How often to open up your cabinet ?

[Gen.Libeb]

So today I opened up my pc, took out all parts & cleaned out the dust & there was a lot of it, I do this around every 3 months for about the last one year, since I upgraded to this rig.
I don't really like taking off the cpu fan, The time before I had some trouble putting it on back, This time i cleaned from the outside.

I'm sure there is no definite answer to how often one should do this. Please share your routines on this.

Is there any way I can stop / reduce dust collection inside, may be some kind of filters ? I have no idea on this.

Thanks.

 

[harshilsharma63]

First of all if you removed the cpu fan+heatsink from the motherboard, you spoiled the thermal paste, better get some from your local shop, they may give you the paste which they get with the processors for about Rs. 70 -100.

Personally, I just open the the side cover, check for dust, and if it's present I call up my friend to deliver his cycle pump at my home and then I take out all components and clean them while pushing the pump
There's really no regularity to it, I just keep checking for dust every few days. Last time, I sealed up all the holes except the fan hole, so I expect less dust to be present now.

 

[Gen.Libeb]

First of all if you removed the cpu fan+heatsink from the motherboard, you spoiled the thermal paste, better get some from your local shop, they may give you the paste which they get with the processors for about Rs. 70 -100.

Personally, I just open the the side cover, check for dust, and if it's present I call up my friend to deliver his cycle pump at my home and then I take out all components and clean them while pushing the pump
There's really no regularity to it, I just keep checking for dust every few days. Last time, I sealed up all the holes except the fan hole, so I expect less dust to be present now.

Yeah, The last time I wasn't sure If I was applying thermal paste uniformly over the surface, that's why I didn't bother taking it off this time.
Cycle pump - Good idea; and you sealed up all the holes ? Won't that be a problem with overheating inside ?
I suppose vacuuming is not a good idea with the static electricity thing, is it ?

 

[harshilsharma63]

^ no, sealing them didn't create any problem. I have two intake fans, one blowing cool air directly over cpu fan through a diy cardboard duct and the other over the chippet. There's also an exaust fan. After my exams get over, I'll be doing some nodding job and attaching some more fans just for fun.

Besides, what are your system's temperatures?

 

[tkin]

One light cleaning every month with just a blower, one complete overhaul cleaning 3 times an year.

 

[Gen.Libeb]

Besides, what are your system's temperatures?

Don't know. I don't really check them.

One light cleaning every month with just a blower, one complete overhaul cleaning 3 times an year.

That's good, I think I should start doing the light cleaning monthly, though the major problem is the dust in the GPU & CPU fan which won't go by just blowing, I need to use those swabs.

Thanks guys for for your suggestions.

 

[d6bmg]

^^ If you perform monthly cleaning, there won't be much of those accumulated dusts in your system.
P.S. use blower fan at high RPM.

 

[Anorion]

keep it open all the time
should clean more often, do it only when the cooler stops working and the comp starts rebooting

 

[anirbandd]

^

 

[tkin]

keep it open all the time
should clean more often, do it only when the cooler stops working and the comp starts rebooting

*i.imgur.com/oTDJFs0.jpg

 

[harshilsharma63]

Just attach a very large heat sink, of the size of the cabinet itself, attach it to your cpu, ram and graphic card and place it outside the cabinet, now you can easily seal the complete cabinet in a polyethine bag, seal it perfectly and you will never encounter any dust problem and the heat sink will keep it cool too.

 

[gameranand]

Usually I open up in like 15-20 days and clean it with a piece of cloth and brushes. Usually clean the system thoroughly in 4-5 months. It takes a lot of time and patience though, cleaning every fin of the fan and all.

 

[d6bmg]

keep it open all the time
should clean more often, do it only when the cooler stops working and the comp starts rebooting

Bad suggestion.
Open setup or semi open chassis = dust magnet..

 

[anirbandd]

Usually I open up in like 15-20 days and clean it with a piece of cloth and brushes. Usually clean the system thoroughly in 4-5 months. It takes a lot of time and patience though, cleaning every fin of the fan and all.

every 15-20 days??? :suicide:

 

[furious_gamer]

Mine is always open, because i left side panel at my old room while vacating and now whole thing is covered in dust.

 

[harshilsharma63]

Mine is always open, because i left side panel at my old room while vacating and now whole thing is covered in dust.

Why don't you get a different cover then, maybe a different colored one may add a nice color scheme? Or that you like your desh ki mitti?

 

[tkin]

Why don't you get a different cover then, maybe a different colored one may add a nice color scheme? Or that you like your desh ki mitti?

Or hang a bedcover on the side, with some holes in them

 

[sam_738844]

I have one cabinet opened from both sides. It requires no fans no cooling systems...nothing, its a old tech-com cheap local crappy cabinet i bought my CPU in 2004.


P.S : There is nothing inside the cabinet. The computer does not run. I destroyed everything, literally ripped them and burned.

 

[Anorion]

Bad suggestion.
Open setup or semi open chassis = dust magnet..

thank you for your profound observations, but it was not a suggestion, it was an answer to the question

have to find it first to put it back on, and swipe drives pretty frequently so gonna leave it open

 

[desidude2013]

use a blower to clean dust of fans.