How can I reduce dust build up?

I have rebuilt my system into an Antec 900 Gaming Case. Cooling is great! My GTX275 never goes above 55c and my E8500 idles at 38c and never goes above 55c. My problem is the 4 fans in the Antec case allready seem to be accumulating dust at an allarming rate. Can anyone suggest filters that will reduce the intake of dust and that are relativly easy to fit? Can anyone tell me if there is a material that allows air to flow but at the same time retards/ stops water?

hi andy,
i was just looking at these:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811998069 obviously you would have to locate them from another source, but a few companies make these.

Fan filters work resionably well. Another thing that works well are the foam filters that you can find for window air conditioners at most hardware stores (make sure to get thin ones). These are cheap and you just cut them to fit behind all intake vents (the mesh on the front and side fan intake). The coolermaster centuron 5 uses filters made of the same material (except it only has them behind the front mesh not the side intake). For front oprnings with no fan wedge it in or you can use adhesive, for intakes with fans sandwhich it between the fan bracket and the front pannel. For the side fan sandwhich it between the plastic mounting ring (the ring that holds the duct) and the side pannel. These work well the downside is that dust will build up on the front mesh. This is unsightly but easy to clean.

One thing that helps is to have a positive airflow in your case. What I mean by this is have your case pull more air into the system with fans than pushed out by fans. By doing this excess air gets pushed out of the case vents naturally, meaning that dust and debris won't be sucked into the case through said vents. This also means the fans are the sole location where air is flowing into the case, so you can put air filters on those fans, reducing dust intake. I prefer removable, reusable filters like these (http://www.frozencpu.com/cat/l3/g47/c223/s876/list/p1/Fan_Accessories-Fan_Filters-Washable_Filters-Page1.html) (you can get them on ebay and newegg as well).

Of course your PSU will usually have an outake fan and you definitely want a fan sitting by your Graphics Cards to be pulling air out, but it's a matter of airflow and experience to get it just right.

I'm by no means an expert (I only discovered cable management a year ago lol), I'm just sharing what has worked will for me. ;)

Nice idea with the foam filter! I'll try it out sometime.

Great point madboy,
I have a clear acrylic case so this is obviously an issue for me, i have a healthy positive case pressure going (no filters) and have been very surprised how infrequently i have to 'dust' i didn't know that was the reason...thanks for the tip:)

The environment in which the computer resides is also important. Places like basements, rooms with concrete floors (even if they are covered by say, tile), areas with pet traffic (dogs, cats, birds especially), tend to have a lot more dust in the actual room. Keeping the room clean does wonders to minimizing dust as well.

yeah,,well with three kids, that ones not an option LOL

You can always place your PC in a hermetically sealed chamber or equally effective "clean" room, perhaps not the most cost effective solution but if you got one lying around give it a shot. :haha:
You can also get one of those magnetic dust filters (also know as air purifiers) and put it near by to pull the dust out of the air, don't put it too close but in the general area your PC will be in. That would be a somewhat effective way to keep the dust level down for the entire room and probably better for your overall health, its something I've been wanting to try but never got around to. :grinthumb

Funny you should mention that Ad.... my wife just ordered some sort of air cleaning gizmo like that :). and im glad you mentioned not to put the magnetic air filter to close to the computer, cuz i was going to set it right next to the hard drives :haha:;)

So then, is building a clean room like the ones at CPU manufacturing plants, really out of the question, or only for the most part out of the question?

Not knowing any better, I'm just going to keep struggling with taking that big, heavy, side panel off to clean the machine.

Oh no, wait I have an idea, I'll ask my mother to do it for me.

Great suggestions all around. I will second the use of air filters, if it is something you can afford.

The idea of having a clean room in your house may seem over kill, but not impossible. And yes captaincranky, clean rooms are what CPU manufacturing plants use. When dealing with CPU fabrication the slightest particle contamination can make a chip nothing more than a fancy and very expensive coaster. To make something similar in your house is really not all that complicated, you just need to be rather proficient in carpentry and familiar with some rather basic tools. For the cheapest solution you still need to get some kind of air purifier that can remove as much particles from the air as possible (IE 99.9%) then build an air tight box minus the input for the air purifier and then an exhaust fan to evacuate the now warm air that your computer has used to cool itself. The concept is relatively simple, it just depends on how far you are willing to take it. Oh yeah red1776, that could have been a disaster but really the magnetic field created by a commercial air purifier IMO doesn't create a strong enough field to have a negative effect on home electronics. Unless of course stated by the device itself, magnetism diminishes rather quickly with distance.

I do however remember playing with a large magnet on the tv screen when i was a kid and forever leaving an area the size of a grapefruit that never had color again LOL....and that was when color tv's were a new deal....uurrhg

I do however remember playing with a large magnet on the tv screen when i was a kid and forever leaving an area the size of a grapefruit that never had color again LOL....and that was when color tv's were a new deal....uurrhg

I can't help but say LOL to that, but as you say, Large magnet, and that would have been pretty close to the TV itself. Similar effects are created when large speakers are place near TVs, the TV in my living room has a center channel speaker just above it and the colors in the top left are a little off. Or the speakers in my basement use to really mess with the CRT down here, but these are some rather large speakers. Just play it safe and keep magnets away from your computer, and your TV, and your microwave... and your dog if you have one.

Red that's interesting, never done it, but I have stuck a butter knife in an outlet, i was 4. Luckily I was bare foot and grounded, or I'd be toast.

Anywho...

I had this same issue when I upgraded to my mountainmods ascension case, 12 fans on top, 6 in front(radiators) and 4 fans in the back. I used fan filters, think i got them at frozencpu.com in a pack of 4 for 9 bucks or something. Definately something to look into, especially if your pc is on the floor where dust is idle, and just looking for a pick me up from some air source. The ones I have kind of feel like a brilo pad, abrassive type of material, and its washable, but I'd say its decreased the dust in my setup by 70-75%. I havnt had to clean it out since march, before then i cleaned it out every 2 months or so.

Ad, i don't know if your an audiophile, but i have a pair of Altec lansing 'model 19' speakers, the magnets on these things are enormous! you would be surprised how close they 'don't have to be' to suck the color out of a tv, i learned that one the hard way, LOL

Red that's interesting, never done it, but I have stuck a butter knife in an outlet, i was 4. Luckily I was bare foot and grounded, or I'd be toast.

Anywho...

I did the same thing......of course i was 12.....i really don't want to talk about it! :haha:

I assumed that would cut the airflow to nil so i just went with open fans, i think i might order a six pack or so from frozen, and try that out.

yeah work well, buy a few packs and try them out, if you dont like em, ill paypal you for em, i need more anyhow, i still have my silverstone tj07 with open fans im considering getting filters for.

Super,
Im fixin to order up some of these filters, is the one your talking about?

http://www.frozencpu.com/products/2623/ffi-05/120mm_Washable_Fan_Filter.html?tl=g47c223s548

Ad, i don't know if your an audiophile, but i have a pair of Altec lansing 'model 19' speakers, the magnets on these things are enormous! you would be surprised how close they 'don't have to be' to suck the color out of a tv, i learned that one the hard way, LOL

Tangent 500's, nuff said? Okay, I see you see what I mean by big speakers. I think we can all agree that any residential grade air purifier will never have magnets that can compare to high end home audio. BTW how do those model 19's sound?

Super,
Im fixin to order up some of these filters, is the one your talking about?

http://www.frozencpu.com/products/2623/ffi-05/120mm_Washable_Fan_Filter.html?tl=g47c223s548


yup, same ones, they were a tad bit cheaper when i got em though. I'm sure you'll like em.

well Ad, to this day i've not heard anything like them. along with those massive woofers, they have 18" radial phase/horn tweeters. I run them with a pair of Altec Lansing 'Madrid' speakers @ 4 Ohms. powering these is a Nakamichi PA-7 and PA-5 Preamp. The imaging circuitry in the PA-7 is incredible, not only can you hear what row the violinist is sitting in, but what color his bow tie is. the Model 19's were known as 'the voice of the theater' as there was a version that was used in many theaters back then.(same speaker, just without the walnut finish) if you have the right room layout (big enough) for the wave to complete LOL, they are incomparable IMO. I got suckered back then into all of the 'oxygen free' Gold plated connection, monster cable stuff back then, that i have since been informed was completely unnecessary... oh well, live and learn. probably more than you wanted to know:) but here's the stats on them.
http://www.lansingheritage.org/images/altec/specs/home-systems/model-19/page2.jpg

You know, the entire front of Cooler Master ""Centurion" cases is already equipped with this type of filtration.
That said, I'm not suggesting anybody rush out and buy one of these cases to strip for parts.

It's really the same material as air conditioner filter.

You know, the entire front of Cooler Master ""Centurion" cases is already equipped with this type of filtration.
That said, I'm not suggesting anybody rush out and buy one of these cases to strip for parts.

It's really the same material as air conditioner filter.

Yeah im figuring they are going to be like a Scotch Brite,

well Ad, to this day i've not heard anything like them. along with those massive woofers, they have 18" radial phase/horn tweeters. I run them with a pair of Altec lansing 'Madrid' speakers @ 4 Ohms. powering these is a Nakamichi PA-7 and PA-5 Preamp. the Model 19's were known as 'the voice of the theater' as there was a version that was used in many theaters back then.(same speaker, just without the walnut finish) if you have the right room layout (big enough) for the wave to complete LOL, they are incomparable IMO. I got suckered back then into all of the 'oxygen free' Gold plated connection, monster cable stuff back then, that i have since been informed was completely unnecessary... oh well, live and learn. probably more than you wanted to know:) but here's the stats on them.
http://www.lansingheritage.org/images/altec/specs/home-systems/model-19/page2.jpg

I had a pair of JBL D-130 s w 075 ring radiators, staggering efficiency. these woofers were designed in 1947. They were probably a contributing factor in James B. Lansing's suicide, which I was told may have been brought on, at least in part, by people infringing on his patents.

The most trick part of the woofers was the tuned magnetic circuit, Despite the 12+ pound magnet structure, any iron or steel placed on the back of the speaker would simply drop off. That's right boys and girls all the flux field went directly to the 4" voice field. Ah, the glory days when men were men, and loudspeaker magnets were made of Alnico.

I think that Klipsch "La Scalas" are still available. Those are a more direct equivalent to the Altecs you're describing. Still only $5800.00 a pair http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_ss_gw?url=search-alias%3Delectronics&field-keywords=Klipsch+La+Scala&x=15&y=17

Yeah im figuring they are going to be like a Scotch Brite,
I'm thinking that you have to pull the fan to clean them, and I'm going to stick with the 5 HP compressor in the living room, and blow my cases out with that. The filter in the front of the centurion is a big PIA. If it ever wears out, maybe I'll try Scotch Brite.

you know this topic always makes fondly recall what are my 'good ole days' and something that I believe was better then, then it is now. I was in the garage a while back perusing my album collection as i am want to do. when a young neighborhood teen stopped in , perhaps curious of what i was doing, and asked me "what are those?''
in semi surly manner I asked rather rhetorically, "your kidding right?''. it seems this lad had not ever seen a record album. and I spent the next twenty minutes making him sorry he asked I suppose, as i waxed nostalgic about my good ole days. I have this indefatigable
memory of my dad and the extra fuss it took to 'un-sleeve ' the album and run the black velvet attached to a miniature walnut brick once around the grooves before gently lowering the stylus on it. Somehow it made the music that came from it more of a treat. I suppose its a cliche that whenever one of us who remembers this is asked why we think albums are better, we inevitably answer "they just have a warmer sound".....and they do dammit! and the gentle pops that accompany even the most tirelessly maintained albums are part of the charm...and warmth.
So while i have turned into quite a techno geek of sorts, my giant speakers and vinyl collection are not going anywhere and will remain here in my solipsistic bubble. Whenever an unsuspecting kid asks me "what are those?" or who Elvis or The Ventures were. they will likely get the same 20 minutes of my fond memories followed by a brisk "go away kid...ya bug me".......hey!, maybe these are the good ole days!:haha:

Well put red, well put. Even though I probably am nothing more than some young kid to you, I do understand what you are on about.

was tongue and cheek Ad, no offense meant :) just me prattling on while up all night with my sick daughter.

The idea of having a clean room in your house may seem over kill, but not impossible. And yes captaincranky, clean rooms are what CPU manufacturing plants use. When dealing with CPU fabrication the slightest particle contamination can make a chip nothing more than a fancy and very expensive coaster. And to top that off, once the heat spreader is put on, they become immune to dust. Ergo, you could then run the computer at a construction site with no ill effect. (This assumes solid state HDD, and no optical drives).
To make something similar in your house is really not all that complicated, you just need to be rather proficient in carpentry and familiar with some rather basic tools. First, I'm really quite familiar with any number of tools, from a number of different disciplines.

Second, I'm not going to confuse vanity and obsession with necessity.

So, with all of the foregoing in mind, I think I'll pick up my woodworking tools and build my computer something I believe that it's really entitled to, and that's an altar.
Besides, you could always use it as well disguised plenum chamber to prefilter the intake air.

Don't tell me I can't separate fact from compulsive fantasy.

Dryer Sheets. Possibility of making your room smell better too. And they are much cheaper than the other suggestions (although don't look as good - unless you can hide them).

Dryer Sheets. Possibility of making your room smell better too. And they are much cheaper than the other suggestions (although don't look as good - unless you can hide them).Couldn't agree with you more, cheap available and perhaps even easy to use.

Besides, what could be more satisfying surfing for porn, than with a computer that smells like a freshly washed pair of women's panties....!

Of course there is a downside. Be prepared for some problem threads asking questions like;

Why does my computer smell like a terrorist attack on a laundromat? or perhaps,

like a, " hand grenade thrown into a douche factory".

Please make sure to obtain "hypoallergenic" dryer sheets, or be prepared to have plenty of pseudoephedrine and benadryl nearby.

Guys:

Keep it simple.

The purpose of filters is generally to keep dirt out of moving parts and inaccessible areas (like long ducts in home and industrial air conditioning systems). Computers are compact, with easily accessible interiors, and have few moving parts. The most critical moving parts, hard disks, are sealed. Thus, filters are much less necessary in computers than in other kinds of equipment.

Any filter you put in the airflow of a computer will impair the airflow and cooling -- particularly if you are not conscientious about changing or cleaning them -- and most will still let some dust through.

The best (and least expensive) solution is to just open the case once a month, vacuum out what you can with a small computer vacuum tool, and then use compressed air to blow out the rest.

Keeping the floor clean (and vacuuming any carpeting in the room will help reduce the amount of dust around the computer as will using a room air cleaner.

couldn't agree with you more, cheap available and perhaps even easy to use.

Besides, what could be more satisfying surfing for porn, than with a computer that smells like a freshly washed pair of women's panties....!

Of course there is a downside. Be prepared for some problem threads asking questions like;

why does my computer smell like a terrorist attack on a laundromat? Or perhaps,

like a, " hand grenade thrown into a douche factory".

Please make sure to obtain "hypoallergenic" dryer sheets, or be prepared to have plenty of pseudoephedrine and benadryl nearby.

rofl!

Guys:

Keep it simple.

The purpose of filters is generally to keep dirt out of moving parts and inaccessible areas (like long ducts in home and industrial air conditioning systems). Computers are compact, with easily accessible interiors, and have few moving parts. The most critical moving parts, hard disks, are sealed. Thus, filters are much less necessary in computers than in other kinds of equipment.

Any filter you put in the airflow of a computer will impair the airflow and cooling -- particularly if you are not conscientious about changing or cleaning them -- and most will still let some dust through.

The best (and least expensive) solution is to just open the case once a month, vacuum out what you can with a small computer vacuum tool, and then use compressed air to blow out the rest.

Keeping the floor clean (and vacuuming any carpeting in the room will help reduce the amount of dust around the computer as will using a room air cleaner.

I've already said most of this. That which I haven't, has been mentioned by others

The thread continues due to the fact it perhaps it hasn't; (A) become as funny as it could possibly be. (B) become as outrageous or over the top as it could be, or (C) it's too ornery to die of it's own volition! In furtherance of the (A) and (B) aspects, I present the following for your reading enjoyment.

The vanity aspect of air filters for ones PC cannot be discounted. So, it is natural and honest to confuse that with their necessity. I couldn't agree with you more that there exists the possibility that they might impede airflow through the case. It is to the resolution of this handicap that I offer this humble suggestion. The case should be fitted with an "extractor" type exhaust system, like those typically found on the average sport motorcycle. This would be functional, and could be expanded to assuage the vanity of any particular individual owner, by attaching chrome "fishtail" exhaust extensions to the pipes. Further contributing to the machisimo of the aforementioned rig would be this browser theme for Firefox; https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/addon/4511 For additional enhancement of your computing enjoyment, a recording of an actual motorcycle could be played during the experience. :rolleyes:

last night i got really.....small....i walked around inside my computer, you know just to see how much dust was really in there man......there was a fly in there...he looked confused, and asked me if i knew the way out...i said yeah man...over there by the white rabbit and his tea. I asked if he wanted to hang for a while and listen to the sax man....but he had to go....and so he did. filters man? ..no...not for this cat.

Greatness courts failure. The Sun preceeds the Moon, And & as we run around in glee wee sometimes miss and do not see the filters im getting!

last night i got really.....small....i walked around inside my computer, you know just to see how much dust was really in there man......there was a fly in there...he looked confused, and asked me if i knew the way out...i said yeah man...over there by the white rabbit and his tea. I asked if he wanted to hang for a while and listen to the sax man....but he had to go....and so he did. filters man? ..no...not for this cat.

One pill makes you larger,
One pill makes you small;
And the ones that mother gives you,
Don't do anything at all.
And if you go chasing rabbits,
And you think you're going to fall
Go ask Alice, I think she'll know.........

With deepest apologies to Grace Slick. Lewis Carroll, and also, The Jefferson Airplane.

Here in Iraq, dust and sand are always an issue. You got to have a can of compressed air at all times to blow crap out.

Filters work for a little while, but they end up being dust magnets. I have heard of guys getting a nylon stocking or pantyhose and putting them over air filters on trucks out here in the desert to help. Seems to work somewhat. Don't know if it will work on computers as well.

Here in Iraq, dust and sand are always an issue. You got to have a can of compressed air at all times to blow crap out.

Filters work for a little while, but they end up being dust magnets. I have heard of guys getting a nylon stocking or pantyhose and putting them over air filters on trucks out here in the desert to help. Seems to work somewhat. Don't know if it will work on computers as well.For a computer with any dignity, just a pair of pantyhose would be an effront!

Mine will blue screen, if I don't accompany the hosiery with at least dozen roses, a pound of chocolates, and a card.

But, after that, (an a couple of drinks), she doesn't struggle when I pull off her side covers.