How to keep your fans clean and lookin' new!

[cullam3n]

What you will need:

-The fans
-Toliet paper and/or toothbrush and/or misc.
-Canned air or equalivient
-WD-40
-Other misc.

1. Ok the first thing you need to do is gather the above and go to your work of place.

2. The first thing you want to do is take the canned air and blow out as much dust as you can from the fan. Use short, quick bursts and make sure to go ALL the way around the fan and everywhere you can reach.

3. [OPTIONAL] Take the toliet paper/toothbrush and scrape off the dust off the fins of the fan. Now you improvise here because sometimes the fins are hard to reach.

4. Now that the fan has been dusted, it is time to use the WD-40. Don't worry about the WD-40 getting into the fan; it won't hurt it. It's not conductive and it won't mess up any electronic equipment in the fan. I would do this over a piece of cardboard. Don't use too much WD-40; just spray once or twice on the back side, then on the front side, go back for the fins, and I usually try to get it inside (but that's just me). It's ok if you get it on the wire, but remember to wipe it off (and try not to get it on the molex connector/3 pin).

5. Shake/vibrate the fan for a few seconds for the excess WD-40 to drip.

6. Wait five minutes and then repeat Step 5.

7. Take the toilet paper and wipe off the WD-40 off the fan. Use the toothbrush if you have a hard time reaching the fins (or improvise).

8. [OPTIONAL] Take the canned air and dust it off again.

I also used this on a fan that gave me resistance in it's later years and and in a matter of hours it was smooth again!

Voila! Your fan should be looking clean again!!! I recommend that you do this every couple of months. You may be surprised at the results!

I've tried this a 10mm thick 60mm 27cfm Delta and a 80mm Innovative fan (the one that had resistance) and it looks great!

-PC

 

[cullam3n]

*bump*

No comment???? I experimented for nothing?!

-PC

 

[12am]

sounds like a good idea, question for you though. Does the wd-40 reduce the ammount of dirt/dust buildup on the fan blades over time?

 

[cullam3n]

That's something I was discussing with my brother.

I should set up an experiment trying to prove that. But that's a realy good question! It sounds like it might... maybe it does, I don't know.

Anyone out there willing to try?

-PC

 

[hellrazrblade]

the wd40 should cause more buildup of dust because the dust has something to stick to. a dry blade shouldnt gather near the dust that a lubed blade will.

 

[ptwearnhardtfan]

Definitely wipe off the excess oil. It just attracts dust.

 

[Diggrr]

WD-40 doesn't actually have much oil in it.
What I'd be more concerned about is spraying solvent (one thing WD does have alot of) on my polystyrene fans. It's an easy plastic to melt chemically. It's the same plastic as in model cars, and can be turned to goo by any number of solvents.

You want to repel dust, try Armor All. It's supposed to be antistatic (I did say supposed), and at the very least, makes a slipery surface that's harder for dust to cling to (ever try Armor All on your stearing wheel?....don't....ever....not even an enemy).

 

[ptwearnhardtfan]

Yeah, I made that mistake, ONCE!

 

[Captain Slug]

It's good to spray WD-40 in the bushing(them metal ring that holds the axle) of the fan (especially with sleeve bearing fans) to lubricate it. Then let the fan run upside-down for a while to let the oil seep down. I've improved the performance of older fans simply oiling them. A couple saw an improvement of 500 RPM.

It's also handy to keep a toothbrush around that's labelled for ONLY CLEANING since they can reach fan blades and inbetween heatsink fins. It's best to clean your blades with glass cleaner or alcohol wipes because they won't eat away at the plastic.

 

[cullam3n]

Thanks for the replies guys... I've learned a lot with this!

-PC