Advice Please.

The place for hardware and software issues, FS and non-FS related

Moderators: Guru's, The Ministry

User avatar
Nigel H-J
Red Arrows
Red Arrows
Posts: 8035
Joined: 14 May 2005, 15:33
Location: Lincolnshire

Advice Please.

Post by Nigel H-J »

Hi chaps, when cleaning out my computer I have used compressed air in cans but to be honest I find it a 'orrible way to clean as

A.) The can gets cold enough to freeze fingers off unless you use a cloth to hold it or gloves.

B.) As the can starts to empty I have found that water/condensation starts to flow out

Can any-one suggest the best place to buy a small compressor to blow out dust from my computer and type of compressor to use? I have looked around on the internet but it is a minefield of products and on one I looked at a reviewer had written that the one he purchased was too powerful even though it was OK for computers. :dunno:

TBH, I have not cleaned mine out for some time. :hide:

Many thanks in advance.

Regards
Nigel.
I used to be an optimist but with age I am now a grumpy old pessimist.

Vancouver
Concorde
Concorde
Posts: 1470
Joined: 05 Apr 2008, 00:27
Location: CYXX

Re: Advice Please.

Post by Vancouver »

I use a small compressor which my daughter used to have for Airbrushing in art. It cost over $200 CDN though. At the time I thought waste of $$$ as she had the attention span of a peanut as a child. I was right! But then I thought "aha ! PC cleaner" It works great You may be able to find one 2nd hand as I was at one point going to Ebay the thing.
Alex

User avatar
Paul K
Red Arrows
Red Arrows
Posts: 7630
Joined: 12 Jun 2005, 16:41
Location: Norfolk UK

Re: Advice Please.

Post by Paul K »

Nigel, have a look on Amazon - there are quite a few PC cleaners, mainly the over-powered hair dryer sort of thing. I'd read reviews carefully, however, because I bet some of them are pretty feeble. Also, look for one with an adapter so you can direct jets of air into nooks and crannies, like you do with the flexible plastic pipe on a can of air-duster.

User avatar
Nigel H-J
Red Arrows
Red Arrows
Posts: 8035
Joined: 14 May 2005, 15:33
Location: Lincolnshire

Re: Advice Please.

Post by Nigel H-J »

Hi chaps, very many thanks for your replies. I think I may have found one from Overclockers. Has viewed a few from Amazon but there were some negative responses but only a few concerning overheating and sparking so had a look elsewhere and found this one:

For some reason the link does not work but it is the CompuCleaner Xpert and appears very good though with a price tag of £59.99. Still, in the long run it will be money well spent.

Regards
Nigel.
I used to be an optimist but with age I am now a grumpy old pessimist.

User avatar
Paul K
Red Arrows
Red Arrows
Posts: 7630
Joined: 12 Jun 2005, 16:41
Location: Norfolk UK

Re: Advice Please.

Post by Paul K »

Looks good, Nigel. If you buy it, let us know how you get on with it. I'm looking for something similar myself. :)

User avatar
Nigel H-J
Red Arrows
Red Arrows
Posts: 8035
Joined: 14 May 2005, 15:33
Location: Lincolnshire

Re: Advice Please.

Post by Nigel H-J »

Hi Paul, just to let you know I have ordered one from Overclockers and should be here by tomorrow. If it is late in coming I will try it out on Saturday and let you know how I got on with it.

Giving you a link to Amazon which have the same items however the reason for buying at Overclockers was that it worked out at about £ less than Amazon, I purchased the one at £59.99 as apposed to the one selling at (now) £44.99 purely because it has 2 speed as apposed to just one speed. 8) I can think of more uses for it with 2 speed function!! The next delivery charge at Overclockers is £8.70 making the total to £68.69 whereas with Amazon it is no cheaper as they are asking slightly more than I have paid in total.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/s?k=compuclean ... -doa-p_1_8

Regards
Nigel.
I used to be an optimist but with age I am now a grumpy old pessimist.

Vc Ten
Concorde
Concorde
Posts: 1347
Joined: 18 Apr 2010, 17:02

Re: Advice Please.

Post by Vc Ten »

Pity the days of a tyre inflator at every petrol station are long gone. Of course we never had computers to clean out then :lol:
I'm in the fortunate position to have a 3hp compressor in the garage, which makes short work of it.
Don't be tempted to use a vacuum cleaner though. The plastic convoluted hose likes to generate a healthy static charge. Not ideal for electronic components.
Dale
Image Image Image

User avatar
Nigel H-J
Red Arrows
Red Arrows
Posts: 8035
Joined: 14 May 2005, 15:33
Location: Lincolnshire

Re: Advice Please.

Post by Nigel H-J »

Pity the days of a tyre inflator at every petrol station are long gone. Of course we never had computers to clean out then :lol:
Tesco's in Lincoln do have a tyre inflator though there is a charge to use it, quite funny to see some-one arrive, pay for the use of the inflator then take a computer out from the car and clean it out!! :lol:

I had wondered about whether one could use a vacuum cleaner as well as an air cleaner but would assume that a hand held suction device would be much better to use.

Paul, received my CompuCleaner Xpert this morning and wasted no time in using it on my computer, 2 speeds and tried them both especially on the air fan and found it did the job perfectly, after cleaning out I then got hold of some cotton buds and used them to wipe and remove dust on the tips of the fans that could not be blown off.

All in all I am very pleased and do not regret paying out for it, the machine comes with attachments for various cleaning tasks though the machine is quite noisy but so is a hair dryer. As it is blowing air it will become a bit warm if using it continuously which is normal and nothing to worry about but I just used short to moderate bursts of power.

I certainly like it and it did the job, have now marked the calendar for the next clean in six months, by the way, it also cleans out the key board extremely well as one of my buttons was playing up and now works as it should, I have had this keyboard for over 15 years and now looking for a number of years use out of it.

Hope the above helps to any-one thinking of buying one.

Regards
Nigel.
I used to be an optimist but with age I am now a grumpy old pessimist.

Vc Ten
Concorde
Concorde
Posts: 1347
Joined: 18 Apr 2010, 17:02

Re: Advice Please.

Post by Vc Ten »

Glad you are happy with it Nigel. :thumbsup: and it works as you wanted. Must admit I was a bit sceptical. I watched several YouTube vids, which didn't exactly inspire me, but at 550 Watts it must generate some force.
Its the dust that rubs against the inside of the plastic hose that causes the static. I've had many a belt from industrial vacuums, sucking up powder spillages, even though those units are supposed to be earthed to protect from explosions :-O
Dale

Actually reminded me that my compressor is missing its off-load solenoid valve. I "borrowed" the coil to try to make a watch demagnetizer (failed. It just magnetized the watch worse and melted the coil) :lol:
Image Image Image

User avatar
Nigel H-J
Red Arrows
Red Arrows
Posts: 8035
Joined: 14 May 2005, 15:33
Location: Lincolnshire

Re: Advice Please.

Post by Nigel H-J »

Hi Dale, :hello: Like you I was very sceptical after reading customers feedback on other dust cleaners whereby a number had had problems before deciding to look at computer companies as they would mostly (hopefully) only sell third party items that had a proven track record or so I believe. :worried: No matter what you buy there will always be the odd item that does not work properly, so far this item has done the job and that is all that matters. I have even read of a user complaining that although a dust cleaner he purchased (not the one I have) worked well his complaint was that it threw the dust out onto the floor!! What did he expect??? :wall: :lol: :lol:
Actually reminded me that my compressor is missing its off-load solenoid valve. I "borrowed" the coil to try to make a watch demagnetizer (failed. It just magnetized the watch worse and melted the coil) :lol:
Oooh! nasty! :lol:

Regards
Nigel.
I used to be an optimist but with age I am now a grumpy old pessimist.

Post Reply