In alt.comp.hardware, on Mon, 23 Jan 2017 17:32:30 -0800, T
wrote:

On 01/23/2017 01:37 AM, micky wrote:
Can you damage a case fan by vacuuming the air vents from the outside?

(I have a Dell Optiplex 775 with the original fan. )

It seems more than safe to me, but I happened to read the manual for a
Noctua fan and it says not to use a vacuum cleaner or it may apply
"excessive force to the fan". I find that hard to believe. I've pushed
on the vanes of other 3, 4, and 5" fans and they don't bend at all with
the kind of force vacuum cleaners exert. In fact I think they would be
hard to break. Are Noctua fans more fragile than others?



Hi Micky,

A "fan" is also know as a "reservable generator". If you
cause it to spin, you will create a current. This can
damage any electronics on the fan's controller and/or
damage anything the fan is plugged into.

When I blow out fans, I will grab a blade to keep it
from spinning

-T

I learned the above the hard way and yes I did know better.

Thanks and thanks all.

You all agree on this part of the advice, and I've take the other things
to heart also.