[general] power supply fan cleaning

[pcandpc]

Hi,

I would like to water clean the power supply fan

by removing it from the unit.

What cautions do I need to take when opening

the power supply unit?

Is this easily doable or prohibited for the risks involved?

Thanks.

[ripken204]

you cant just use a can of air?

if you really want to do, then just be fareful.

ive changed the fans in my psu and messed around with a few other things in there.

there will be big capacitors in there, just dont touch those and you will be fine.

[Zxian]

Give me a couple of hours and I'll open up one of the old PSU's I've got here... I'm just getting started on my day.

[tain]

It is not advisable to open a PSU if you don't know much about electronics. Such things can be very dangerous.

And not everyone can spot a capacitor on sight.

MSFN is not responsible for any injury/death that may occur

[ripken204]

MSFN is not responsible for any injury/death that may occur

lol. well it's not hard to spot psu capacitors. the only ones that you reall have to worry about are the ones that are a foot tall

[tain]

I'm just saying that not everyone knows as much about electronics as you do. Show that pic to your grandma and ask her to point to the capacitors...or at least point to "the potentially dangerous parts" and see how well she does

People really do shock themselves or ruin their equipment all the time because they don't have the requisite knowledge to be in there monkeying around. I've seen people poking around in PSUs without unplugging them first!

[Polarman]

Geez! Just use a Q-tip!

I would not risk opening my PSU. It would void the warranty.

[pcandpc]

Hi,

Nice photo.

I have never seen the inside of a power supply like this.

If the fan is all very dusty, so would the inside very much.

So, I suppose that I just clean the fan the best I could

without taking it out.

The two slim gold bars in the photo are the capacitors, right?

Now, if I want to get familiar with the electronics basics,

should I grab the electronics 101 lab manual or some sort

at a local radio shack?

Thanks.

Edited July 16, 2007 by pcandpc

[ripken204]

those slim bars are heatsinks.

there are 2 large capacitors on the top left, they look like large batteries.

seriously just grab a can of compressed air and go outside with your psu and blow the dust out that way.

if you want to clean it better you can just take off the top of the psu and use the air.

[Jeremy]

Precaution is to not have it powered up and be pulling or bending things inside.

But the fan is like any other fan inside your PC.

[tain]

Now, if I want to get familiar with the electronics basics,

should I grab the electronics 101 lab manual or some sort

at a local radio shack?

If memory serves, the A+ certification study materials and test would be sufficient.

Also remember to hold the can upright at all times. Otherwise you could introduce propellant into the airstream.

[GrofLuigi]

Ehhh... what's wrong with (your) mouth? Those sellers must be screaming from joy counting the money they got from selling AIR.

Or use vacuum cleaner.

GL

Edited July 17, 2007 by GrofLuigi

[Zxian]

First thing that you'll want to do if you want to open your PSU is leave it plugged into the system, unplug the power from the wall, make sure it's on, and then hit the power button on the computer case. You might notice things start to power up for a split-second. This will help drain any remaining power from the PSU.

Now remove the PSU from your case and put it on a non-conducting surface (i.e. not a metal table).

You'll see the four screw holes on this side of the PSU (the bottom side). Remove these screws to loosen the cover. Gently lift up the cover - be careful if you've got a 120mm fan in there, since the power cable for it will still be connected to the rest of the PSU. You should be able to lift it off and place it beside the rest of the PSU.

The innards there are the heart of your PSU. I've taken apart lots of PSUs, but I still NEVER touch any of these components. There's generally no need to and like others have said, it can be dangerous.

The black strip at the bottom of the previous picture is the 80mm fan in this particular PSU.

Once you've got to this part, your best bet is to take a can of compressed air and blow out any dust that there is in the components. Once you're done, simply slide the cover back on (the edges fit inside the base) and fasten the screws.

Hope this helps, and be careful. A general rule for safety - if you're not sure, don't.

[nmX.Memnoch]

I'm just saying that not everyone knows as much about electronics as you do. Show that pic to your grandma and ask her to point to the capacitors...or at least point to "the potentially dangerous parts" and see how well she does

The two slim gold bars in the photo are the capacitors, right?

TAiN's point couldn've have been made any better.

One thing to be careful of is that on some PSU's (particularly older ones) the fan power cables are soldered onto the PSUs PCB...so they can't be easily removed/replaced.

Edit: Zxian...love the old AT PSU. The power switch brought back memories.

Edited July 17, 2007 by nmX.Memnoch

[Zxian]

Yup - AFAIK, the PSU itself is dead, so I use it for demonstration purposes (like this one) and for salvaging some easy molex connectors. I made a "mini-PSU" to power a fan or two for my entertainment unit.