Alternatives to canned air

[Dansterdam]

I’m fed up of buying cans of canned air. For some reason my setup seems to attract a lot of dust, and I don’t like it, so I am constantly cleaning it up and removing the dust.

I was wondering if I could repurpose something like a portable car/bike air pump  (see photos) as long as I use a small adapter (like the football adapter) to generate the pressure needed to clean my equipment. 
Has anyone done something similar or have any additional recommendations?

 

[tkitch]

PC Vacuum

[jaslion]

A simple compressor or a pc duster it's far easier to do as the pressure out of those is not really much.

[Thready]

I'm actually interested in this question as well because I hate compressed air too. 

 

How much would you guys suggest spending on one? They go from $20 to $160 online. I assume the $160 is the best, but is the best necessary just for a normal use desktop in a dry basement?

[TetraSky]

Look for ESD safe air Duster.

 

A well known and recommended product would be Datavac ed-500. I myself got one, still works great even 10 years later and being dropped on a hard cement floor more than once.

 

I don't think it's worth getting a bike pump and modifying it. It likely wouldn't have as high of an output as a proper duster.

[Jeskspie]

Reddit

[Tan3l6]

nvm

 

/Sorry i just had to

[akio123008]

Just leave the dust sit there?

 

I know lots of people here are quite obsessed with keeping their rig completely dust-free but really your rig doesn't mind

[FRD]

I ever read something about people keeping their rooms dust free using air purifiers or something like that. Not sure if it does work though and it probably differs per room and if you have carpet and the things you have inside it.

[GeorgeMKane]

I got earlier this year. Works like a charm.  

 

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B082XR3987

[Zomeguy]

18 hours ago, GeorgeMKane said:

I got earlier this year. Works like a charm.  

 

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B082XR3987

I one that is similar to that. Doesn't have the MECO name on it but looks the same with the same attachments so some other company branding the same thing. I've had mine now almost a year and it's been great. So much better than those air dusters for cost.

[mr moose]

For anyone thinking of getting a small workshop compressor, they are great and really handing for more than just cleaning PC parts, but get a half decent moisture trap if you do,  the last thing you want to do is blow rusty water all over your motherboard.  

[Totallycasual]

Ever thought about getting an air purifier?  Maybe your lungs will thank you in the long run and you'll solve your PC dust situation too. 

[Antistatic12]

I use this. Goes hard. Comes with a few attachments.
The power cable is shorter than Linus, make sure to have an extension cable handy.

[IPD]

Wonder if anyone will ever sell a case with HEPA filters built in---so that you don't have to dust.

[IkeaGnome]

3 minutes ago, IPD said:

Wonder if anyone will ever sell a case with HEPA filters built in---so that you don't have to dust.

Guess whoooo

https://www.silverstonetek.com/product.php?area=en&pid=525

[Nerocosm]

I'd say an air compressor so you don't keep having to buying can's. I don't have one anymore so I just take my PC apart and use a duster or I use a duster on my keyboard and some wipes and get in there. 

[IPD]

On 12/28/2021 at 1:53 PM, IkeaGnome said:

Guess whoooo

https://www.silverstonetek.com/product.php?area=en&pid=525

Interesting.  But i was hoping to see a filter on the exhaust as well--just to prevent any backflow.  Unless we're talking 1.0 atmospheres + of pressure differential, I'm not going to trust that there's no such thing as dust coming in the back.

[thrasher_565]

On 12/28/2021 at 5:01 AM, Antistatic12 said:

I use this. Goes hard. Comes with a few attachments.
The power cable is shorter than Linus, make sure to have an extension cable handy.

data vacs use to be cheap but then people buy them and made videos on them and now there like $100+ i have one but probly a cheap small compresses and some filter might be better imo. maybe there are cheaper ones now but at the time i was looking there was nothing. i no some hair dryers have a cold setting posably that could work. i uses mine to shrink heat shrink works good.

[SiRcivic27]

The first thing I bought when I got my first house was an air compressor. We’re a big bike family so airing up bike tires, car tires, and air tools for working on our cars. It’s just a plus that I have all the air needed to clean electronics and fans. 

[Dredgy]

Preventative measures.

 

Air filters and keeping the case pressure right will stop basically all dust ingress.

[Tamesh16]

Quick thing, If you get a lot of dust you can try an air purifier as well, reduce the dust in the room also as @Dredgy said dust filters on the case if possible.

An air compressor is nice, but you can try to reduce dust build up to save you sometime regardless if you get one

[DisputatiousV1]

Buy a cheap shop vac, they tend to suck and blow. If you never use the "suck function" you will have years of great filtered blowjobs for all your dust gathering electricals. And if your a real he man type a leaf blower works great, you might want to stand back a bit though.

 

[Tom09]

Do you what case do you have? Also, what direction are your fans in?

I would recommend that if you have dust filters that when you get the dust out of them you take them outside so that the dust doesn't get back into the air in the room you are in just to get sucked up into the filters again.

[GoodBytes]

On 12/29/2021 at 10:31 PM, thrasher_565 said:

data vacs use to be cheap but then people buy them and made videos on them and now there like $100+ i have one but probly a cheap small compresses and some filter might be better imo. maybe there are cheaper ones now but at the time i was looking there was nothing. i no some hair dryers have a cold setting posably that could work. i uses mine to shrink heat shrink works good.

Yup. I remember when we got one at work (when I was working as IT ages ago), was like 40$ Canadian. Now, looking on Amazon, the very same model, 150$ Canadian. I used to mention it on the forum, as it was such an obvious purchase over compressed air can due to the price (if you didn't mind the jet hand dryer noise it made). Now, it is ridiculous. Might as well get an air compressor, and that you can use it for other things (assuming you have the space for it), or stick with air can if you are doing more than a casual clean to 1-2 PCs type of thing.