PC Peripherals Anti-Moisturising Your PC - A Typical Day in a Geek's Life

Status
Not open for further replies.
nikrusty

nikrusty

Well-Known Member
Forerunner
Geekslife-moisture.jpg

Image Source - http://www.nikrusty.com/2014/07/a-typical-day-in-geeks-life.html

What do you do for helping your PC deal with moisture in the Monsoons?
Things that have helped me...
- Keeping the PC on, this spends the most energy but also keeps the components warmed up
- Use a hair dryer on PSU's and CRT monitors
- Covering the PC with a bed sheet over the PSU
- Silica Gel can help, though don't know the extent to which it does
 
I make sure to remove all dust- from processor fan to mobo, cards, hdd, case fans etc. If too much dust accumulates, it becomes warm due to heat inside cabinet and after you switch off the pc, it will attract moisture while cooling. It may sound absurd in theory, but I've seen traces of discoloration on old components when they were not cleaned for long time.
 
  • Like
Reactions: nikrusty
nikrusty said:
View attachment 43152
Image Source - http://www.nikrusty.com/2014/07/a-typical-day-in-geeks-life.html

What do you do for helping your PC deal with moisture in the Monsoons?
Things that have helped me...
- Keeping the PC on, this spends the most energy but also keeps the components warmed up
- Use a hair dryer on PSU's and CRT monitors
- Covering the PC with a bed sheet over the PSU
- Silica Gel can help, though don't know the extent to which it does
Click to expand...
Is it a good idea using a hair dryer on an electronic item?
Don't they generate static charge in some manner?
 
hotshot05 said:
Is it a good idea using a hair dryer on an electronic item?
Don't they generate static charge in some manner?
Click to expand...
Apart from that it will also force minute dust particles and moisture inside, which creates an even bigger problem than what you're trying to solve.
 
The computer shops open up the cabinet/laptop body fully and only then use the blower. Less chances of dirt getting stuck in nook and cranny. What the OP suggested was using the blower from outside.

I am searching for the manual blowers. The ones that look like big droppers and are operated by hand. I think they will be available at the hardware stores. Or a can of compressed air will also do great.
 
Blowers are just fine on PC components as long as your comp is off and you take off the side panels. Ive used it for years to clean my several PC's and have had no issues. Note that the other end where the air gets in SHOULD be covered with a cloth, which generally comes with the blower anyway. This filters out the air atleast. The manual blowers are ok for finer things to clean but an entire computer...you'll go mad and tired!
 
A lot of electronic equipment have issues in the humid months, the dust on the boards and components attract and absorb moisture which leads to micro shorting and other erratic behaviour.

The Planet power / electrex blowers are pretty good, made in india and have a warranty. I use one and am pretty satisfied with it.

http://www.planetpowertools.com/blower.html
 
shirish said:
pictures anybody and any pricing or models of such blowers.
Click to expand...
Well here's my experience.
I had bought a cheap chinese blower for Rs.500 bucks way back in college in the year 2000 or something and it lasted me till this year 2015. I used to use it 6 to 7 times a year to clean out all my 3 to 4 PC's at home only. It lasted me well. The Planet power one suggest by Julian must be much better quality, but does it matter really spending Rs.1500? That you decide.

In lamington road (Mumbai), you'll get chinese blowers for as cheap as Rs.650 with cloth bag. The bag is important to cover the suction part so that big dust particles doesn't get blow on to your PC components. you can always use another cloth also to cover the suction part (on the side).

Online ordering Saga
Therefore I began searching online and found snapdeal sold ones that cheap as Rs.550 with shipping. Hooray! But the only problem, the courier guys break the product with their bad handling and therefore I got 2 products with broken nozzles exactly in the same place. So I wouldn't recommend picking those up. e.g. http://www.snapdeal.com/product/cheston-green-650w-drill-machine/634888644377 Don't buy this online!

I'm now going to lammy road to pick one up for Rs.650, atleast I'll be able to check out the working condition of it and it won't be broken :p
 
The chinese ones start about 600 bucks in the stores at turbhe, new bombay. They seem to work well enough at the shop, but the dealers clearly say no warranty. So if it works for 15 years, well and good, else spend twice the amount for a warranty. Can't remember if the warranty was 6 months or one year. They cost about 1200 bucks on the street.

Personally I would probably buy a chinese one if it was my first time, and if that conked, then buy the indian one.

Btw, just wanted to add, someone asked about a hair dryer. It's not enough to properly blow the dust out, plus gets hot as hell. Heck even the blower air gets a bit warm. I've tried with vacuum cleaner blower functions, and the full size eureka forbes one was just about ok, a smaller (about 3/4) size eureka forbes was useless. So nothing can beat the blowers in actually blowing out dust.
 
"So nothing can beat the blowers in actually blowing out dust." Quite agree. Even for the blowers, you cannot use the blowing function continously like for 2 mins etc, you don't need to either. Just blow and stop, blow and stop (OMG this is sounding so porno...lol). This helps to keep the air cool and the motor doesnt heat up either. I've used this technique quite effectively.

I was wondering about the full blown vacuum cleaners but they are too big to maneuver and the smaller vacuums ones I've never attempted. So your experience really helps here. Blower ALL THE WAY BABY!

I'm gonna attempt another Cheapo Rs.650 buy from Lammy, and yes no warranty on it. If that screws up, then Will definitely go for the Rs.1200 one you suggested with more year warranty on it. Of course the components would be better. Thanks for the advice Julian.
 
Actually, the amount of heat put out by the blower is probably not going to damage any components on your mobo. It may even be a good thing, causing any residual moisture to evaporate.

The reason I'm saying this is because mobile repair dudes (one of my friends is one) actually use an SMD rework hot air solder blower (which is much, much hotter) to repair water damaged mobiles, of course moving the blow about quickly or it would start melting solder.
 
  • Like
Reactions: nikrusty and cisco_tech
Well, it is that time of the year and yes monsoon is here with a few PC hiccups. Anycase, I bought a cheap Rs.650 blower from lammy road. It is much better built than the Rs.550 one and it is quieter too! Am quite happy :)
 
It is called "Topline - Plus" Electric Blower - 230V-50Hz, 450W, 13000r/min, 2.3m3/min. Comes with an air bag, nozzle and extra carbon replacement (atleast that's what I think it is called). It is quiet unlike the Rs.550 really shitty quality and noisy blowers on Snapdeal. The plastic itself is better quality and feels smooth.

My quick review on my site, all thanks to Julian who wanted to see pics and TE that doesn't let you upload em. http://www.nikrusty.com/2015/07/chinese-electric-blower-reviews.html
IMG_20150723_230521.jpg
IMG_20150723_230717.jpg
IMG_20150723_230730.jpg
IMG_20150723_230752.jpg
 
  • Like
Reactions: Kilroyquasar
i have the same one (green coloured), which i think Mr. Gulbir from primeabgb had arranged for me to get (apparently, it was in short supply at lam rd. that time/those days) 3-4 years back. have been using it since then. the air-filter bag/cloth was misplaced long back, a part near the handle suffered a crack after a drop, and i've had to stick the nozzle with a cellotape to the blower's mouth, but despite all this, the blower's been functioning well. i've marked each Friday as a 'cleaning day' when i clean my crab-cave and hoarded hazmat a bit thoroughly (though not every Friday :p), and that is when i open the PC-cabinet too and give it a 'hot air bath' with the blower. this is accompanied by a vacuum cleaner that sucks up all the dust that gets spilled out from the cabinet, and to clean the keyboard as well, plus, a pair of micro-fiber cloth gloves, a compressed air can, a toothbrush, a set of broad and thin flat paint-brushes and a soft shaving brush to finish up by cleaning the remaining 'sticky' dust, the meshes, and the difficult corners.

this is the first time i came across the info that monsoons affect PCs (though am aware that high humidity conditions are bad for TVs, PCs and electronics in general). just 2 days back i had a 'bad PC/electronics day' (one of those 'e-RaahuKaalam' days that everyone like us mandatorily encounters a few times a year or a few times a few years, if extra lucky; i faced this one after a considerable time), with problems on my desktop, laptop, net-connection, etc. plaguing the whole day, but most (i believe; not solved yet) were related to software than, as news-channels would love to put it, 'monsoon ki qayaamati maar!'.
 
Last edited:
  • Like
Reactions: nikrusty
you're right, the yellow does look good for some reason, i'm not usually a yellow person.

nice of them to give extra carbon brushes with it.

i'm assuming this is made in china? if you get the chance, shop or elsewhere, take a look at the planet power/electrex made in india blower, and see how this one compares with that.
 
  • Like
Reactions: nikrusty
Status
Not open for further replies.
Top Bottom