cleaning the fans on the iMac 27"

[Arkious]

I opened the RAM port the other day as i seen some dust hanging out of it when i was cleaning my screen and it was full of dust. This is making me wonder how bad inside the computer is. Ive had it 2 years now and i used to clean my PC out every 2 month or so but obviously the iMac is not as accessable as the PC was. What is the best way to clean the dust out? I thought about getting a can of air and spraying it down the vent along the top, i thought i would ask before doing it though.

Any help would be much appreciated thanks.

 

[GGJstudios]

What is the best way to clean the dust out?

This should work fine:

I thought about getting a can of air and spraying it down the vent along the top

 

[Arkious]

This should work fine:

there is no components that could be broken by doing so is there? i was also worried about causing dust to get between the glass and lcd

 

[GGJstudios]

there is no components that could be broken by doing so is there? i was also worried about causing dust to get between the glass and lcd

Another option is to open it up and spray it clean.

 

[btbrossard]

The compressed air is probably fine.

I shut my iMac off and then vacuum the snot out off all the vents (the bottom, back, and top).

I'm more comfortable sucking the dust out of the vent instead of blowing it around (to avoid the possibility of getting any in the screen area).

 

[Lil Chillbil]

just be sure not to turn the can upside down when spraying

 

[Arkious]

Another option is to open it up and spray it clean.

I would like to open it but its under apple care for another year so dont want to open it, if i were to open it i would be tempted to mess with things hahaha

The compressed air is probably fine.

I shut my iMac off and then vacuum the snot out off all the vents (the bottom, back, and top).

I'm more comfortable sucking the dust out of the vent instead of blowing it around (to avoid the possibility of getting any in the screen area).

i might do a mixture of the two, use the air to move the dust and use the vac at the fan to suck it out so i dont just blow it around.

just be sure not to turn the can upside down when spraying

ive done that before when cleaning a board, it doesnt go well... lol

 

[Scythe5]

I would like to open it but its under apple care for another year so dont want to open it, if i were to open it i would be tempted to mess with things hahaha



i might do a mixture of the two, use the air to move the dust and use the vac at the fan to suck it out so i dont just blow it around.



ive done that before when cleaning a board, it doesnt go well... lol

You can always run the apple hardware test. It will put the fans on high and send a lot of dust flying out.

 

[Macman45]

I've always fought shy of compressed air, but I'm damn sure my iMac needs a clean...The air option seems the best, my iMac is on 24/7 so there has got to be dust in there. Last time I opened the RAM compartment was to upgrade to 16GB....nearly a year ago.

Guess I'll buy some compressed air and give this a try.

 

[Arkious]

You can always run the apple hardware test. It will put the fans on high and send a lot of dust flying out.

That's just it, the fans seem to run up very high a lot now, they have never done that in the past and that's what made me think it's time to clean out lol

 

[Macman45]

Plenty of the canned stuff around



http://www.amazon.co.uk/s/?ie=UTF8&...vpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=b&ref=pd_sl_9f0seqtdd8_b

 

[Arkious]

Plenty of the canned stuff around



http://www.amazon.co.uk/s/?ie=UTF8&...vpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=b&ref=pd_sl_9f0seqtdd8_b

I found that Asda was actually cheaper and on my door step. Asda - Walmart

it will be interesting to see what comes out lol.

Ive always wanted to put AS5 in the iMac but due to the Warrenty stickers ive never come close hahaha

 

[Macman45]

I found that Asda was actually cheaper and on my door step. Asda - Walmart

it will be interesting to see what comes out lol.

Ive always wanted to put AS5 in the iMac but due to the Warrenty stickers ive never come close hahaha

I use Asda for home shopping..will add a couple of cans to the next shop

 

[Arkious]

I use Asda for home shopping..will add a couple of cans to the next shop

Yeah same here, i bought some from amazon before and then said OMG when i realised it was readily available and cheaper at Asda lol.

Let me know how it goes please, i should get round to doing mine today as it needs a good bit of TLC.

 

[Macman45]

Yeah same here, i bought some from amazon before and then said OMG when i realised it was readily available and cheaper at Asda lol.

Let me know how it goes please, i should get round to doing mine today as it needs a good bit of TLC.

Will do...If it's been running pretty much 24 / 7 for show long, I expect to be covered in dust!

 

[btbrossard]

just be sure not to turn the can upside down when spraying

Not only could you damage whatever your spraying, the bittering agent they put in most compressed air is the most foul crap you could ever imagine smelling. It smells sort of like pepper spray mixed with ass.

 

[Lil Chillbil]

I made that mistake I froze my g4s cpu I had to borrow my moms hairdryer to thaw it out. And a industrial fan to air out the room.

 

[Arkious]

Not only could you damage whatever your spraying, the bittering agent they put in most compressed air is the most foul crap you could ever imagine smelling. It smells sort of like pepper spray mixed with ass.

brilliant xD

 

[harcosparky]

I'm more comfortable sucking the dust out of the vent instead of blowing it around (to avoid the possibility of getting any in the screen area).

This! ^^^^^

Air is pulled in from the bottom and flows out of the top.

Vacuum from the bottom would be the best way aside from disassembly and really cleaning it out.

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It smells sort of like pepper spray mixed with ass.

Don't wanna know how you know what that smells like!