How Nuts Do You Get Cleaning Your PS3

[Ares]

Ares,

Impressive --- you should work in an IC Mask "Clean Room".

I unfortunately am significantly more lax in my cleaning; maybe I should be more dilligent.

Peace,

Forest Man

Thank you, my wife saw your post and said more like a "Padded Room"

 

[Ares]

Okay it has been awhile since I posted anything here. I will be giving you guys some links to videos on how to change your thermal paste and how to fix YLOD for you diyers out there.
1)Changing Your Thermal Paste.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dP16SDi5y_o

2)Fixing YLOD is a 2 part video
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4_Ic1_TY-GU&feature=related
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vr1zyAGwnuU&feature=related

 

[Shock]

Had no choice the thing was running hot so the fan was always on high, cracked it open and found out that sony uses cheap thermal paste.

Coming from someone who used to build and repair computers, the difference between your run of the mill thermal grease and so called "high end" AS5, or arctic cooling products is next to nothing.

The amount of heat that is actually transfered through the paste is very small. What really determines how effectively the heat sink disperses heat is how smooth the surfaces you are connecting are. Slapping a magical paste on them is not going to do anything but put a hole in your wallet.

It's one of the biggest misconceptions in DIY computing. Here is a good article to read.

http://www.dansdata.com/goop.htm

"If you think any particular grease is going to cause your CPU to run more than a few degrees Celsius cooler than any other grease, though, then assuming the grease is properly applied, you're dreaming."

Keep your heat sinks clear of dust, that's pretty much the best thing you can do in terms of heat prevention.

 

[Ares]

Well the reason why I said it was cheap it was dry it looked like pancake batter that had been left out to long. Now I am not claiming that everybody should use AS5 it just my prefrence, just use a better quailty thermal paste than the paste that Sony puts on,whatever brand name it is or off brand just as long as it is better than Sony's cheap paste.

 

[Polygon]

Do you have a small vacuum to clean the bigger one?

In all seriousness, I've never opened any of my game systems just to clean the inside.

 

[Ares]

Do you have a small vacuum to clean the bigger one?

In all seriousness, I've never opened any of my game systems just to clean the inside.

To answer your first question yes.
I opened mine up after the warranty expired. and after the cleaning and changing of the thermal paste it ran better.

 

[Sinsreesy]

Ive got me a wireless 360 for windows controller, Love it ... With games for windows games the controller just works straight off without having to configure buttons.

I own a PS3 & i have the wireless 360 controller ... I can honestly say i much prefer the feel of the 360 controller over the PS3 controller, Even though ive owned a PS1, 2 & now 3 you would think i would be more used to a PS controller but the 360 controller just fits the hand better imo.

 

[Polygon]

To answer your first question yes.
I opened mine up after the warranty expired. and after the cleaning and changing of the thermal paste it ran better.

I'm guessing they used crap thermal grease, unless it was pretty old.

 

[Ares]

I'm guessing they used crap thermal grease, unless it was pretty old.

I believe both, the heatsink gave no resistance to being pulled off. I have changed the paste on my lappy and I had a harder time getting the heatsink out.

 

[Hi Ho]

I don't own a PS3 but I do have an Xbox 360. I nave never taken it apart and it has never given me any trouble. I keep the area around my components free of dust and dirt. I clean all of my components with a Swiffer duster once a week. Occasionally I will blow things out with compressed air using a vacuum to suck up the expelled dust. I don't take anything apart unless something is wrong and at that point I will do a thorough cleaning.

I build my own PCs and other than weekly Swiffer cleanings I clean them thoroughly once a month or so. I take them outside and use a shop vac on blow mode to blast all of the dust out of the case in a few short seconds (standing back a few feet).

 

[Serj22]

... I take them outside and use a shop vac on blow mode to blast all of the dust out of the case in a few short seconds (standing back a few feet).

I think that's an interesting idea, but I would be so upset if I was using the vac and I blew the computer case over, which is something that would happen to me, regardless of how careful I was.

 

[Ares]

There is a theory that because the chips on the PS3 are upside down this might help in the cause of YLOD.

 

[Ares]

I will post a quote from my boy ZIP from on another forum I am on.

I definitely think it's a flaw in the design process. The chips are mounted upside down in the case and heat rises. Over time it would cause them to come loose. The Apple Macbook's had a similar problem with their graphics chip, which was also mounted on the underside of the mainboard. I would recommend that people keep their PS3's vertical rather than horizontal (most PCs are like that)

This is a reasonable theory which could help in the cause of YLOD in the PS3

 

[Serj22]

I've always been worried about keeping it vertical, because of disc motion and it covers up one whole side of vents. The 360 is a huge deal to keep on its side because it actually has a disc tray, so the disc comes out still spinning on the plastic. I've always had my PS3 horizontal. I was worried there'd be an issue doing it vertically.

 

[Ares]

There should be no issues with keeping your PS3 vertical at least none that I am aware of.
Back when the PS2 was the system of choice keeping it vert. was suppose to take stress off the laser don't know if that is another reason to keep the PS3 vert.

 

[njedpx3]

There should be no issues with keeping your PS3 vertical at least none that I am aware of.
Back when the PS2 was the system of choice keeping it vert. was suppose to take stress off the laser don't know if that is another reason to keep the PS3 vert.

Stress off the laser ?; it's only lightly coupled .


Peace and Good Sound,

Forest Man

P.S.- There is much ado about nothing about convection cooling versus ambient cooling.

 

[darien87]

I've always been worried about keeping it vertical, because of disc motion and it covers up one whole side of vents. The 360 is a huge deal to keep on its side because it actually has a disc tray, so the disc comes out still spinning on the plastic. I've always had my PS3 horizontal. I was worried there'd be an issue doing it vertically.

Huh? There are no vents on the (if you have it vertical), bottom side of the PS 3. The vents are in the front, back and right sides.

But I've had my PS 3 vertical and horizontal and for me it doesn't make any difference in regards to fan speed.

 

[Ares]

Huh? There are no vents on the (if you have it vertical), bottom side of the PS 3. The vents are in the front, back and right sides.

But I've had my PS 3 vertical and horizontal and for me it doesn't make any difference in regards to fan speed.

There are a set of slot vents near the hard drive on the fat PS3, one on the same side as the HDD and another on the underside of the PS3.

 

[Serj22]

I remember when I took it apart that the fan had an exhaust exit on that side, and I just now double-checked and right below the hard drive is a set of vents that runs the width of the ps3. The only side that has no vents whatsoever, is the very bottom, since the front lower half of the Ps3 also has vents.

 

[Ares]

There is a trick that I have tried to increase air flow, what I did was to remove the plastic cover of the HDD slot. it allowed more air in to the PS3 and made the HDD a little cooler. Because those little slot vents don't do much in helping to keep the HDD cool. by the way what model of PS3 do you have.