How Nuts Do You Get Cleaning Your PS3

2969 Views 15 Replies 4 Participants Last post by Ares, Dec 18, 2009

Ares

Discussion Starter · Dec 3, 2009

Hey Gang, I ask this ? because my wife said something to me today about how crazy I get about cleaning my PS3, a little background for ya I own a 40GB PS3 installed a 500GB HDD and Linux YDL 6.1 on it. My cleaning habits I don't think are that bad, once a week I blow out all the vents and do light cleaning, every 3 months I crack it open to blow out any dust off the fan and motherboard. I had to change the thermal paste after 3yrs of use. My wife claims there is nobody else like me out there I beg to differ,so please post how nuts you are about cleaning your PS3 so that my wife can see I'm not the only one. Thank You.

1 - 16 of 16 Posts

MatrixDweller

· #2 · Dec 3, 2009

I just got the YLOD last night on my PS3. Maybe I should have been more proactive and cleaned the fan off. Every now and again (3-6 months) I would use canned air to spray out the vents, but that's about it. Now I'm staring at a brick.

Most people don't have the skills to crack open their PS3. I looked up some DIY info last night on how to do it and did. It wasn't that dusty actually. I've worked on PCs a lot and have seen a lot of dust caked to systems. My PS3 for not having been opened since bought 2 years ago was fairly clean in comparison. I think it has something to do with how the PS3's air flows through the case. It basically goes from front to back and the heat piping instead of finned heatsinks provides less nooks and crannies for dust to be caught in.

Ares

Discussion Starter · #3 · Dec 3, 2009

Hello Zip, Dust is a major problem in my household everyday my wife is dusting. Sorry to hear about the YLOD are you going to send it back to Sony or DIY it.

MatrixDweller

· #4 · Dec 3, 2009

I'm looking around to see if i can buy another system for parts cheaply. It's either the power supply or the BGA chips. I'm going to try a few things first and then consider replacement.

If I can't fix it then I'll most likely just buy a new PS3 slim for $299. It would cost $150 plus tax to send it to Sony which is more than half the price of a new system with a warranty. I might be able to recoup some of the loss by selling whatever game and controller comes bundled with it. I could also sell off the parts that I know are working on my old PS3 or sell it out right for $75 or so.

Ares

Discussion Starter · #5 · Dec 3, 2009

In the long run it's the best bet just buy a new one. I have been lucky so far no major issues have come up that I could not handle and I know that time is coming.

mechman

· #6 · Dec 4, 2009

I've had my PS3 for awhile and I've done nothing to it. Went and took a peek at the vents and they don't seem dusty at all. Maybe it's because it only gets used once or twice a week for about three hours or so. :dontknow:

Ares

Discussion Starter · #7 · Dec 4, 2009

I use my everyday from playing games to surfing the web to watching movies on average it gets used about 5-6 hours daily through the week and then gets punished on the weekend 10-12 hours of use Sat. and Sun.

Ares

Discussion Starter · #8 · Dec 5, 2009

Any one else wish to comment on their cleaning habits in regards to the PS3.

nova

· #9 · Dec 5, 2009

I do not have a PS3, but I do have a similar cleaning routine for all my computers. Clean dust from fans, PSU, heat sinks, vents, etc. about once a month. Replace thermal paste about every 12 - 18 months.

Ares

Discussion Starter · #10 · Dec 5, 2009

If you don't own a PS3 that's cool just want my wife to see there are others out there who have similar cleaning and maintenance habits for their electronics. Thanks for the input.

Ares

Discussion Starter · #11 · Dec 16, 2009 (Edited)

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.

2)Fixing YLOD is a 2 part video

MatrixDweller

· #12 · Dec 16, 2009

I actually fixed my PS3 last weekend using a heat gun to re-flow the solder on the Cell and GFX chip. It wasn't too hard to take apart and I applied some Arctic Silver 5 heat-sink compound on the chips afterward. I also bent the heatsink clips slightly so that there was a tiny bit more force on the chips and screwed them down tightly. Works like a charm now.

The first attempt to fix, I tried using a hair dryer to heat up the heatsinks with nothing in the PS3 taken apart. I figured why not try it just to see. It actually worked while the chips were still hot because the metal expanded and the small gap in one of the solder joints made connection again. After the system cooled down (left off over night) it failed to start up again (ylod).

When I took it apart it really wasn't all that dusty inside. I've been working with computers for quite some time and they tend to get a nice carpet of dust inside them. The PS3 was relatively clean in comparison. Never the less, it's spotless now because I cleaned everything thoroughly.

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).

Some people say that once you fix your YLOD'ed PS3 it will happen eventually again. I will repost if/when it does.

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Ares

Discussion Starter · #13 · Dec 17, 2009

Zip is yours a launch PS3? I have heard it happens again as well so your right it could design flaw.

MatrixDweller

· #14 · Dec 17, 2009

It's a 40GB (CECHH01) and was purchased almost 2 years ago.

I've placed mine vertical for now. Eventually I plan on building a built in wall rack with cooling and would most likely need to put it horizontal then. I'll have to be sure to add extra fans in its slot to ensure there are no heat issues.

Ares

Discussion Starter · #15 · Dec 17, 2009 (Edited)

I hope you don't mind but I quoted your theory on another forum. To me your theory makes sense and to a lot other people as well. The room for my gear stays at a nice 65F all year round, it is easy to do during the winter I just don't turn on the heat in this room, in the summer the a/c is going.

Ares

Discussion Starter · #16 · Dec 18, 2009

Here is something for the owners of the PS3 slim on how to disassemble your slim for future maintenance *do this after your warranty has expired*

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