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The power of...dust

Soldato
Joined
6 May 2009
Posts
19,885
This morning I turned my machine on and ran 3 benchmarks with my GTX670 on Valley which took the GPU temp to a whacking 90c :eek: The operating temp I read goes up to 97 so all is good

I have spent the past 30 minutes cleaning out my machine, hoovering graphics card, CPU fan, case fans moving cables around and removing a fan controller which I realised (after ~3 years) it doesn't actually change fan speed.

Re-tested Valley x3, this time with max GPU temps going to 65c. Quite a big (25c) drop for my 30 mins work.

In short, if you haven't cleaned out your rig for a while, its worth doing
 
Associate
Joined
7 Dec 2009
Posts
759
A clean machine is certainly a cool machine.

Quick note though, vacuum cleaners love to generate static charge, and would just love to discharge a few thousand volts through those delicate little circuits in your machine. You are best sticking with a can of compressed air if you don't want the chance of that happening.
 
Associate
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9 Oct 2013
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2,233
I find that once the pc has been cleaned then just use a cheap air bed pump to blow away dust rather than buying compressed air cans.
 
Associate
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7 Dec 2009
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Fair point sgavan and Smok3alot,

Nearly anything that blows and distributes the particles away would be fine. It is the sucking action that pulls the particles together in a confined space (vacuum pipe) that creates the friction that causes the static buildup.
 
Caporegime
Joined
24 Sep 2008
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Location
Essex innit!
Someone want to pop round mine and clean my computer? A job I despise.

Edit:

Just read Smokealots reply and I didn't realise hair dryers blew cold air and my Mrs said it does, so gonna try that later :D

Cheers for the tip :)
 
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Associate
Joined
31 Mar 2012
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1,737
Cleaning once a month? No chance! Got far better things to do. Once every 6 months or each time a new component goes in is more than enough. Using appropriate dust filters/tights on air intakes helps minimise dust in my case.
 
Soldato
Joined
27 Dec 2011
Posts
10,821
Location
Darlington
Cleaning once a month? No chance! Got far better things to do. Once every 6 months or each time a new component goes in is more than enough. Using appropriate dust filters/tights on air intakes helps minimise dust in my case.

^ This.

I've set my PC up so that I have a positve pressure inside the case. All of my intakes have dust filters. Every 6 months I clean my filters. So far the inside of case has always been virtually spotless.
 
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Caporegime
Joined
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Location
Essex innit!
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Mine deffo needs doing :D
 
Associate
Joined
8 Apr 2014
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652
Location
West Country
In short, if you haven't cleaned out your rig for a while, its worth doing

I find my HTPC seems to be the worst for gathering dust (and spiders:o:D) When I can't hear the TV over the fans I know she needs a clean... then she's silent as a church mouse:p:o

Reading this Thread title made me wonder if Celine should do a new version of this classic:p:D

:D
 
Soldato
Joined
6 Aug 2009
Posts
4,504
Location
Wales
As suggested, I use the Mrs hairdryer on cold whilst brushing the dust loose with one of her makeup brushes, not one she's used of course. It's cleaned this way once every two weeks.

Gregster!! That rig is in a hell of a state! Lol get it cleaned man!!
 
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Soldato
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7 Aug 2012
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2,640
Soldato
Joined
27 Nov 2005
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24,548
Location
Guernsey
Loving my Silverstone FT02 case which has easy removable dust filters on the air inlets.
I never want to use or own a PC case ever again that does not have good dust filters..


Which reminds me I better take the dust filters out this weekend and check/clean them..
 
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