G5's Dust Gathering Capacity
I just opened my G5, which has been running for three weeks now, almost full-continu.
It's dust gathering capacities are formidable, I must say.
Now what's the best way to remove this dust once a while from it's interior?
1) Vacuüm-clean, with the risc of damaging the internal components;
2) Pressurized air spray (which could make the dust go further in, not out of the case);
3) Just leave as is, having enough dust to knit me a really warm sweater next winter...
I have the G5 on my desk, not the most dusty place in the room, I'd say.
It's dust gathering capacities are formidable, I must say.
Now what's the best way to remove this dust once a while from it's interior?
1) Vacuüm-clean, with the risc of damaging the internal components;
2) Pressurized air spray (which could make the dust go further in, not out of the case);
3) Just leave as is, having enough dust to knit me a really warm sweater next winter...
I have the G5 on my desk, not the most dusty place in the room, I'd say.
Comments
Originally posted by reactor
I just opened my G5, which has been running for three weeks now, almost full-continu.
It's dust gathering capacities are formidable, I must say.
Now what's the best way to remove this dust once a while from it's interior?
1) Vacuüm-clean, with the risc of damaging the internal components;
2) Pressurized air spray (which could make the dust go further in, not out of the case);
3) Just leave as is, having enough dust to knit me a really warm sweater next winter...
I have the G5 on my desk, not the most dusty place in the room, I'd say.
i have to admit, i was worried about this same problem when i saw the g5 for the first time. all those fans and that grille must equal a hell of a lot of dust buildup. factor in pets and windows open when it's nice out, and you'll be swimming in it in no time.
i guess apple expects you to be working in a clean-room (edit: as in those industrial, vacuum-packed, all dust is incinerated on sight and everyone walks around in moon suits just to make themselves a sandwich kind of "clean room"), just like their white keyboards expect you to not eat anything and use clean gloves while typing.
you can go to a computer store and see if you can pick up a static-free mini-vacuum. they are usually intended for copiers and printers that need toner sucked up on occassion, but not damage the computer internals. just make sure to check the packaging, web site, and staff to make sure it is rated for use inside a computer.
lots of dust is always a fire hazard, but i doubt you have enough to worry about in that regard over these past few months. in a year, i would definitely start considering a healthy clean-out.
Originally posted by reactor
Well, the room is clean (no 'clean-room', though), it's just that having it on 24/7 pumps the available air across the room over and over, so any dust present will ultimately end up on the floor (being vacuümed) OR in the machine.
Well think of it this way: you get a great computer as well a air filter for the price of one!
It still looked pretty good, however, about a week ago when I added more memory. I've only had the G5 since 9/26, so maybe it needs a little more time to get really grungy.
1) Take a large brown sack and open it wide.
2) Place G5 in sack.
3) Tie off sack.
4) Road trip to Hover Dam.
5) Toss off the side of the dam that has water flowing into the power-house.
6) Wait 30 min.
7) Pick up sack down river from dam.
All the parts inside the sack will be so clean you could eat off it.
Would this be covered under applecare?
Originally posted by MacUsers
hmm... same problem here... maybe just use one of them dust collecting cloths
Correct me if I'm wrong, but don't those dust cloths work on some sort of principle related to...static? But a miniscule amount like present there wouldn't matter would it? Still wiping something through, and across the mobo etc. doesn't seem like a stellar idea to me. IMO.
Maciek
Originally posted by Sh0eWax
Correct me if I'm wrong, but don't those dust cloths work on some sort of principle related to...static? But a miniscule amount like present there wouldn't matter would it? Still wiping something through, and across the mobo etc. doesn't seem like a stellar idea to me. IMO.
Maciek
ya, i never tried it because i wanted to make sure it wouldn't do anything funky
So...
I tried cleaning with a vacum (the long tube that extends, not the rolling part) and found it quite effective initially. After most of the excess dust was sucked out, I took to it a round paintbrush, about 1 in. thick, but lightly while keeping the vacum hose at a distance. The paintbrush managed to dislodge most of the dust in hard to reach places and the suction created by the vacume sucked everything out. I booted up the machine without flaws, thus concluding that it was pretty safe.
I'm not guaranteeing this will work on the tower becuz I don't have one, so try it at your own risk.
Maciek.
PS. Use common computer sense, grounding yourself etc. ...even if this whole idea seems to contradict common sense.
Originally posted by Sh0eWax
After reading this post, I was provoked to check my other computers for such buildup and found about 1 years worth in one of my boxes. It being a lowend PC I found no problem running some tests including a vacum cleaner.
So...
I tried cleaning with a vacum (the long tube that extends, not the rolling part) and found it quite effective initially. After most of the excess dust was sucked out, I took to it a round paintbrush, about 1 in. thick, but lightly while keeping the vacum hose at a distance. The paintbrush managed to dislodge most of the dust in hard to reach places and the suction created by the vacume sucked everything out. I booted up the machine without flaws, thus concluding that it was pretty safe.
I'm not guaranteeing this will work on the tower becuz I don't have one, so try it at your own risk.
Maciek.
PS. Use common computer sense, grounding yourself etc. ...even if this whole idea seems to contradict common sense.
i am REALLY surprised you didn't build up a serious static charge with those bristles roaming all over the place. seriously, check into an actual computer vacuum next time. the logic board you save may be your own.
He opened the bottom of the iMac and asked if I happened to have a can of compressed air.
I just so happened to have a can, so I gave it to hime and he started spraying it into the bottom and you would not believe the amount of dust that came out of it, I was stunned!
Our home is kept very clean and we have no pets, the iMac is sitting on a table no where near the floor.
I also think where you live can effect how much dust you get, we live in NYC and believe me we get alot more dust than others.
reg
Anyway, whenever I have access to the inside of my computer, I take it outside and blow it off. It's simple. Take the nozzle and hose, get in there and blow the dust out. No worrying about spilling "liquid compressed air" if the can is not upright.
Oh, with those static wipe: Be careful, the static cleaning pad will not build up enough charge alone, (Always tough the inside of your case before and while cleaning your computer because the harmful static is caused by you and your clothes) but some of the pads can use corrosive chemicals that may damage the components of your computer.
Cheap thrills, but it really did the trick. I don't know how the G5 case opens, but compressed air really does the trick on Yosemites.
First, using a ShopVac that blows instead of sucks is great for dusting out computer cases. Hmmm, that just sounds...wrong for some reason.
Second, relating to it being amazing the stuff that you can suck into your computer - I used to do tech work in a comp store, and one system came in that smelled strongly like the hog barn it had been sitting in.