Hey all,
I have a bit of dust building up in my computer and was wondering if something like this http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/NEW-YAPONCHA-12V-PORTABLE-AIR-COM… would be suitable for cleaning the dust out. My other alternative was to buy something like http://www.supercheapauto.com.au/catalogue#page=catalogue&pa… which I could also use in the future as I was planning on doing some simple car maintenance.
I bought something very similar a while back https://www.ozbargain.com.au/node/94119 but found that the air flow was insufficient to dislodge the dust.
I use $5 air cans from Kmart. Link above…
you can use an ordinary air compressor but you'll need to also fit in a water or moisture trap, and a good quality air filter as well.
You don't want to be spraying water onto your computer parts, or sandblasting your motherboard…
Always squirt your first blast AWAY from anything that you don't want moisture to get into.
I found your comment on https://www.ozbargain.com.au/node/167695 from a while back. I also purchased one of those and found they were complete crap. How does the kmart one compare to this?
LOL! I still have those. yes they're pretty crap. I think it's because of the low capacity they have… generally the lower the capacity the more useless they are.
The KMART one does the job okay.
If the compressor is new you wont need a filter yet it takes a while for moisture to build up in a compressor. Also if its drained frequently like it should be that will help.
would it be safe to use a normal vacuum cleaner on low suction setting?
Usually blowing is what you want, sucking probably only useful for already loosened dust bits. But you may have enough luck?
I'm lucky enough to have an old school vacuum that has a blow setting. Apparently they don't do that any more as it poses a health hazard.
also i have a steering wheel with dust above the holes
i was wondering would it be safe to use a vacuum cleaner on low setting to suck the dust out?
i think if i "blowing" some of the dust will fall into the holes
Shop vacs have the outlet, like the one Aldi sells for $99.
I use an air compressor though, just remember to stick your finger on the fans to stop them spinning.
BIL from a while back; my PC slows down after running for a while, maybe it's got a virus so can you fix it? Yeah:
https://www.dropbox.com/s/tyaligzikjpdqph/2016-01-13%2016.52…
https://www.dropbox.com/s/bqp5cyn2b8kfwdk/2016-01-13%2016.52…
Not the crustiest I've seen, but a smarter man peering thru the large window installed in the side of his case might have twigged that all that dust wasn't a good thing. I never even powered it on, but apparently "I fixed it".
Vacuums make static electricity and that would be enough to damage your computer
The smaller compressed air cans should be sufficient for cleaning out dust from a PC. If you have any stubborn dust you can perhaps help the dust off the fan/component by lightly using your finger or similar, and then compressed air again.
Just a heads up, I had something similar to the supercheap item you linked to, the rattle gun component leaked oil from day one of use, I think I had it replaced and the replacement leaked from day one too. Would be fine for compressed air I imagine, but get a proper rattle gun if you plan to use it semi-frequently. Running the unit is also quite loud!
Best of luck.
Yeah I just want to use it for basic maintenance. Looking into doing my own oil changes, brake pads etc.
I would be very careful using a compressor in or near a computer, you can easily damage the components.
The 12V one you posted is not what you want. It is designed for inflating tyres and can do so at very high pressures but very low volumes. I've owned and used lots of similar compressors - they just aren't designed for outputting large volumes.
The 240V one will work perfectly. You'll need a blower attachment which are a few dollars from bunnings. It has lots of other uses too. You can clean your garage without sweeping or water! Just beware to drain the tank and ensure theres no moisture buildup, and let your sit a bit to dry before booting. A few drops of water wont hurt a motherboard.
You can pick up some cheap cans from Kmart for $5