Need case advice for dusty room

H

Hyperian

Limp Gawd
Joined
Mar 20, 2006
Messages
181
so my room and my house is pretty dusty and any fans i have collect a good amount of dust. I have nylon stocking cut out to cover some of the vents (bleh) but i really am tired of doing it this way.

are there any good case (mid size, full size better) that has good filtering system integrated with it? my price point is around 100 for a really good case.

and also anyone knows where i can buy those plastic mesh air filters i've seen that you can buy as fan meshes but in a roll/sheet? like this one http://www.petrastechshop.com/12plfanfibl.html and also would the metal meshes be better than these plastic ones?
 
Most cases around $100 just have passive dust filters that aren't the easiest to remove and clean. You'd really want something like the RV02/FT02 has where you have a positive pressure case and filters that are super easy to remove and clean. There's gotta be some around $100 though. The Antec Sonata 3 had one that came out of the bottom but the case had no cable management and was seriously lacking in air cooling.
 
i think you should worry more about the case construction and function first. if the case has average filtering, you can pickup after market mods like this;

ffa120xx1jb.jpg


these metal grills aren't perfect but they are easy to clean.

better alternative is something like this

demifilter_main.jpg


problem with the filter above is it uses a magentic frame which are useless on aluminum cases. can use double-sided tape though it means you have to use new tape everytime the grill needs to be cleaned. alternatively you could afix metal strips around fan hole (for Al cases)

link to site below. this is shop in my area (australia) not sure if they ship OS. no doubt you'd probably be able to find something closer / cheaper to yourself.

http://www.pccasegear.com/index.php?main_page=index&cPath=9_26_576

the best material to use on fans is the mesh stuff they use in clothes dryers. i've never been able to find a material as fine and unobstructive to air as dryer mesh (though the magnetic grill cover above comes pretty close). if anyone knows what i'm talking about and knows of a place, let me know.

once you've got your desired filter(s), just seal all other holes and cracks in the case with some form of sealant (eg silicone).

case wise, if you can find one that has exposed fan holes or cases with easily detachable bezels (most lian li cases), removing and cleaning the filters are a piece of piss.
 
those magnets one seems nice but expensive, i'll see if i can find ones in US.
how easy is it to clean the metal meshes? do you just rinse them?

i have heard about the cloth dryer thing, do you mean those anti static sheets? or do you mean the metal mesh used to filter the lint on the dryer, cause that filter is just a metal mesh
 
wow those silverstone cases are nice but they are 200+ for me and their doors are on the right side. i need them on the usual left. they are still good tho, i those build in filters also
 
Hyperian said:
wow those silverstone cases are nice but they are 200+ for me and their doors are on the right side. i need them on the usual left. they are still good tho, i those build in filters also
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You should be able to find an RV02 for about 150 in the US.
 
Hyperian
i have heard about the cloth dryer thing, do you mean those anti static sheets? or do you mean the metal mesh used to filter the lint on the dryer, cause that filter is just a metal mesh
Click to expand...

the tumble clothes dryer i have has a circular plastic frame that's detachable. inside the frame is a very fine mesh. the lint just peels off in a single layer. that's the stuff i was referring too. IMO this material would be ideal for a fan filter.
 
You can buy special filter sheets you can cut to the size you need. They're made by 3m and you should be able to find them in hardware stores.

I'm going to do this soon at least for my PSU intake being on the bottom of my case.
 
Dark Shroud - if you have any linkages to share regarding the 3M stuff, be much appreciated..
 
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You could water cool with an external radiator. This eliminates most of the air flow needed for the case itself, meaning much less dust. The radiator will collect dust (unless its passive), but since its external, it will be easy to see and take a quick pass with the vac to clean it out.
 
why not just buy a air purifier? If you buy a case specifically to handle dust, then only your computer will benefit by it. If you bought a air purifier then both you and the computer will, dust isn't good to breathe in constantly and can irritate asthma / allergies. Besides, it would be cheaper just to pickup one from kmart / walmart.

Just a thought
 
snypa2k3 said:
why not just buy a air purifier? If you buy a case specifically to handle dust, then only your computer will benefit by it. If you bought a air purifier then both you and the computer will, dust isn't good to breathe in constantly and can irritate asthma / allergies. Besides, it would be cheaper just to pickup one from kmart / walmart.

Just a thought
Click to expand...

Along those lines, I just purchased one of these off amazon:
http://www.whirlpoolairpurifiers.com/ap51030k.php

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00440EKRG/ref=oss_product

Its friggin amazing for my dust allergies, CR best in class. Some filters use a small intake (often through the bottom) and then a center centrifugal blower forces the air out in all directions through the filter. The whirlpool sucks in through a filter, then the fan has a concentrated output that blows straight up into the room... which in turn blows across the ceiling and down at the walls, and back into the filter. This 'blower output' does a much better job of keeping a room free of dust since it isnt just filtering whatever air happens to blow past it. For the first time in years I can sit around and breathe easy without needing to take medication (yeah, its that bad). Sure, some dust still settles around the room and on the desk, but at a fraction of the rate it used to be.

I dont know if that is the right kind of dust that the OP is talking about though... sometimes its a computer in a shop with sawdust or from having a mom who is a "cat lady", so maybe this doesn't apply 100%, but if it does...

Maybe the OP should tell us more about why there is a desire to prevent dust from getting in, or out of the computer as well as what the source is.
 
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Hyperian
aphasia: is this fine mesh metal or some sort of plastic type filter?

so far i found this: http://www.amazon.com/PuraPC-Compute...=pd_sbs_misc_4

which is what some fans comes with, if they come with a filter.
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the filter in the 1st pic of my original post is metal
the filter in the others are a fine synthetic material (some sort of plastic maybe)
i have examples of both.

judging by pic from your link (hard to make out from pic on site), i believe its some sort of thin foam. i've found them fairly average for filtering. the foam is a bitch to clean a too restrictive to air flow.

snypa2k3
why not just buy a air purifier?
Click to expand...

not a bad idea, i thought they only filtered things like odours and smoke, didn't think they could filter heavier particulates.
 
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I use 20" box fans with 20" x 20" quality air filters. Inexpensive and very effective. I've started setting them on timers for after I go to bed to minimize ambient noise. It seems to work well in my house with all tile floors.
 
Case-wise, you've got a lot of options in the $100 range that will do just fine on dust filtering so long as your fan arrangement creates positive pressure. Positive pressure will force the bulk of the air into the case via the fan intake locations and make it easier to control dust buildup w/ filters. At that point, it's a simple matter of cleaning the filters whenever needed with the occasional full-case dusting. If your particular case choice isn't built w/ positive pressure in mind, this can often be solved by simply flipping around one of the exhaust fans and slapping a filter over it. Downside is this might disturb airflow patterns and increase temps, but at least it's an option.

Filterwise, these made by DEMCi work very well and can be found at a number of different retailers. They're pretty much what aphasia was describing except that they're magnetic and come w/ a metal strip which makes them easy to use. You can order from them directly to get custom-sized filters if you need something special.

Lastly, like Petey1013 said, check out the Silverstone rv02 since that case frequently goes on sale for ~$129-139. It's absolutely worth the extra $30-40 over anything in the $100 range unless you need space for more than 3 hdd. If the window being on the right side really bothers you, ask yourself what's more important; bling or functionality? I'll take functionality over style every time.
 
I'm interested in buying an air purifier/ionizer to remove dust from room. Is there a recommendation on what to buy for this?
 
I use the 3m filtrete filters you can get anywhere. Get the one that has the soft cotton like texture not the paper one(easier to cut). I think its the 1500 MPR ratting and under. Just cut it out and slap it on near your case fans. Works great since my pc is always on. I know it works since its black every time i change it out.
 
ufot said:
I use the 3m filtrete filters you can get anywhere. Get the one that has the soft cotton like texture not the paper one(easier to cut). I think its the 1500 MPR ratting and under. Just cut it out and slap it on near your case fans. Works great since my pc is always on. I know it works since its black every time i change it out.
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http://www.amazon.com/3M-Filtrete-6-Pack-Allergen-Reduction/dp/B000KEQH7Q
that? i don't think i can cut that up and put it in my case...
 
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Lastly, like Petey1013 said, check out the Silverstone rv02 since that case frequently goes on sale for ~$129-139. It's absolutely worth the extra $30-40 over anything in the $100 range unless you need space for more than 3 hdd. If the window being on the right side really bothers you, ask yourself what's more important; bling or functionality? I'll take functionality over style every time.
Click to expand...

actually i want it on the left side because it's gonna be next to my desk and i can't open it that way. so it is functionality that is over style for me. lol
 
I would check out the RV02-B, RV02B-E, or FT02 models from silverstone. The cases have only 2 points of entry for air, the bottom for cooling the mobo/cpu/vc/ram/hdds, and the back for cooling the PSU. Both come with removable filters for ease of cleaning. I have a problem with dust in my house as well and I have a HAF-X with removable front fan filter but my huge 230mm side panel fan has a non removable filter and it is harder to clean.
 
Hyperian said:
oh god i saw the review, love it, but it doesnt have a hole so i can swap out processor and it's not a full size. I will keep track of it tho
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Also it has killer cooling. Before I moved My hardware to My cm 690. All i used was the 200mm fan on low, and i never overheated( room is 70f). PC was virtually whisper quiet.
 
Dark Shroud said:
You can buy special filter sheets you can cut to the size you need. They're made by 3m and you should be able to find them in hardware stores.

I'm going to do this soon at least for my PSU intake being on the bottom of my case.
Click to expand...

I can't seem to find this on amazon, they are all pleated
 
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