07-03-2003, 09:14 PM
buy or make a metal nozzle for your vacuum and permanently attach a grounding strap with a screw.
BAD advice. Not a bad idea, if you are always careful about never working on any powered circuit, but really bad advice to give. Too many people aren't careful. There was a local kid managed to kill himself last year, cleaning out his power supply. It happened that the live and neutral wires were crossed in it from the manufacturer, even though it was turned off, it was still hot.
Also, if you are going to putz around inside your 'puter with a grounded instrument, remember you also have at least one battery on the motherboard supplying power for the BIOS settings and clock.
If you aren't sure about what you are doing, buy a STATIC DISCHARGE (NOT Grounding) clip. It will have a resistor in it that will prevent a high current discharge that can create a spark, or worse. If you DO know what you're doing, you can make your own.
By the way, after 30 years of working in electronics, I can just about count the number of cases of static damage I've had on one finger. Common sense goes a long way, too bad it's so rare.
As for cleaning scunge out of a 'puter, here's what I do:
1: REMOVE anything that can reasonably be taken out of the machine, i.e. power supply, heatsinks / fans. Take them outside, preferably, and brush them out with a non-conductive, anti-static brush where the dust won't just float around in the room with the 'puter.
2: Inside what's left of the puter, use the brush to dislodge dust while having a vacuum close enough to catch it.
3: Canned air if necessary to move hard to reach dust, with the vacuum still going to catch it. Watch out what you use for compressed air. A competitor of mine managed to blow every 'puter in an office, when they used the air hose that was available in that location. Steel tank, brass nozzle, zap! :) Of course, they did all the machines, without bothering to see if they still worked after the treatment. Just because they charge $95 / hour doesn't mean they know what they're doing.
Common sense: take note of what you're wearing, wool sweaters aren't a good idea. Humid days can be good, although air conditioning defeats that advantage.
Heat is a killer, especially long term. Most dust acts as an insulator, as well as blocking the free flow of air. As a general rule with electronics, the hotter it runs, the shorter it's life.
Last word: I see a lot of people who put the 'puter on the floor. Although it's out of the way, it is the worse place for picking up dust. Dust will eventually settle to the floor, and walking around will stir it up just enough for the intake on the 'puter to pick it up.
-rcv-
BAD advice. Not a bad idea, if you are always careful about never working on any powered circuit, but really bad advice to give. Too many people aren't careful. There was a local kid managed to kill himself last year, cleaning out his power supply. It happened that the live and neutral wires were crossed in it from the manufacturer, even though it was turned off, it was still hot.
Also, if you are going to putz around inside your 'puter with a grounded instrument, remember you also have at least one battery on the motherboard supplying power for the BIOS settings and clock.
If you aren't sure about what you are doing, buy a STATIC DISCHARGE (NOT Grounding) clip. It will have a resistor in it that will prevent a high current discharge that can create a spark, or worse. If you DO know what you're doing, you can make your own.
By the way, after 30 years of working in electronics, I can just about count the number of cases of static damage I've had on one finger. Common sense goes a long way, too bad it's so rare.
As for cleaning scunge out of a 'puter, here's what I do:
1: REMOVE anything that can reasonably be taken out of the machine, i.e. power supply, heatsinks / fans. Take them outside, preferably, and brush them out with a non-conductive, anti-static brush where the dust won't just float around in the room with the 'puter.
2: Inside what's left of the puter, use the brush to dislodge dust while having a vacuum close enough to catch it.
3: Canned air if necessary to move hard to reach dust, with the vacuum still going to catch it. Watch out what you use for compressed air. A competitor of mine managed to blow every 'puter in an office, when they used the air hose that was available in that location. Steel tank, brass nozzle, zap! :) Of course, they did all the machines, without bothering to see if they still worked after the treatment. Just because they charge $95 / hour doesn't mean they know what they're doing.
Common sense: take note of what you're wearing, wool sweaters aren't a good idea. Humid days can be good, although air conditioning defeats that advantage.
Heat is a killer, especially long term. Most dust acts as an insulator, as well as blocking the free flow of air. As a general rule with electronics, the hotter it runs, the shorter it's life.
Last word: I see a lot of people who put the 'puter on the floor. Although it's out of the way, it is the worse place for picking up dust. Dust will eventually settle to the floor, and walking around will stir it up just enough for the intake on the 'puter to pick it up.
-rcv-