Dell PC problem - fuse ?

[munchie63]

Hi all.
as my PC 's been running a little noisy lately, I thought I'd give it a clean to remove the dust, and hopefully make it quieter again.
genius that I am, i left it plugged into the main power supply (although I did actually switch the pc off).

as i was using a very small paintbrush to brush the dust from the fan at the back of the machine (through the air vent grill) there was a (not too loud) bang and a very small spark from inside the machine, where the power lead plugs in.

I've checked the power lead fuse, and it's fine, and the pc seesm to be running ok.......I'm guessing i've blown a fuse inside the pc, and am hoping Dell fit more than 1 to cope for idiots like me.

Just a bit worried about using the pc incase it overheats/overloads because of this.

Anyone any ideas / suggestions.....oh and guys....I know, unplug it first next time :)

[ACtheTROLL]

could just have arced - have you counted all the brissles?

when you say fan - is that the fan - or the fan in the power unit?

if it's just the fan - it only runs at 12v
in the psu there are some huge voltages and currents - which don't go away even when you HAVE switched off

Unless you are really familiar - it's always best to brush the bits you can get at - if it's inside and you can't get to it - don't
stuff in cases (PSUs) are generally in metal cases - and should be safe enough if you use a vac on them from the outside

[VHG]

Well first, I cant believe you left it plugged in while doing this.

It sounds to me as though perhaps the paintbrush had a metal "frame" to hold the bristles in, and this has somehow shorted something out.

You could of course have given yourself a nasty electric shock, and / or wrecked your PC.

But you say it is running OK?

If it running OK then as long as all the fans are running then just leave it, you may not have done any permanent damage.

ALWAYS unplug a PC from the mains when you take the cover off, and touch some metal, like a radiator, before touching the inside of the case (to "earth" yourself).

I usually take mine outside and blow the dust out with a hair drier (set on cool). Then if I brush more dust off the fans or heat sinks I just blow it out with the hair drier in the garden.

[munchie63]

cheers for the replies.

the hairbrush ones worth a try next time.

tbh, I've always unplugged it completely when I've done it before, turned it upside down etc and given it a light shake/hoover.
I've been suffering with a bad back for the last 2 weeks, and was trying to be quick, and not spend too long bent over. that;s what happens when you try and rush something. Live and learn eh.

It was a plastic paintbrush though - one of the kids thin ones for painting models etc. I'm not mad enough to wave a metal one about !

It was the fan inside the pc at the top, that I was brushing. Guessing I hit something around the inner power socket fitting, or maybe dust hitting the power connection made the spark ?

cheers anyway.

[munchie63]

vhg.....I hadn't removed the cover at all.....I was stupidly poking the brush through the grill to brush the remaining dust off the fan