How does dust affect my G5 and how do I clean it out?

JPigford

JPigford

I'm awesome...seriously..
I've had my Dual 2Ghz G5 for over 2 years now and (cringe) have never cleaned out all of the dust that has built up inside...and there is a LOT!

So two-fold question:
1) How will (if at all) the dust affect the G5?
2) What's the best way to thoroughly clean it out?
 
1) The dust may accumulate in places where heat needs to escape; for example, in the fan on the back of the optical drive, and it may affect heat dissipation or airflow. While it would take a considerable amount of dust to adversely affect the computer, it can happen.

2) Use a can of compressed air, easily found at places like OfficeMax/Depot, Best Buy, or any local electronics/computer shop. Open the computer up, take it out on your porch, and start dusting it all out. You may even go so far as to remove the hard drives and any easily-removable components to get at the dust that may be trapped underneath.
 
I use a little hand vacuum with some special tiny attachments I bought separately to clean dust out of things like computers or printers.

I think this is better than blowing the dust around with compressed air because as often as not you're just blowing the dust someplace else where you can't see it.

I think I saw the tiny attachment kit at Target recently, I think I got mine at Home Depot. Depending on the vacuum cleaner you may have to duct tape them on.
 
Lt Major Burns said:
wouldn't the hand vaccuum generate unwanted static?
Click to expand...
I suppose that in a very dry environment it might but that's not an issue for me. In any case the components are still in place and mounted and therefore grounded as designed.

I've been doing this for a long, long, time and my machines haven't failed. There is a short length of hose between the vacuum machine and the attachments. Vacuum cleaners are a standard component of a photocopier techies kit and copiers are loaded with electronics.

Clean dust and grime from inside the case walls with wipes. If you have a vacuum, use it to remove as much dust as possible from the interior, especially from wire, chips, and circuitry, where it can act like an insulating blanket, trapping heat--an enemy of all things electronic. A canister vacuum is often best here; use the soft brush attachment.

http://www.pcworld.com/howto/article/0,aid,104652,pg,3,00.asp
Click to expand...
 
Dust is bad stuff, because it insulates the heat underneath it; working much like a blanket.

I've always been told that compressed air is where it's at. Cheaper than a vacuum I'd think, too.
 
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