Thread: Cleaning

Well, its good to see that we have come to a consensus here.



Blow with Dry air and risk static discharge. Blow with wet air and risk corrosion. Blow too hard and blow the components right off the board.

Brushing risks both static and mechanical damage.

Vacuuming is ineffective unless you get right down on the components, in whiuch case you risk static with brushes and mechanical damage with hard nozzles.

Leaving dust to settle risks having the dust short out components and cause overheating because air can't circulate around components.

What's a mother to do?

I bet everybody would agree that the best solution is to never let the dust get in in the first place. Vented and filtered enclosures around components. Additional filters around component vents. However, only the most compulsive of us are likely to build additional filtering.

I think we also need to consider that the most damaging dust is down against the circuit boards, and the only way to get to it is to disassemble the unit. That is fairly easy for a receiver, but quite difficult for a TV.

I personally use a combination of techniques. I remove and wash external filters. I brush off external vents and cases. I then vacuum the vents. I open up easily accessible components and use air in a can to blow out dust. The nozzle on canned air is very controllable, especially with the extension tube.

I also live with the fact that I'm not going to get it all, and wait on the less accessible stuff until I have another reason to go inside. Frankly, accumulated dust isn't going to provide an issue unless it builds up for years.

Originally Posted by jayn_j

Well, its good to see that we have come to a consensus here.

Blow with Dry air and risk static discharge. Blow with wet air and risk corrosion. Blow too hard and blow the components right off the board.

Brushing risks both static and mechanical damage.

Vacuuming is ineffective unless you get right down on the components, in whiuch case you risk static with brushes and mechanical damage with hard nozzles.

Leaving dust to settle risks having the dust short out components and cause overheating because air can't circulate around components.

What's a mother to do?

I bet everybody would agree that the best solution is to never let the dust get in in the first place. Vented and filtered enclosures around components. Additional filters around component vents. However, only the most compulsive of us are likely to build additional filtering.

I think we also need to consider that the most damaging dust is down against the circuit boards, and the only way to get to it is to disassemble the unit. That is fairly easy for a receiver, but quite difficult for a TV.

I personally use a combination of techniques. I remove and wash external filters. I brush off external vents and cases. I then vacuum the vents. I open up easily accessible components and use air in a can to blow out dust. The nozzle on canned air is very controllable, especially with the extension tube.

I also live with the fact that I'm not going to get it all, and wait on the less accessible stuff until I have another reason to go inside. Frankly, accumulated dust isn't going to provide an issue unless it builds up for years.

I just take them outside and rinse them off with my power washer.
Actually I mostly use canned air and vacuum.

Originally Posted by jayn_j

Well, its good to see that we have come to a consensus here.

Blow with Dry air and risk static discharge. Blow with wet air and risk corrosion. Blow too hard and blow the components right off the board.

Brushing risks both static and mechanical damage.

Vacuuming is ineffective unless you get right down on the components, in whiuch case you risk static with brushes and mechanical damage with hard nozzles.

Leaving dust to settle risks having the dust short out components and cause overheating because air can't circulate around components.

What's a mother to do?

I bet everybody would agree that the best solution is to never let the dust get in in the first place. Vented and filtered enclosures around components. Additional filters around component vents. However, only the most compulsive of us are likely to build additional filtering.

I think we also need to consider that the most damaging dust is down against the circuit boards, and the only way to get to it is to disassemble the unit. That is fairly easy for a receiver, but quite difficult for a TV.

I personally use a combination of techniques. I remove and wash external filters. I brush off external vents and cases. I then vacuum the vents. I open up easily accessible components and use air in a can to blow out dust. The nozzle on canned air is very controllable, especially with the extension tube.

I also live with the fact that I'm not going to get it all, and wait on the less accessible stuff until I have another reason to go inside. Frankly, accumulated dust isn't going to provide an issue unless it builds up for years.

Another thing I have done to protect my Sony RPTV (LCD) was to go to Home Depot, Lowes.. and buy some furnace filter screening. This costs about $17 for a sheet big enough to cover all my vents 3 different times. Just cut it to fit the shape of the air vents on the back of the set and tape it on. Not noticeable unless you look for it. What it does is filter out all the dust, pet hair and a good amount of cigarette smoke, from the insides of your set. This lasts about 3 months in my house, and then I change it out for a clean set. This will help your fan from getting clogged up. I learned this one the hard way, when dog hair clogged up my fan and caused a thermal fuse to blow. The tech that came out to service my set turned me on to this idea, and it has kept the inside of my set spotless.

Time to take those connections apart and clean them, guys and gals!

Originally Posted by Paul Wozniak

Time to take those connections apart and clean them, guys and gals!

Thanks for the reminder, Paul. It's good advice!

bump (even though it's sticky) - springtime again!!! (I reeeeeally need to do this!)