B
BC
Just read recent thread where using a vacuum to clean out dust was
discussed.
I recently purchased a new 3 HP shop vac, and did, in fact, use it to
clean out two PCs: my beloved CUSL2-M, which ran rock solid for several
years 24/7/365, and an Athlon XP 1900+ system.
Toasted both of them.
Seems as though the hard drive controller failed on the CUSL2, and more
components failed on the XP system--there wasn't enough info from the
constant blue screens to diagnose that one.
With two systems going belly up at the same time, I thought it was an
electrical problem of some sort--power surge, etc (and yes, systems are
all protected by individual UPS units)--but, having just read that
thread, it makes sense that the damage was caused by my vacuuming.
Unfortunately.
I kept the nozzle of the vacuum at what I thought was a safe distance--I
was more concerned with damaging the cooling fans and such with it--but,
didn't realize that it would set up such a significant static
electricity field.
I fly planes--when fueling them, you have to ground the aircraft, and
pumping the fuel in creates static--and, as a kid I loved zapping other
kids with static after shuffling my feet on the carpet--so, I thought I
was pretty tuned in to sources of static. But, I had never read
anything about that, and, I just didn't think of it.
By the way, on the front of the vacuum, it says "blowing 130
MPH"--that's about how fast the wind currents in a thunderstorm
circulate, and it's pretty apparent that the static charge a
thundercloud produces is pretty significant.
I have been building PCs for myself and others for several years now,
and maintaining them--and, up until my involuntary mobo-slaughter of
these two PCs, I had been doing pretty well. (Not as knowledgeable as
Paul, but, who is?)
So, my School of Hard Knocks class in Vacuum Induced Static cost me two
motherboards, and, since my PCs were pretty old, had to get new CPUs,
and memory. Ouch.
Recommend that vacuums *not* be used to clean PCs.
discussed.
I recently purchased a new 3 HP shop vac, and did, in fact, use it to
clean out two PCs: my beloved CUSL2-M, which ran rock solid for several
years 24/7/365, and an Athlon XP 1900+ system.
Toasted both of them.
Seems as though the hard drive controller failed on the CUSL2, and more
components failed on the XP system--there wasn't enough info from the
constant blue screens to diagnose that one.
With two systems going belly up at the same time, I thought it was an
electrical problem of some sort--power surge, etc (and yes, systems are
all protected by individual UPS units)--but, having just read that
thread, it makes sense that the damage was caused by my vacuuming.
Unfortunately.
I kept the nozzle of the vacuum at what I thought was a safe distance--I
was more concerned with damaging the cooling fans and such with it--but,
didn't realize that it would set up such a significant static
electricity field.
I fly planes--when fueling them, you have to ground the aircraft, and
pumping the fuel in creates static--and, as a kid I loved zapping other
kids with static after shuffling my feet on the carpet--so, I thought I
was pretty tuned in to sources of static. But, I had never read
anything about that, and, I just didn't think of it.
By the way, on the front of the vacuum, it says "blowing 130
MPH"--that's about how fast the wind currents in a thunderstorm
circulate, and it's pretty apparent that the static charge a
thundercloud produces is pretty significant.
I have been building PCs for myself and others for several years now,
and maintaining them--and, up until my involuntary mobo-slaughter of
these two PCs, I had been doing pretty well. (Not as knowledgeable as
Paul, but, who is?)
So, my School of Hard Knocks class in Vacuum Induced Static cost me two
motherboards, and, since my PCs were pretty old, had to get new CPUs,
and memory. Ouch.
Recommend that vacuums *not* be used to clean PCs.