USB vacuums

  • Thread starter Thread starter Mike
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M

Mike

Hi,
I've been using my home canister vacuum cleaner with a soft brush, but
I'm worried that the power and strong force of the sucking and blowing
action could effect the electronics, possibly cause static electricity
and cause problems.

Would I be better off with a USB vacuum cleaner, those designed for
PC's and Keyboards? Are the powerful enough for PC's?

ThanXXXXX
Mike
Picture Rocks, AZ
 
Sucking and blowing air will not cause static electricity problems, but the brush will. It is best to use a vacuum cleaner with a grounded metal tube. I have always used plastic tubes, which will not generate static electricity unless the humidity is very low; not a problem in Florida.
 
Mike said:
Hi,
I've been using my home canister vacuum cleaner with a soft brush, but
I'm worried that the power and strong force of the sucking and blowing
action could effect the electronics, possibly cause static electricity
and cause problems.
Click to expand...



Use compressed air from a can, if your vacuum is not specifically designed
to dissipate static.
 
Mike said:
Sucking and blowing air will not cause static electricity problems, but the brush will.
Click to expand...

Sucking and blowing actually can cause static electricity problems, and
the problem
was serious enough to cause Zenith to put out a service bulletin
warning about this.
But a brush is much more likely to do static damage.

I can't imagine a USB vacuum having any power at all
 
Sucking and blowing actually can cause static electricity problems, and
the problem
was serious enough to cause Zenith to put out a service bulletin
warning about this.
But a brush is much more likely to do static damage.
Click to expand...
If you are grounded while holding the vaccuum tube, then you are hardly
likely to impart any static to components. If sucking and blowing can
cause static problems, then logically so will using a can of compressed air.
 
"Al said:
Use compressed air from a can, if your vacuum is not specifically designed
to dissipate static.
Click to expand...

Using compressed air can generate static. I didn't understand the
mechanism, until I found a web page that explained that the moving
dust is what generates the static! So any source of high velocity
air, in the presence of dust, is a means of generating static.

If you read these USENET forums enough, you run into occasional
reports of people who have zapped and killed their motherboard
by using compressed air. I would recommend caution in the use
of compressed air as a result.

The operating principle used in antistatic mats and materials,
is to use mildly conductive materials. They allow static charge
to be slowly drained from something that becomes charged, so
there isn't a large rush of current or a spark. If I was shopping
for something like this, I would try to find an attachment that
fits onto the end of your vacuum cleaner, but the plastic is slightly
conductive and not a complete insulator. For example, see the
description of the second product from the top of the page:

http://www.lattaequipment.com/produ...acuums/vacuum_tools_hoses_tubing/vacuum_hose/

"Hose - Crushproof Static Conductive Plastic

Lightweight, flexible, static conductive crush-resistant hose.
The plastic blend used in this new hose's construction contains
carbon black, which provides a permanent static conductive
surface resistivity of 10/4 - 10/6. Ideal for housekeeping
applications, conveying light, materials that can cause a static
build up. This hose style is available only in black. Hose comes
standard with male/female stainless steel cuffs, plain and reducer
cuffs available."

Static electricity is tricky stuff, and even if you use a conductive
hose, there is always the possibility of a static discharge somewhere
in the work area. So using the conductive hose would not be a
guarantee of no damage, simply that there is one less damage
mechanism present.

HTH,
Paul
 
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