[jonnyb]

I was looking at these portable air duster blowers for motherboards, fans, dust bunnies, etc. I have a normal compressor that I have in the garage that will do the job. But for clients I go to, I can't take this monster compressor with me. It's like 80 lbs. Do these handheld blowers work or are they weak? I have seen the electric plug-in ones and the rechargeable ones. I watched them on YouTube run but really can't tell if they are strong enough for a good cleanup.
Does anyone use these or are they just hairdryers and I'm wasting my time with them? If there's a good one that packs a good punch, then I would like to get one. Any suggestions on which one to buy? I see that they are listed with RPM speeds like 30,000 - 100,000.
Thanks for taking the time to read and respond to this matter.

 

[MPR]

I've had this one for over ten years. It works great. I use it as a general hand-held blower for lots of other stuff besides cleaning out computers. It works well for dusting automobile heater/AC vents, blowing dirt from under seats and under the stove, washer, dryer, and fridge, where vacuums can't get, cleaning out dryer hoses, furnace vents, dusting fireplace rock, ceilings, ceiling fans, and curtains (you need a room HEPA filter or fans in the windows to remove the dust too if you are going to dust a room), blowing grass off your pants after mowing and sawdust in the shop, chasing hidden cats out of closets, etc. It airs up air mattresses pretty fast too. Remember to jam computer fans with something before blowing on them.

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[spunk.funk]

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[jonnyb]

But do they really have the power to blow out all the dust from a computer. Especially power supplys and cpu heatsinks? I did see those ones on an Internet search that you guys mentioned. Just don't want to buy a hairdryer.

 

[spunk.funk]

On the pages, read the Reviews and the Q&A and make your own decision.

 

[MPR]

But do they really have the power to blow out all the dust from a computer. Especially power supplys and cpu heatsinks? I did see those ones on an Internet search that you guys mentioned. Just don't want to buy a hairdryer.

The one I've got has a 70 CFM air flow and will blow the key caps off of your keyboard if you aren't careful, that's why it comes with pressure-reducer attachments. I've found that the high cost of it was worthwhile, it's an industrial-quality unit, not some cheap plastic consumer-level item. If you add up the price of a can of computer "air" every couple of months for ten years plus all of the other stuff you can do with it then it actually comes in pretty cheap.

However, there are no guarantees that you will be satisfied with anything in life. A cheaper alternative would be to buy a used air bubble at a flea market and just fill it with air from your compressor. However, the drawback with this is that you would likely run out of compressed air before the job was done. The unit I have is corded, which some may not like, but this shouldn't be a problem if you are blowing out computers, as if your clients have a computer then they are also probably going to have electricity to run it.

There are YouTube videos on just about everything nowadays. Watch a few and see if the item you are interested in seems to be doing what you want it to do.

 

[SpywareDr]

I also use an older white model of this DataVac Duster. I've had it for years now and she's still going strong.

And still have one of their ESD Safe vacuums where blowing dust out into an office would not be acceptable.

 

[jonnyb]

The prices vary so much too. I just thought that if I paid more then I would more power. That $39 above to me just looks cheap with cheap buttons. I do like the led light on it though. I was going to take a chance and buy a midrange one.
This one seems good but it's $69. Here: https://a.co/d/62l8UMq
I know some things get over inflated and you can do the same power for less money. Our e-bikes cost 950 bucks and work well. My friends bought e-bikes that cost $3000. Anyhow maybe I will buy that one for $69 and hope that I get the right stuff.

 

[SpywareDr]

Ask them for proof of their "110,000 RPM " (Revolutions Per Minute) statement?

If so, what is the dB (decibals)?

 

[jonnyb]

Ask them for proof of their "110,000 RPM " (Revolutions Per Minute) statement?

If so, what is the dB (decibals)?

Oh yeah, just read that. Yeah, I don't get where they get these numbers. I don't trust a product that gives unreasonable specs just so they can sell it. I wonder what my home compressor gives out because it will blow up my car tires 5 lbs in 5 seconds. I have a blower tip I use for computers. It is a two-tank compressor. Maybe 120 lbs of PSI.

 

[MPR]

I will buy that one for $69 and hope that I get the right stuff.

Watch several videos before making your decision. Personally, I'm not that impressed by those cheaper USB-rechargeable dusters. Sure, they will dust a keyboard but from what I've seen you are going to be spending quite a bit of time blowing out a dirty tower case with one. The reviews show a fairly high airspeed at the tip of the tiny nozzle but airspeed alone doesn't really mean anything. I can mimic most of what I've seen those plastic models do by blowing with my mouth. It's air volume delivered over time that really matters in a duster and I've noticed that none of the cheaper units ever indicate this. The Metrovac company does, however -- it's 70 CFM for their Datavac handheld duster.

 

[SpywareDr]

Tip: If your two-tank is NOT an oil-free compressor, it will have oil in the air.

 

[MPR]

Tip: If your two-tank is NOT an oil-free compressor, it will have oil in the air.

Oil in your compressor air is only a problem if your oil separator filter is malfunctioning. A properly functioning oil-lubricated air compressor will only have around five parts million oil in the compressed air.

 

[SpywareDr]

Ever tried to paint with oil in the air?

And, do NOT use it for breathing.

 

[MPR]

Ever tried to paint with oil in the air?

And, do NOT use it for breathing.

I used to scuba dive a lot when I lived in the Pacific Northwest. I eventually picked up an SSI Master Diver card with Nitrox certification. I've also used SCBA equipment a few times when I was a firefighter-paramedic.

You are right about oil being bad in breathing air, especially if you were going to use an enhanced-oxygen mixture (Nitrox) where any oil can cause a fire. However, your average air compressor would only get you a couple breaths at normal scuba-diving depths because they only compress to about 100 psi. Scuba air compressors are special multi-stage, multi-filter compressors that provide pure high-pressure air for breathing. My steel 95 is rated for 2640 psi and that's considered a low-pressure scuba tank. My 13 cubic foot pony bottle (which I carry as a redundant air supply) is rated 3000 psi.

 

[jonnyb]

I watched the Metrovac Datavac system and I think I will use my compressor because it will blow a sticker off of my case. I hold the fans with my finger so it won't blow them into the next door neighbors yard. Thanks for the reviews. Just wanted something to take to clients. I think they will have to come to me.

 

[Sgayres]

I have a 90's Kirby Legend upright vacuum cleaner where I have removed the long handle, replaced it with the short carry handle that converts it to portable. The hose is connected to where the bag was which makes it set to blow. What I have found for dry dust - it's not pressure but VOLUME of air moved. I call it "gentle volume".

My Kirby "blower" can thoroughly blow out a desktop power supply all the way through without excessive PSI. I keep the Kirby at my shop but have been known to take it onsite when I know that I will be doing some major dusting. But mostly onsite, I use canned air. Just easier. I do all dusting outside.

BTW.. today at my shop, I had the unpleasant task of cleaning out a 15 year old Dell that is owned by an indoor chain-smoker. Yuck! Blowing doesn't quite get it. I had to remove the front fan, cowling, heat sink and use a toothbrush to get the brown clumps out and then wipe the surfaces with alcohol solution and paper towels.

Picture related. Remove the tall handle and bag. Connect hose to where bag is connected.

 

[egowing]

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B09MYKYJ7...r gettin in back of mobo, power supply, et al

 

[SoCalBryan]

I'd be more worried about upsetting the client with the dust generated. I bought a pallet of used PC's once and they all had not working tags. They were so full of dust you would have thought that they were using then as air filters.
Got all of them working just by cleaning the dust out of them. They were caked with dust so I'd be more concerned about how to not make a dust bomb at of there PC.

At home I just use a long straw and use a small vacuum to remove and gather up the dust.

At a potential clients I'd use canned air and my Bucket Head vacuum,

 

[MPR]

I'd be more worried about upsetting the client with the dust generated.

I'd be upset if someone were to blow out my overly-dusty computer indoors. Only a really, well let's say "unaware" technician would do that though as it would probably guarantee that he'd get no return calls or references from that customer.

MetroVac must have had some issues with static in certain cases as they now include a grounded cord and wrist strap with a special "ESD" model. I've never had this problem with my DataVac but I'm careful to ground myself and the computer I'm blowing out too.