socialwaif
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How do I clean out my PSU? I am sure that it is pretty dirty and fully of dust, etc. I can clean the part where the fan is without too much trouble. However, doing it that way seems to blow stuff into rather than out of the PSU. I mostly am using a can of compressed air or a blower.
Looking at videos on YouTube seems to turn up too many wrong ways to do it... And I'd rather not take the PSU apart if I don't have to.
Hoping some of you might have some advice or tips that you use. Thanks.
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bcavnaugh
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Re: Cleaning out my PSU?
2019/04/23 09:15:37
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☄ Helpfulby socialwaif 2019/04/23 09:46:02
Un-Plug the Power Supply Cable BEFORE you Blow it out. Blow it out from the Fan Side Out to the Rear. You can use a Plastic Straw to Hold the Fan Blade from moving. "take the PSU apart" Can Void a Warranty. Blowing air into the Power Supply with it Powered On can cause a Short Inside the Power Supply if it is really dirty inside.
post edited by bcavnaugh - 2019/05/02 10:56:13
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socialwaif
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Re: Cleaning out my PSU?
2019/04/23 09:46:55
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bcavnaugh
Un-Plug the Power Supply Cable BEFORE you Blow it out.
Blow it out from the Fan Side Out to the Rear.
You can use a Plastic Straw to Hold the Fan Blade from moving.
"take the PSU apart" Can Void a Warranty.
Blowing air into the Power Supply with it Powered On can cause a Shot Inside the Power Supply if it is really dirty inside.
Thank you
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Hoggle
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Re: Cleaning out my PSU?
2019/04/23 09:49:50
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☄ Helpfulby socialwaif 2019/04/23 20:52:11
Also keep in mind you should never open up a PSU for any reason. It can hold a charge even if unplugged from the wall that can seriously hurt or kill a person.
Canned air should work very well but I wonder how old the PSU is? Most modern ones only really turn the blades when it’s running hot to cool it down. Older PSU or ones not using an eco setting will run all the time and get dusty faster.
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Vlada011
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Re: Cleaning out my PSU?
2019/04/23 10:41:28
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I must check one day is it my PSU dirty inside.
I hope it's not because fan didn't worked 95% of time.
Dust can't enter inside from top.
Of course I will not open him.
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bcavnaugh
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Re: Cleaning out my PSU?
2019/04/23 11:05:41
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Hoggle
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Re: Cleaning out my PSU?
2019/04/23 12:18:07
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Vlada011
I must check one day is it my PSU dirty inside.
I hope it's not because fan didn't worked 95% of time.
Dust can't enter inside from top.
Of course I will not open him.
It really depends on the way the fan is facing. If you have it facing up into the case it would get airflow from the case fans and get dusty. If the case has the PSU fan facing down and only turning as needed probably it will only get a fine layer of dust like everything else. Normal maintenance would still be recommend though to deal with any dust.
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socialwaif
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Re: Cleaning out my PSU?
2019/04/23 20:54:54
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Hoggle
Also keep in mind you should never open up a PSU for any reason. It can hold a charge even if unplugged from the wall that can seriously hurt or kill a person.
Canned air should work very well but I wonder how old the PSU is? Most modern ones only really turn the blades when it’s running hot to cool it down. Older PSU or ones not using an eco setting will run all the time and get dusty faster.
The PSU is an EVGA SuperNOVA 850 G2 - purchased in early 2017.
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aka_STEVE_b
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Re: Cleaning out my PSU?
2019/04/24 08:12:58
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☄ Helpfulby socialwaif 2019/04/24 10:33:10
Only way to go -  and never open up a PSU , whether it's plugged in or not. The hold charge is enough to kill you if you don't know what you're doing.
AMD RYZEN 9 5900X 12-core cpu~ ASUS ROG Crosshair VIII Dark Hero ~ EVGA RTX 3080 Ti FTW3~ G.SKILL Trident Z NEO 32GB DDR4-3600 ~ Phanteks Eclipse P400s red case ~ EVGA SuperNOVA 1000 G+ PSU ~ Intel 660p M.2 drive~ Crucial MX300 275 GB SSD ~WD 2TB SSD ~CORSAIR H115i RGB Pro XT 280mm cooler ~ CORSAIR Dark Core RGB Pro mouse ~ CORSAIR K68 Mech keyboard ~ HGST 4TB Hd.~ AOC AGON 32" monitor 1440p @ 144Hz ~ Win 10 x64
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bcavnaugh
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Re: Cleaning out my PSU?
2019/04/24 08:18:17
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socialwaif
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Re: Cleaning out my PSU?
2019/04/24 10:34:36
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aka_STEVE_b
Only way to go -
and never open up a PSU , whether it's plugged in or not. The hold charge is enough to kill you if you don't know what you're doing.
Yup, I think that is the blower I have.
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Vlada011
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Re: Cleaning out my PSU?
2019/05/01 13:07:00
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I'm surprised how my 1200 P2 is clean after 4 years. I didn't clean him at all, never. But fan didn't worked 90% of times.  This is new version, Antistatic protection, price is same. It's not only bracelet, DataVac is different. 
post edited by Vlada011 - 2019/05/01 13:11:39
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TwoEvilOne
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Re: Cleaning out my PSU?
2019/05/01 13:20:12
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 I use this one, it works great! It come in different colors. It also have a very long cord, 2 speeds and filer on the bottom. XPower
post edited by TwoEvilOne - 2019/05/01 13:24:13
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Vlada011
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Re: Cleaning out my PSU?
2019/05/02 00:32:15
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I didn't saw that XPower but I believe DataVac is best such device on market. Quality is incredible. Only bad thing is loud noise of motor, but I believe it's not possible to build such effective device to be silent. It's not Asian garbage. In my country cost 170 euro ESD model, newest. Same as on video. But if you left dust to collect 5-6 months, you will need to install brush or simply to use cloth at the end. He is effective and PC will stay clean completely only if you use him every month or 15 days. Worth buying 100%, every cent worth. There is a 10 different devices with price 10-30$, not effective garbage. Some of them can't move small pieces of bread from table. Or you can use car compressor, only later you will not find half of capacitors, BIOS chip will be who knows where...etc...
post edited by Vlada011 - 2019/05/02 00:38:54
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Vlada011
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Re: Cleaning out my PSU?
2019/05/02 00:45:34
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I like most to clean motherboard with isopropyl or Arctic Cleaner and cotton swabs.
That's most interesting, easy nice, between all parts gently because cotton can't stay on metal parts.
Need at least 20 cotton swabs. Special if you remove and heatsinks, etc than it's even more interesting...
Off course on high end motherboards and graphic cards.
One guy who work in service learned me, never install naked heatsink on PCH chip, only if heatsink have sponge or use 1mm thermal pad to cover whole PCH after cleaning. Never only thermal pads and tight with screw driver from back side only using two fingers and stop immediately when become hard.
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albiss
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Re: Cleaning out my PSU?
2019/05/02 16:09:29
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I would have thought that opening a PSU is not a problem as long as the PCB isn't removed as well.
I mean, isn't touching the terminals of a high-voltage capacitor the only way to get shocked (and maybe killed) by it?
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startekselva
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Re: Cleaning out my PSU?
2019/05/02 21:50:20
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aka_STEVE_b
Only way to go -
and never open up a PSU , whether it's plugged in or not. The hold charge is enough to kill you if you don't know what you're doing.
yes as you said the capacitors hold high current it has to be closed otherwise it will like stun gun to your body
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Hoggle
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Re: Cleaning out my PSU?
2019/05/02 22:21:36
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albiss
I would have thought that opening a PSU is not a problem as long as the PCB isn't removed as well.
I mean, isn't touching the terminals of a high-voltage capacitor the only way to get shocked (and maybe killed) by it?
Unless your a certified electrician should you work with electronics that could kill. It's like saying having the safety off of a gun is totally fine as long as you don't pull the trigger. It's best to assume the worst danger and treat it with the respect you would a raccoon and leave it alone instead of trying to poke at it with a stick. The posts about the electric vacuums are a really good idea since canned air is pretty expensive and the cans don't last as long as you would like. Also they freeze up pretty quickly.
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albiss
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Re: Cleaning out my PSU?
2019/05/03 05:38:28
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Hoggle
albiss
I would have thought that opening a PSU is not a problem as long as the PCB isn't removed as well.
I mean, isn't touching the terminals of a high-voltage capacitor the only way to get shocked (and maybe killed) by it?
Unless your a certified electrician should you work with electronics that could kill. It's like saying having the safety off of a gun is totally fine as long as you don't pull the trigger. It's best to assume the worst danger and treat it with the respect you would a raccoon and leave it alone instead of trying to poke at it with a stick.
The posts about the electric vacuums are a really good idea since canned air is pretty expensive and the cans don't last as long as you would like. Also they freeze up pretty quickly.
I understand, but since the capacitors' terminals cannot be touched because they are under the PCB which is screwed to the body of the PSU, I wonder how one could receive an electric shock. But anyway, I have no intention to remove the PSU cover since I own an EVGA G2 which is still under warranty for approx. 7 years.  And +1 for the electric blower vs the can. 
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Cool GTX
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Re: Cleaning out my PSU?
2019/05/03 07:02:16
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albiss
I understand, but since the capacitors' terminals cannot be touched because they are under the PCB which is screwed to the body of the PSU, I wonder how one could receive an electric shock.
But anyway, I have no intention to remove the PSU cover since I own an EVGA G2 which is still under warranty for approx. 7 years.
And +1 for the electric blower vs the can.
Because the capacitors are connected to the circuit that has Many points of contact --> Electric shock, including a Fatal one is a very real possibility. Additionally - opening the PSU is Not Required to clean it I use a 1.5 gal. Shop-Vac - use as Blower or Vacuum, by moving where the hose is attached
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albiss
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Re: Cleaning out my PSU?
2019/05/03 07:20:00
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Cool GTX
albiss
I understand, but since the capacitors' terminals cannot be touched because they are under the PCB which is screwed to the body of the PSU, I wonder how one could receive an electric shock.
But anyway, I have no intention to remove the PSU cover since I own an EVGA G2 which is still under warranty for approx. 7 years.
And +1 for the electric blower vs the can.
Because the capacitors are connected to the circuit that has Many points of contact --> Electric shock, including a Fatal one is a very real possibility.
Additionally - opening the PSU is Not Required to clean it
I use a 1.5 gal. Shop-Vac - use as Blower or Vacuum, by moving where the hose is attached
I totally agree with you, opening the PSU isn't required at all. And I'm not going to argue over the possibility of being electrocuted or not by just removing the cover. I've read quite a bit before repairing a PSU that had only one capacitor to be changed. All went well because I knew what not to do. Anyway, it's a good thing to warn about the lethal dangerousness. If I remember correctly, it's not the voltage that is lethal but the current, and it doesn't take much to shut down one's heart beat. One recommendation when using a blower would be to do it outside or through an open window. 
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Cool GTX
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Re: Cleaning out my PSU?
2019/05/03 08:35:38
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Using the blower - Outside for sure ---> someone would only make that mistake one time, if they did it indoors When I blow out my PC radiators it is amazing how much "dust" is still in them even though they are vacuumed regularly & I use filters
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Vlada011
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Re: Cleaning out my PSU?
2019/05/03 10:07:24
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Radiators very fast become dirty. 2 months.
Than whole process, case out side, plastic cover over motherboard and GPU, removing fans and clean radiators with brush and later push air through him.
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albiss
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Re: Cleaning out my PSU?
2019/05/03 14:11:59
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Cool GTX
Using the blower - Outside for sure ---> someone would only make that mistake one time, if they did it indoors
 I've seen a few videos on YouTube showing someone using a blower inside. Sometimes, when one sees someone doing something, one may think: If it's good for them then, it should be good for me too. So I thought writing a line recommending not to do that was a good thing.
post edited by albiss - 2019/05/03 14:22:13
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