DIY fan filters?

golemB · Post by **golemB** » Thu Jun 12, 2003 12:45 pm

Does anyone have experiences to share with DIY fan filters? Especially with my new windowed case, the presence of dust and hair from the floor inside the case is rather unattractive. Plus, even with some reduced airflow, it strikes me that in a few months, dust buildup on fans will reduce efficiency and increase heat anyway.

Right now I'm thinking of coming up with a clothes-hanger wire rectanglular frame with some nylon hosiery stretched over it for easy cleaning... I haven't really seen any aftermarket fan filters.

Alistair · Post by **Alistair** » Thu Jun 12, 2003 1:43 pm

There are a few available, nothing I have seen is too good. I would look for air filters in the heating/air conditioning section of the hardware store, that stuff is light and pourous but allows for a lot of air, oppose to something tightly woven like hosiery.

Anything will impede airflow, especially running fans at 5v any blockage may have a big impact.

Bat · Post by **Bat** » Thu Jun 12, 2003 4:08 pm

Quite a few people have used air filters meant for car engines etc.
See other threads on these forums, and a couple of articles at overclockers.com
You might also consider tumble-dryer filters (clog relatively quickly perhaps, but very quick and easy to clean), car passenger-cabin air filters, or vacuum-cleaner bags/filters.

frosty · Post by **frosty** » Fri Jun 13, 2003 6:26 am

I wish my wife would steal my scouring pads and scrub a bit here n there

Anyways what about window screen would it let in too much dirt or would that be about right plastic or metal?

Bluefront · Post by **Bluefront** » Fri Jun 13, 2003 8:55 am

I've posted at least three different setups....here's the easiest that should fit most cases. It's a powercare filter for a lawnmower. Check out all the albums on the Yahoo photo page.

mudboy · Post by **mudboy** » Sat Jun 14, 2003 3:55 am

I use dryer sheets that have been used once. They're cheap (recycled!) so you just toss them out when you're done, and they do a good job. Use doublesided tape or hook-side velcro to keep the sheet in place.

Pete

Liquidated · Post by **Liquidated** » Sun Jun 15, 2003 6:28 pm

ok let me see if I can dig it up...

a bit of background.. I build pc for friends, relatives, friends of relatives, people at work, family of friends, of family of working friends, of cousins that have brothers.. or somthing. It's not a job, it just seems to happen.

I'm sure alot of other people are in the same position. =p

These are PC's that I let go and only see again when something goes wrong. Invaribly they are completely dust and pet haired inside when I get to them so I have a can of compressed air always.

Regardless, filters are a MAJOR pain for me as nothing I've found locally have fit the bill. They tend to clog up fast and no one wants to open the case up much less clean them.

So I began looking for a foam that combines good permeability with substancial dust holding capacity (without degrading airflow). After a few mins googling for insight it was obvious mere foam wasn't going to fit the bill so looked for actual filtration sites. I came across permatron and their permacool multilayer media...

http://www.permatron.com/Media/PC.html

Anyway, from replies I got back from a late night saturday query that was emailed like on sunday morning (boggle) I was told I could get the materal in a 1 yard length for um about $65.

Now $65 is kinda steep for mere filtration but then again the smallest size they are able to cut is 76 inches by 36 inches and it's not like are making anything off me. It's cheaper than individual air filters regardless after the 6th pc.

btw anyone have a clue about relative air permeability? =)

Unless someone sees an obvious error I made, I'll pick a "sheet" (er carpet?) up soon and I'll report back np. I guess I'll have a life time supply of this stuff though so if anyone wants to um get in on it I can work something out.

Then again I need to send that panel to badmod still opps so I'm due for a postal stop.

Cheers!
-Liq

Alistair · Post by **Alistair** » Sun Jun 22, 2003 1:31 am

i found these at home depot, used for putting in central heating systems. very cheap and i'm happy with the consistancy of them which seems just enough density to catch the dust yet not impede airflow very much.

fractal · Post by **fractal** » Fri Jun 27, 2003 12:05 pm

A lot of people use dryer sheets. Used ones seem to work best. They also double as an air freshener

Some people have reported good results with range hood filters. You can get them at any hardware store and they come in a variety of sizes. They offer less air resistance and are pretty good at picking up the big crud.

The only trick to using filters is to remember to clean them. Failing to clean them is worse than not using one at all

golemB · Post by **golemB** » Sat Jun 28, 2003 1:56 am

Wow, thanks everyone! I didn't get a notification email, so I forgot about this thread... I wound up taking one of the earlier tips, I bought some air conditioning filter material at the hardware store and cut it for my intake fans. (Also spent a whole afternoon clipping away at the stock grille and replacing it with a wire one, but that's another story.) Since this is on the front intake under the plastic bezel, I'll have to remember to clean it periodically - at least I manually ripped the material down to a single thin layer to keep it reasonable...

DIY fan filters?

DIY fan filters?

hmm