cleaning inside PC with vacuum cleaner

I once read that cleaning inside the PC case with a vacuum cleaner creates a
hazard of electrostatic discharge (ESD). I have never done it. I have
always found other ways to accomplish the cleaning I wanted to do, however
I'm thinking a vacuum cleaner might be OK depending on how it's used. Two
situations where it would be handy is for cleaning dusty memory slots before
installing memory, and also for cleaning CPU heatsinks that are full of
dust. Often I don't have a can of pressurized air with me. Also it would
be nice not to be spending money on cans of air.

I could make a vacuum cleaner attachment out of a long piece of clear
plastic tubing with a piece of small diameter metal tubing at the end. The
metal tubing would be the end used to suck the dust out of the case. If I
keep the metal tubing grounded to the PC case it seems that would prevent
ESD from occurring at the end of the tube - i.e. the end close to the PC
hardware. Does anyone here know if this idea is a safe thing to be doing?
Maybe people do it all the time. I don't know.

TIA. Bill S.

Cleaning PC in sides with Vacuum cleaner ...Blow not Suck .
Mouse
@@@

"Trimble Bracegirdle" no-spam Spam.Not wrote:

Cleaning PC in sides with Vacuum cleaner ...Blow not Suck .
Mouse

Blowing is not less harmful, AFAIK.














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John Doe wrote
Trimble Bracegirdle no-spam Spam.Not wrote

Cleaning PC in sides with Vacuum cleaner ...Blow not Suck .

Blowing is not less harmful, AFAIK.

Blowing reduces the risk of sucking a loose jumper off etc.

Bit more likely to cause a static problem tho.

Bill -
My neighbors at work are network techs (install for Fortune 500 Co's
so are very qualified) and they use an electric leaf blower. They
remove the case, and blow the heck out of it. They do it on all our
machines too and never had a single problem.

"chuber" wrote in message
ups.com...
Bill -
My neighbors at work are network techs (install for Fortune 500 Co's
so are very qualified) and they use an electric leaf blower. They
remove the case, and blow the heck out of it. They do it on all our
machines too and never had a single problem.


That would probably work OK, as long as the business end of the leaf blower
was never closer than a foot away from any electronics component. The
problem with the vacuum cleaner is that it (just like a leaf blower) will
create gobs of static electricity, but the air pressure (from the vacuum
cleaner on suck OR blow mode) isn't sufficient to keep that static
electricity far enough away from the delicate electronics. So you have
people shoving all that static electricity right into components that can't
handle it. -Dave

"Patches Forever" wrote in message
. ..
I once read that cleaning inside the PC case with a vacuum cleaner creates
a hazard of electrostatic discharge (ESD).

No ****.

I have never done it.

Well, he's smarter than the average bear, so far.

I have always found other ways to accomplish the cleaning I wanted to do,
however I'm thinking a vacuum cleaner might be OK depending on how it's
used. Two situations where it would be handy is for cleaning dusty memory
slots before installing memory,

Well you were looking for an excuse to buy a new mainboard anyway, right?

and also for cleaning CPU heatsinks that are full of dust.

Ummmmmm . . . no

Often I don't have a can of pressurized air with me. Also it would be
nice not to be spending money on cans of air.

Well q-tips and 100% rubbing alcohol works better than compressed air,
though it's more time-consuming


I could make a vacuum cleaner attachment out of a long piece of clear
plastic tubing with a piece of small diameter metal tubing at the end.

What a great static electricity conductor!!! You really hate your computer,
don't you?

The metal tubing would be the end used to suck the dust out of the case.
If I keep the metal tubing grounded to the PC case it seems that would
prevent ESD from occurring at the end of the tube

Unfortunately, the case is ground for some components. Instead of zapping
the components from the top, you'd be zapping them from the bottom. That
is, unless the case is connected very well to EARTH ground. That is, with a
long metal pole driven into the earth. -Dave

"John Doe" wrote in message
...
"Trimble Bracegirdle" no-spam Spam.Not wrote:

Cleaning PC in sides with Vacuum cleaner ...Blow not Suck .
Mouse

Blowing is not less harmful, AFAIK.


That is correct.

I never had any problem using a vacum cleaner taking the dust out of the
case.
New computer parts are much less sensitive to electrostatic as was few years
ago.
I don't suggest you to do it in very dry air, that will cause a lot of
electrostatic though.
Don't do it in a strong suck cause this might suck loose jumpers.

Don't you think that the high speed turning fans that blow air in, out and
inside the case are doing exactly the same ?


"Patches Forever" wrote in message
. ..
I once read that cleaning inside the PC case with a vacuum cleaner creates
a hazard of electrostatic discharge (ESD). I have never done it. I have
always found other ways to accomplish the cleaning I wanted to do, however
I'm thinking a vacuum cleaner might be OK depending on how it's used. Two
situations where it would be handy is for cleaning dusty memory slots
before installing memory, and also for cleaning CPU heatsinks that are full
of dust. Often I don't have a can of pressurized air with me. Also it
would be nice not to be spending money on cans of air.

I could make a vacuum cleaner attachment out of a long piece of clear
plastic tubing with a piece of small diameter metal tubing at the end.
The metal tubing would be the end used to suck the dust out of the case.
If I keep the metal tubing grounded to the PC case it seems that would
prevent ESD from occurring at the end of the tube - i.e. the end close to
the PC hardware. Does anyone here know if this idea is a safe thing to be
doing? Maybe people do it all the time. I don't know.

TIA. Bill S.

"chuber" wrote in message
ups.com...
Bill -
My neighbors at work are network techs (install for Fortune 500 Co's
so are very qualified)

not if they use a leaf blower..sorry...that is the stupidest thing I have heard so far. I
bet the cleaning crew just luv them. Blowing all that crap all over the place.


and they use an electric leaf blower. They
remove the case, and blow the heck out of it. They do it on all our
machines too and never had a single problem.