was (slow and loud).

 

[Sforsyth]

I've had a bunch of really loud fans I would take the PSU apart take out the fane and take the sticker off sometimes there is a rubber plug and whould take that off and then lube it up fans quite afterf that and stays that way.

 

[GalvanizedYankee]

Originally posted by: LOUISSSSS
what are some ideas to get my rig 8" off the floor besides putting it on my desk

Your well off So use a single drawer oak file cabinet at the end of your desk.

 

[GalvanizedYankee]

Originally posted by: sjandrewbsme

Originally posted by: GalvanizedYankee
Harvey, WD40 is water dispersant type 40 not a lubricant or penetrant
If one must...use 3 in one oil.

WD40 says lubricant and penetrant right on the can. It was invented as a water displacement solution but that doesn't mean it's not also appropriate for those other uses.

Most fans are sintered bushing type. I think WD40 would actually work better as it's a penetrant and significantly less viscous. That being said - I would spend the $5 and get a new fan before I started oiling anything that goes on my PC case.

I've been twistin' wrenches for > 40 years and WD-40 is a crap lubricant. Rusty gate hinges? Meh! For very short term. Use 3 In One for long term or oil off your car's dip stick
WD-40 works great for cleaning greasy tools in the field or for protecting polished aluminum alloy.