I know this might sound like a Mythbusters thing...

[Jest3r]

Can a case actually set fire if there is a large amount of dust inside of it? Let's say piles of dust just for theory. I guess it would also depend on what would be in the system, and where it was placed; for instance, some PSU's are located in the bottom of the case instead of the top.

My original assumption is no, but would be cool to test with extreme variables.

 

[Quiksilver]

If it were under a specific environment I would have to say yes, but chances are some component is going to fail first and cause the fire rather than the dust itself.

 

[Wuzup101]

Honestly, the chances of it happening are next to nonexistent. As you gather more dust, you are lowering the availability of oxygen in the local area. A nice coating of dust may make it more likely for a device to fail (due to cooling issues). However, it's going to take more than a small spark to set the dust/case/components on fire, and getting a spark from a failing component is actually pretty rare to begin with.

Fun thing to think about though... I love that show 🙂

 

[mpilchfamily]

Several things can happen as dust pilles up in the system. First thing will be the heatsinks getting clogged up causing the system to overheat and shut itself down. Worste case senerio would be a large amount of dust and a humid day. These are good conditions for causing a soft short in the system. The moist dust acts as a bridige between contacts causeing all sorts of problems and possibly damaging the motherboard.

Now i have seen older PSUs blow and catch fire from a bit of a surge. But its unlickly for dust to catch fire.

 

[ther00kie16]

happened to a guy in my dorm who didn't clean his psu and pc in general for a few years. the psu started smoking and caught fire and most of the components died.

 

[Injury]

Originally posted by: ther00kie16
happened to a guy in my dorm who didn't clean his psu and pc in general for a few years. the psu started smoking and caught fire and most of the components died.

That doesn't necessarily imply it was dust but it sounds probable.

 

[Chronoshock]

Mythbusters season 3 ep 7 "mythbusters outtakes" showed their additional tests for the myth about bug foggers blowing up a home. They tested out sawdust, flour, and fake smoke with multiple ignition sources (faulty wiring, thermostat, stove ignitition, and open flame). They didn't get any of them to light, although flour mill explosions do happen. They had a little bit of a flame with sawdust. I would say your worries about dust are pretty implausible, but it doesn't hurt to clean it out from time to time for cooling performance.

 

[mpilchfamily]

Originally posted by: ther00kie16
happened to a guy in my dorm who didn't clean his psu and pc in general for a few years. the psu started smoking and caught fire and most of the components died.

Chances are the PSU died of old age and not from dust. PSUs are only designed to run effectivly for about 5 years. Cheaper PSUs generally don't make it past 2 or 3 years befoe a component fails and/or it caches fire.

 

[ther00kie16]

Originally posted by: mpilchfamily

Originally posted by: ther00kie16
happened to a guy in my dorm who didn't clean his psu and pc in general for a few years. the psu started smoking and caught fire and most of the components died.

Chances are the PSU died of old age and not from dust. PSUs are only designed to run effectivly for about 5 years. Cheaper PSUs generally don't make it past 2 or 3 years befoe a component fails and/or it caches fire.

his system wasn't that old (but probably had a crappy psu though). but the problem was identified to be the insane amounts of dust that practically cut off all airflow out of the psu.

 

[aussiestilgar]

PLAUSIBLE

 

[Rudy Toody]

We used to explode all types of dust, flour, etc in High School Chemistry. It would only work with an open flame.

EDIT: the particles must also be airborne.