Filter fabric.

[JTanczos]

Filter fabric question

Ive been reading around this board and several others and didnt know where else to ask this. Actually decided to finally register because of it. Its a cooling question tho so I guess its good here.

I have a couple chieftec matrix cases and I wanted to line the inside of the front grill with an air filter fabric that could be vacuumed from the outside monthly. I tried to find something and all i could find were pre cut fan filters or HVAC air filters. Could any of you recommend anything? Whole point would be so I didnt have to open the case to clean all the sensative parts every 3 months.

Thanks
JT

 

[bchur83]

I have heard that you can use fabric softener sheets, stretched out. I use the filters that came with my TT Xaser III Case.

 

[Korndog]

an hvac filter or large fan type filters are pretty dense, case fans have low max pressures as it is..
what i've seen people do is use a dryer lint cloth. Others use a mesh screen kind of like the ones for windows but a little denser.

 

[TheWesson]

Pantyhose! Stretch it over a wire-mesh.

Do as you will with the remainder. Remove the girl before cutting the pantyhose.

the wesson

 

[Leviathan41]

Great idea! I'm going to use pantyhose to filter on my two buck duct, I've been looking for a filter material.

 

[Fire58Mech]

there's tons of things to use, pantie hose works good, so does the wire mesh one, and dryer sheats work okay too( run them through the dries a few times to loose them up first though). I may be setting some up out of a loose fabric lying around the house my mom used to use when she sowed. They make some simple ones at computer stores too.

I've even seen a car filter being used as one. I was thinking about how to this too. looked great when they were done. Anyway there are tons of things to try so good luck

 

[TheWesson]

Stretched pantyhose offers a pretty low impedance, but then again it still allows small particles through (it does catch the larger "fuzzy" lint-like dust.) Also, it's fairly transparent and thus allows some view of whatever's behind it.

I would expect a dryer sheet to cut down on airflow considerably more, but to be better with smaller particles.

An automobile air filter might demand relatively high pressure to force air through, and thus cut down on your airflow considerably. I would be reluctant to use it with an axial fan.

the wesson

 

[2XS]

I just use a blue HVAC filter. Just cut it down to size and slip it into the front of the case.

 

[Chixofnix]

if you go with wire mesh (like for patios, windows and such), that'd be cheap, reuseable, and easy to clean... if you can't find it to be as dense as you'd like, you could always lightly spraypaint it a custom color, and that'll close the holes up a bit, if you aren't too heavy handed with the paint

 

[a c i d.f l y]

Anything, will significantly decrease dust inside your system.

Another thing to consider: filtering also decreases noise. Or 'muffles' it slightly. Unless its a super noisy fan, then it just increases noise by the resistant air noise...

-Frank

 

[Dubbin1]

I tried the panty hose once and it really killed the air flow to my case.

 

[JTanczos]

I read on one site in the UK they used the stuffing they used in fancy dresses. Anyone else try this?? Dumb question alert! We have stuff like that in the states?

JT

 

[TheWesson]

I tried the panty hose once and it really killed the air flow to my case.

Huh - I'm using pantyhose stretched over a 4"x6" 0.25" wire mesh with a 120mm fan at 7v behind it and it works fine.

I think another point here is that the more filtering you're doing (the finer and denser the filter), the wider the filter area has to be ...

the wesson

 

[archilochus]

Bigger area...You mean like this..

please don't quote my pic's.

 

[sJetski]

I'd probably try the panty-hose/stretched out drier sheet idea first. If it limits your airflow too much then you can try some window air-conditioner filter sold at Home Depot & Kmart. It's the one that comes in an orange plastic bag and costs about $1.50 for 2 pretty large sheets. It does let the smallest particles pass but it doesn't limit air flow as much. I vacuum them about once a month as well.

 

[TheWesson]

Bigger area...You mean like this..
please don't quote my pic's.

Yah like that ... that's nice ... it makes your computer look plush and huggable.

Wonder if anyone's done a plushy computer ... eww ...

the wesson

 

[moz_21]

Wonder if anyone's done a plushy computer ... eww ...

I seem to remeber a pink fuzzy one that was made at one time.

My comp is due to be cleaned out again.. so i'll haveta find some filters this time. I had scotchbrite pads at one time but they cut airflow a lot IMO.

 

[archilochus]

The blue plushy filter cost my less than a 1°C rise, where my 1st design caused a 1.8°C rise...This gets the filter material away from the fan and increases the filtering area..Keep your flow up and dust down,

 

[4dsux]

I found these too restrictive unless stretched a lot. I'll try the dryer sheet next.

 

[sLk]

I took the screen part from a splatter guard like this one and used a pair of utility scissors to cut myself filters for my cpu blowpipe and a 92mm intake fan in the front of my case.
The mesh is fine enough to trap most of the dust and whatever it lets thru I vaccum out once or twice a month.
I use a clean paintbrush to keep the filters clean between vaccums.
Looks good too.