Homemade 120mm fan dust filter

[dustin_ds3000]

can i use an old white t, cut it to size, oh im really tight on money so i dont wont to buy one. but if i have to i will

 

[raybay]

I wouldn't use a filter at all. It slows down air flow too much. Just blow it out when it gets bad. A little dust never hurt anything.

 

[dustin_ds3000]

ok i thought it would but i wasn't sure, thankz for the info

 

[CMH]

I always wondered what would happen if you modded a high-performance air filter from cars, and put it in a computer... would that affect airflow much?

I know filters made for computers either reduce airflow dramatically, or just aren't efficient at its job (ie, holes too big to trap dust).

Using an old T will reduce dust in the case, but will severely affect airflow.

 

[raybay]

The dust isn't nearly the problem that the lack of air flow is... just clean it out routinely... every six to 12 weeks using canned air... NOT a vacuum cleaner which introduces too much static.

 

[Condor]

I mod my old car radiator onto my PC. Run really cool , but thats other story.

 

[captaincranky]

Round and Round We Go........

You could turn up the fan to compensate for the restriction, but that would increase the noise. Then you could turn down the fan to compensate for the noise. On second thought sack the shirt.

 

[dustin_ds3000]

my case fans are running off of the psu, noise is not a problem for me, i just crank up the music

 

[SNGX1275]

Just use a dryer sheet. And you get the bonus of good smelling air for a few hours.

 

[tipstir]

Just get a air cleaner device to run in the room so dust is not an issue.. AC in the windows remove dust and dirt from the room while it dehumid keeps the room cool. That type of filter is washable you could use that with your PC case fan. Some cases has a wired filtered for the CPU exhaust fan. If you smoke it goes into the system case cause problems for the CPU heatsink gets clogged quickly.

 

[captaincranky]

Alrighty.......

my case fans are running off of the psu, noise is not a problem for me, i just crank up the music

Let 'er rip! (pun intended)

 

[raybay]

What an exciting idea! What an idea! Better than the sheet of flavored burlap I was going to propose.

 

[dustin_ds3000]

well i don't smoke, and my room is in a basement so dust is a big problem, it also stays about 15c in my room

 

[tipstir]

I don't smoke either, but work on others PCs who do.. I won't touch thouse systems without blasting it clean. The odor of smoke is still present though.. I have two systems in the basement one has the PSU with 120mm case fan blowing down in the case. Still have 80mm for air-take up front and 120mm for air-out take. No dust in that patch panel network closet. Both the CPU and Video Card are OC, never had a problem and it's runs 24/7. The filter in the new AC for the home windows use a clear plastic filter that you can wash under the faucet and attach them to the PC using rotor tool to shape to fit your case fan. Also for those areas of you home that is dusty. Like if you got pets who shed hair like crazy that seems to get into or near the PC case fans. Again since this time of the year is hot the windows ac filter does a great job taking out the dust in the air... 70F here.. don't know what that is in C..

 

[CMH]

Quite surprising that computers belonging to smokers actually don't short itself up... Carbon still does conduct electricity the last time I checked.

Having all that stuff all over your PCBs can't be a good thing, and thats forgetting what it does to your heatsinks.

 

[MetalX]

Hm... computers should be made to stop working from cigarette smoke accumulation Might be another incentive for people to stop smoking.

 

[CMH]

Plenty of other ways to make people stop smoking....

Its just that political correctness gets in the way.

At least now where I live, there is a blanket ban on smoking indoors (including pubs, bars, etc).

Back to the topic....

Has anyone really checked the efficacy of those filters, and its effect on the fan's cfm? I can see an experiment where flour is dusted into the fan's intakes, and the amount of flour that gets trapped on the filter is measured, as well as the fan's cfm.

 

[LinkedKube]

I'd say use something thinner than flour, umm not sure what to use, but you want to use something that's travelled extremely easy by air.

 

[dustin_ds3000]

baby powder would work

 

[captaincranky]

The winds from the North today.......

Quite surprising that computers belonging to smokers actually don't short itself up... Carbon still does conduct electricity the last time I checked.

Having all that stuff all over your PCBs can't be a good thing, and thats forgetting what it does to your heatsinks.

Yo, although I'm not a chemist, my understanding is that most of the carbon in cigarette smoke is combined with Oxygen as CO2 and CO. Neither of which conduct electricity particularly well.
There is a heavy, condensible component to the smoke, but it's most likely to precipitate out on a cold surface, your outside walls in the winter would likely be first at the scene of the accident.
I solved the blow it out, don't vacuum it problems years ago, I keep an air compressor around always. Sure it's a considerable initial investment, but you can do so many other things with it. Need I list them?
As a reformed former smoker I should be as militant as you about smoke free areas, but you know I get a perverse kind of amusement from watching morons p*** their money away on take out food and the now almost $5.00 a pack cigarettes. Then they wonder why they never have anything. Too far off topic, many apologies.