Cleaning

**Jason Whiddon** · 03-22-2009 01:42 PM

Good thing about my ent center, its so low and close to the wall that you cant see any of the speaker wires running underneath. Id love to run the power hidden though.

**bebop** · 03-23-2009 03:01 PM

I would add that blowing out the dust from your equipment will make it last longer and run cooler. My receiver has vents on the whole top of the unit so dust easily settles right down in it and there are no fans. I simple can or air or air compressor does the trick - just have it off. I don't like the vacuum idea on a $1000 receiver or computer case - and the compressed air does a much better job.

**Paul Wozniak** · 04-11-2009 11:31 AM

Originally Posted by bebop

I would add that blowing out the dust from your equipment will make it last longer and run cooler. My receiver has vents on the whole top of the unit so dust easily settles right down in it and there are no fans. I simple can or air or air compressor does the trick - just have it off. I don't like the vacuum idea on a $1000 receiver or computer case - and the compressed air does a much better job.

Vacuuming wont hurt anything, just be sure to use a brush attachment. Compressed air is a very good alternative also. Nice post Bebop.

**bebop** · 04-11-2009 02:56 PM

Originally Posted by Paul Wozniak

Vacuuming wont hurt anything, just be sure to use a brush attachment. Compressed air is a very alternative also. Nice post Bebop.

You betcha! I vacuum if that's the only method I can do at the time/location. But that dust is stuck on there at times and it needs something to knock it off. My vac inevitably doesn't have a good enough attachment to get into all the cracks that compressed air can.

Best thing is to disconnect all the cables, take it out to the driveway and use an air compressor with an air-gun attachment and blow every bit of dust out of it (computer, AV receiver, or whatever). Depending on the location you might want to do it annually, or more often. I've also found that changing my furnace air-filter before it get's really dusty helps keep down the dust levels - especially since I've got the vents on top for my Onkyo receiver.

**jayn_j** · 04-11-2009 10:43 PM

Originally Posted by bebop

Best thing is to disconnect all the cables, take it out to the driveway and use an air compressor with an air-gun attachment and blow every bit of dust out of it (computer, AV receiver, or whatever).

Just one caveat. If you are using a compressor with air gun, keep the pressure regulator down to 15 pounds or so. An air gun attachment can cause some significant pressure differentials, even at 30-40 psi.

I have seen cases where people hooked up a 100 psi supply line and ended up blowing components right off the board. In one extreme case, the guy actually lifted the traces right off the board.

**bebop** · 04-11-2009 11:17 PM

Originally Posted by jayn_j

Just one caveat. If you are using a compressor with air gun, keep the pressure regulator down to 15 pounds or so. An air gun attachment can cause some significant pressure differentials, even at 30-40 psi.

I have seen cases where people hooked up a 100 psi supply line and ended up blowing components right off the board. In one extreme case, the guy actually lifted the traces right off the board.

Yeah - good point. Some people don't realize how powerful compressed air can be.

**imthedevil** · 04-13-2009 11:29 AM

If you use an air compressor make sure you have a decent dryer in the line as compressing air creates moisture which is the enemy of everything except life, lol. Also, I have never and will never use a vacuum cleaner on any electrical component, static electricity created by the vacuum can ruin something in the blink of an eye.

Just my opinion

**Paul Wozniak** · 04-13-2009 11:49 AM

Never had that happen.

**bebop** · 04-13-2009 02:20 PM

Originally Posted by imthedevil

If you use an air compressor make sure you have a decent dryer in the line as compressing air creates moisture which is the enemy of everything except life, lol.

Good point - don't just use any old compressor without knowing about it.

You could bleed out any moisture in the bottom of the tank first and then run a test on something dry nearby.

But if you do get a bunch of water on it and it's unplugged - just suck it up with a Sham-Wow - they're the bomb!

Seriously - just get the water off/out and let it totally dry for an absurdly long time just to be sure.

**bhelms** · 04-14-2009 05:23 PM

I think the moving air creating static caveat has some credibility here, especially if it's exceedingly dry air. Another possible concern with the vacuum is the possibility of creating static with the brush. Synthetic materials are probably worse but in fact any insulator could cause a problem including natural hair.

In the past I have cleaned-out equipment at the circuit board level by using a low powered vacuum with a small nozzle then using a medium natural hair artists' brush to knock the dust loose in close proximity to the nozzle, which I attempted to keep close to the work but never quite touching. But that was back in the days of discrete components. With today's sensitive ICs it could be a different story. Taking all other standard ESD precautions would be advisable in any case. (Dissipative and grounded work surface, wear a tested strap, protective smock, etc.)