Topic: Computers and smoke...

[Angstroms]

I just have a quick question for you all, I recently bought a computer off of craigslist for pretty cheap ($300) and its got a nice Intel i7 processor, 1TB drive and 8GB of RAM. Sadly, the computer was used in a home where they smoked... I have cleaned the exterior of the tower and there is a lot of stains from them smoking... I opened it up to find a lot of build up inside as well, I'm sorry for anyone who smokes, but it's just foul...

My question is, what is the best way to clean the inside of the tower, and would it cut down the smell considerably once I do? I was looking at something like this to clean the inside of it on the motherboard etc.

http://www.thinkgeek.com/product/b88d/

Thanks.

[JD]

I clean alot of dirty industrial circuit boards using spray contact-cleaner at work. Turn off the power, give it a few minutes for any capacitors to drain and just flood with
a stream of spay from top to bottom. You will see all the dirt and oils drip off the board. The spray dries almost instantly and it has a rather strong smell, so you might want to do it outside.

I have done hundreds of pcb's like this and have never caused a problem doing so.


This is the brand we use...

[mattmiller]

I clean alot of dirty industrial circuit boards using spray contact-cleaner at work. Turn off the power, give it a few minutes for any capacitors to drain and just flood with
a stream of spay from top to bottom. You will see all the dirt and oils drip off the board. The spray dries almost instantly and it has a rather strong smell, so you might want to do it outside.

I have done hundreds of pcb's like this and have never caused a problem doing so.

This could come in handy for me from time to time.  Do you need to unmount the CPU and spray just the board, or is the CPU and heatsink and/or fan assembly safe to be sprayed?

[JD]

This could come in handy for me from time to time.  Do you need to unmount the CPU and spray just the board, or is the CPU and heatsink and/or fan assembly safe to be sprayed?

I always let the cpu attached when cleaning, you could remove it if you want but you would have to reset it in fresh thermal paste.

[Angstroms]

Thank you JD. I'll definitely check that out. I've also got an iMac that could use the same. Do you think it would be ok on that as well? Remove the screen etc?

[rastasean]

Cleaning computer cases and their guts (excluding removing the actual CPU) is something I try to do regularly as I have two cats and we have carpet in the house.

[OOK]

I have done hundreds of pcb's like this and have never caused a problem doing so.

This explains so much...  Now i understand... I'll bet the guys un the shop always ask why you always turn off the vent fans

[Angstroms]

Cleaning computer cases and their guts (excluding removing the actual CPU) is something I try to do regularly as I have two cats and we have carpet in the house.

What sort of things do you use to clean the computers?

[rastasean]

Cleaning computer cases and their guts (excluding removing the actual CPU) is something I try to do regularly as I have two cats and we have carpet in the house.

What sort of things do you use to clean the computers?

just something similar to the crc, compressed air that's safe for electronics.

[Gutbucket]

Amazing how much grime gets sucked into these constantly running little vacuum cleaners computer cases.  At work I roll our server cart out into the shop and blow huge clouds of dust out of the cabinets with compressed shop air annually.  The desktop clients get the same treatment whenever the case needs to be opened up, or when they need more than superficial maintenance.  Doesn't take care of smoke or any other aerosol which adheres to the interior surfaces, but we don't have that problem and this clears out the dust bunnies and cobwebs nicely, keeps things working cool and makes everything much more pleasant and less problematic to work on.  Haven't had to do any more extensive internal cleaning than that on the computers, but I'd use CRD QD or an equivalent if I did.

I've used CRD QD on some of our industrial equipment circuit boards and other electrical components out in the shop that gets nastier oily buildup and it works great.  Off topic, but to clean greasy, grungy hydraulic and mechanical components, automotive brake cleaner works really well and leaves no residue, but I wouldn't trust the hydrocarbon solvents in it on electronics.

[trustthex]

I thought this thread may have been about that ol' magic puff of death... moving on.

[Gutbucket]

These methods do not harm the magic smoke harvested from old British sportscar wiring which resides inside the circutry and must remain contained there for proper operation.