Cleaning out electronics boards with air compressor VS compressed air cans

[Kiriakos GR]

Intro:

By this topic I wish to elevate awareness about cleaning out electronics boards with air compressor.

Generally speaking, there is no innocent dust at industrial environments’.
At home / office environment it might be innocent dust among with hairs from pets.
Now if there is a paper copier in the room? Then the definitions of innocent dust this change again and it reclassified.

Compressed air cans they are invented for a good reason, they are portable, and they have minimal (measured and known) stored load of humidity.


Air compressor machinery:
All air compressors they sold at standard configuration, basic water trap filter and pressure control knobs.
 
Air compressor machinery then gets modified according the application.
a) Air compressor feeding air to tools (grinder – drilling – impact wrench).
b) Air compressor feeding air for painting tools
c)  Air compressor feeding air for cleaning of sensitive to moisture materials.

Its modification it is possible by installing additional filters or by installing an oil injector for lubrication of (grinder – drilling – impact wrench).
 
Therefore if you simply come across to Air compressor line this found in a factory, you must talk first with maintenance team, so you to learn of how this system it is configured.

My Air compressor unit:
By 99% you did purchased an air compressor at basic configuration.
Therefore for cleaning of sensitive to moisture materials, it must be configured with additional water trap filter.
 
Air compressor tank has the habit to accumulate water at it lower end.
Large size of air storage tanks they accumulate large quantity of water much faster than small ones.
Draining of trapped water this is responsibility of its air compressor user, there is one special valve underneath of air storage tank.


Final thoughts and conclusion:
Using an air compressor of some one else this is a BAD Idea, exception this is only air compressors publically available for inflating tires in a gas station.
 
About cleaning out electronics boards with air compressor, this is possible by eliminating the risk of spaying humidity at the top of the dust that you are trying to remove.
Air compressor unit this it should include high quality water trap filter (one or more in line) and it should enjoy proper maintenance and regular water removal from it storage tank.

One rubber belt this close to it end of life, this increases mechanical noise of operation to most air compressor units.
Transfer of movement from motor to compressor this is not equal and there is creation of sound harmonics (due increased vibrations’) traveling at entire room and it to your ears.