HDD requiring forced air cooling, DUST! How to control?

EvilHorace · Post by **EvilHorace** » Sun Mar 17, 2002 2:04 pm

The new X15 requires "forced air" cooling and sure, NO problem with one big exception......lots of DUST and I'm not exactly thrilled about the idea of dust being forced at the HDDs (which reminds me, I need to blow the gobs of dust off the cpu and fans now as it is).
There's no easy way to install filters so has anyone here come up with any (possibly) better ideas?

poop · Post by **poop** » Sun Mar 17, 2002 2:34 pm

HDD's are hermetically sealed, so you don't need to worry about dust on them, really.

Other than filters, I don't know of any way to avoid the inevitable dust buildup, other than routine cleanings. Hell, you even have to clean out filters.

EvilHorace · Post by **EvilHorace** » Sun Mar 17, 2002 2:44 pm

Well, if it's totally sealed I guess I won't worry about it too much then. The bottom of these X15s surely has ALOT of exposed electronics however so I'll just have to make a habit of blowing it off often. Maybe I'll hinge the side cover so that I can just easily open it vs the present 'pain in the arse' method now (requiring pulling the case out, removing the upper cover then sliding the side cover back about a foot. Havent modded the case (yet) either BUT maybe I'd do better by just replacing the side cover with plexiglass and going from there. It presently doesn't exactly look good in there due to its city of ribbon cables, etc. Not really sure how or if I can effectively clean all those up as there's nowhere else to run them.

PreDatoR · Post by **PreDatoR** » Sun Mar 17, 2002 5:20 pm

Panty's hose(sp) work good for a filter

some good ole duct tape will hold them on.

EvilHorace · Post by **EvilHorace** » Sun Mar 17, 2002 5:28 pm

Nice

Gand1 · Post by **Gand1** » Sun Mar 17, 2002 8:42 pm

This might add some cost but the removable drive bays are a decent solution. The better ones come with active cooling so the filters and fans are already setup! It also looks pretty cool with locks on em.

TruckStuff · Post by **TruckStuff** » Sun Mar 17, 2002 9:13 pm

There are fan filters that you can by from some place like 2cooltek.

But the Hinge idea is intriguing to me. I have a case that could really benfit from that kind of design.... me thinks its time to bust out the drill and dremel.

EvilHorace · Post by **EvilHorace** » Sun Mar 17, 2002 9:16 pm

Yep, I'm definately doing the hinged case cover idea. Filters do get dirty and fast so if access was easier, maybe I'd just blow it out more often.

Post by **FlyingPenguin** » Mon Mar 18, 2002 6:17 pm

Just to clarify something, HDDs are not HERMETICALLY sealed. If they were, they would implode when you took one up in an airplane.

HDD's are assembled and sealed in a clean room. There is, however, an air vent to allow air in and out of the drive to equalize pressure. There is a fine filter on this vent hole (the hole is usually an 1/8" in diameter and has a white nylon filter covering it).

NEVER tear or pry open the filter or you'll contaminate the drive.

I agree that dust is not a major problem - there's no way for dust to get into the drive, and nothing on the outside of the drive that will be affected by dust.

I use filters on my intakes which helps a LOT (assuming your case is designed ONLY to suck air through the front intake - if it's designed to suck air around the front bezel as some cases do, there's nothing you can do to block the dust).

Clean the filters monthly with soap and water and dry them off before re-installing.

Even with filters, expect to open the case every couple of months (ESPECIALLY if you have pets) as dust always sneaks in. Keeping the heatsinks dust free will keep everything running cooler, and keeping the fan blades dust free will keep the computer quieter.

If you have an air compressor in the garage, great. Otherwise buy some canned air.

canton_kid · Post by **canton_kid** » Tue Mar 26, 2002 6:25 pm

Good filters often overlooked, and fairly cheap!

Floor register filters! I like them! These are the type of filter you tuck into the heat registers in floor heating ducts like trailer houses usually have! You know those little registers about 4" x 12" in the middle of the floor that let all the dirt in the house fall into your heating ducts in the trailer. Very bad design for heating, but great for filters!

I got 12 4"x12" filters for about $3 at the local hardware store here in the boonies. Probably cheaper in the cities.

Anyway, they filter pretty good, you can cut them with sizzors, and they tuck into the tightest places as they are very flexable. Look Like some type of foam, not the shreadable fiber types for furances.

Duct tape will generally hold them in place on a flat surface, like the inside of my case out of site.

I live in a very dusty area, brand new system was full of dust after about 3 weeks. Also have house pets and the hair that come with them.

Aftert cleaning my system, I put a case fan in the rear to draw in air and duct taped a filter section to the outside of the case. In rear so not seen, and easy to change. Taped filters inside case sides over vent holes stamped into them. Popped off the plastic front of the case and put filters over the vents inside.

Filters working great! After about a month my CPU heatsink is pretty clean still, and the DDR ram doesn't have neary the build it did. Rest of system is cleaner too.

Changed the rear filter once, sides and front cover filter still clean enough. I like the idea of using fans to pull air into the case, you can filter it that way before it hits the boards and drives. Also by by pulling air in with fans your not sucking all the dust in through the cracks like floppy drive and cd drives.

Seems most cases come with the fans installed to blow the air out, so it comes in any way it can! Of course the power supplie fan should still blow out. My power supplie is also cleaner in my old system I have been using these filters on. Since the air is filtered comming into the system less dust builds up as air flows through the power supplie also.

Wife and I smoke, and use indoor wood heat (Part of dust problem in winter), I see the filters turning a bit brownish as they filter the smoke before it sticks to my system boards.

These are AirKontrol electrostatic vent filters I am using. Claim to filter pollen, bacteria, fungi, smog, dust, smoke, mold spores, pet dander, and laundry dust. If they do all that they should keep a computer clean I figure.

canton_kid · Post by **canton_kid** » Tue Mar 26, 2002 6:40 pm

Air compresser in the garage is a good idea and cheaper than canned air, but remember to clean and filter it too!!

An air compressor builds water in the tank that needs drained and many also get an oily mist in the air.
A friend ruined a board once with an air compressor. Didn't drain the tank and did not filter the air. Just blew it straight from the tank onto the board, then found a goey slimy film on everything!

If you paint cars, your air supplie should be fine. If all you do is air tires or run power tools once in awhile, check it first!!!

Also remember to cut down the airflow, you don't realy need 120 pounds presure spinning those fans.

canton_kid