SOLVED Best way to clean case fans?

Culbrelai · Nov 20, 2012

Well my old pc has Enermax fans in it that are really quiet ( cant say if they move much air, my i7 960 ran hotter than safe for long periods, but that might just be the cpu cooler...) and theyre really dusty... What would the best way to clean these be?

Damp rag?

I want to fill up all of the fan slots in my cosmos ii...

wagex · Nov 20, 2012

id pull them out and just dust them with a paint brush and a can of air if they are that bad a damp rag should be fine as well

Culbrelai · Nov 20, 2012

Figured as such, although i have cans of air using that was like trying to clean a 10,000 sq ft house with a Shark

Anonaru · Nov 20, 2012

I take em outside, jury rig them, then run a soft-bristle brush over the blades as they spin. This is a pretty easy way to clean both the back and front (Back is a little harder, but still simple)-- It makes short work of the stubbron dust that doesn't cooperate when sprayed with a can-o-air.

That and blowing anything out in the room it came from is redundant. I like to think of my computers and fans as my very own extremely expensive air purifiers :facepalm:

SolidxSnake · Nov 20, 2012

I normally take the fan apart (you take off the hub sticker, pull a clip off, and the fan more or less falls apart), then use isopropyl alcohol and a cloth to clean it off. Taking it apart makes it easier to clean (not necessary at all though) and also facilitates oiling of the fan's bearings (for a sleeve-bearing fan, anyhow).

See here:

SolidxSnake said:
One of my old yates fully disassembled and ready for cleaning and re-oiling:

Culbrelai · Nov 20, 2012

Heh, funny, the inside of a computer not cleaned out for months does resemble an air purifier filter =P

Design flaw still not nicked out of the whole "lets put fans in our computers" thing.

As for taking it apart, im skittish enough around computer parts ill have to pass on all that but thx, i dont even know what type of berings the fans use

tikithorsen · Nov 20, 2012

¿So is "safe" to get the fans under tap water to clean them off?
I heard they have a "dry working" mechanism is and bad to get them wet.

Culbrelai · Nov 20, 2012

Yeah ^ thats what I originally wanted to do. Seemed to be the most effective but i was concere about the electrics so i didnt, didnt want to bring it up here either since my last case fan phailure -_- stupid cougar and their rubber evil silencers

noname2020x · Nov 20, 2012

I have heard that holding in the can of air for too long may spin the fan too fast and damage it, but I've never had any problems. =p

Conumdrum · Nov 21, 2012

Take the fans out. Use a brush (like a makeup brush or car detail brush) is a geat one. Brush them. Then take the case and fans to a place with an air compressor, blow air on your hand first for a bit to make sure there is no water in the air, and blow it all out. Don't let the fans over-rev, you can stress the bearings in the fans.

One of those cheaper pancake compressors that holds 2-4 gallons at Home Depot is nice to have.

mammut · Nov 21, 2012

dunno about best, but I have taken them out, used an old toothbrush & vacuum. Keep one finger on a blade as to not let it spin, the fan can be "damaged", ie become noisy if you let it spin too fast or reverse. Also taking them apart and re-lubricate usually works only for a short time, then the noise from the bearings will begin.

S_I_N · Nov 21, 2012

yup I hold the fan blades with a finger when i blow them off I've heard over spinning them can make them die faster as well. I also use the damp rag wipe down process to get them spotless. I'll have to see if i can find a soft bristle brush and try that as well.

boaxluffy · Nov 21, 2012

mammut said:
dunno about best, but I have taken them out, used an old toothbrush & vacuum. Keep one finger on a blade as to not let it spin, the fan can be "damaged", ie become noisy if you let it spin too fast or reverse. Also taking them apart and re-lubricate usually works only for a short time, then the noise from the bearings will begin.

+1 This

givmedew · Nov 21, 2012

Hi, I like the idea of taking them apart. Some are better for that then others. I just (like 10 minutes ago) cleaned up some 120x38 Delta and some huge silverstones and what I did was I used a microfiber cloth and a baby bottle brush. I got the brush damp and then scrubbed the blades and anything else the had dust then I used the microfiber cloth and carefully wiped off the blades removing the dust and drying them at the same time. I have never ruined a fan cleaning it but I am very careful not to put too much pressure on side or the other and not to allow the blades to spin fast from anything like a vacuum or air duster.

Also if using an air duster make sure your not blowing dust inside the motor area of the fan.

ehume · Nov 22, 2012

For light cleaning you can leave the fan in place. For cleaning a PSU you must leave the fan in place. Use wooden skewers (the kind you use to prepare food) or fireplace matches to stop blades from spinning.

Use a Metropolitan Vacuum ED500 "DataVac" blower to clean the blades, the inside of the case, and whatever you want to dust:

It's down to $46.45 just now. You never have to worry about running out of air.

You can also use a vacuum, but I end up using that on filters and the innards of our last surviving Dell.

When you have greasy dirt that builds a residue on your fans, a soapy cloth wrung to dampness and wiped on the blades, then followed by a wet cloth (no sop) wrung to semi-dampness to wipe off the soap residue works best. I haven't been satisfied with rubbing or even 91% alcohol.

And take the opportunity to re-lubricate your sleeve bearing fans twice a year or so. (How-To is here.)

LZ_Xray · Nov 22, 2012

If you have access to something like a Dremel, use one of the little bristle brush attachments in it while holding a vacuum to catch what it knocks off. That will get the blades as clean as new without either using undue force on the blade or using water. Takes off the really glued on dust and can also get into the small cracks.

This is in fact the only use I've ever found for those little circular brush attachments.

Culbrelai · Nov 24, 2012

So a damp rag is good, that's good to know. BTW, so I don't have to make another topic...

I was fishing around for the front grille on my CM Cosmos II and pulled it off, saw the 200mm fan that was included as per the manual and all of the descriptions, although it said "200mm fan converted from 140mm+120mm" which I thought to mean that you could use either a 200mm fan, or 140mm+120mm in the front of the case. Apparently not?

73F4A0B5-8649-4830-9B73-601746E1495B-59512-00000C3641678C1B.jpg

The mounted fan is clearly a 200mm, its huge, lol. But the lower slot isn't covered, which is what I thought "Converted from" meant, that the 200mm would cover them both.

Is the lower slot a 120mm slot or 140mm slot so I don't have to go rip out a fan from somewhere else to compare... so confused lol. I'm just trying to use all of the spare parts from my previous computer before I go at it with a sledgehammer for causing me pain over the years. =P

Conumdrum · Nov 24, 2012

Looking behind that 200mm fan, there is so much metal blocking airflow. That's poor design on the case maker for sure.

Measure between the screw holes. They do make 140mm fans with 120mm screwholes. Thermalright? Good fans if I remember too.

inVain · Nov 24, 2012

Conumdrum said:
Looking behind that 200mm fan, there is so much metal blocking airflow. That's poor design on the case maker for sure.

Measure between the screw holes. They do make 140mm fans with 120mm screwholes. Thermalright? Good fans if I remember too.

I think the metal behind the fan is the hdd cage :shrug:

is there any better option to cool down the hard drive without losing too much airflow on the intake?

SolidxSnake · Nov 24, 2012

Culbrelai said:
I was fishing around for the front grille on my CM Cosmos II and pulled it off, saw the 200mm fan that was included as per the manual and all of the descriptions, although it said "200mm fan converted from 140mm+120mm" which I thought to mean that you could use either a 200mm fan, or 140mm+120mm in the front of the case. Apparently not?

<snip>

The mounted fan is clearly a 200mm, its huge, lol. But the lower slot isn't covered, which is what I thought "Converted from" meant, that the 200mm would cover them both.

Look at the screwholes. They are within the diameter of the fan. The fan diameter is 200mm, but the screwholes are not. That's the "converted from 140mm" part.

SOLVED Best way to clean case fans?

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