FlaKing

The Zalman is a dang good cooler while being very quiet, but as we know, they are pretty tough to clean because they have so many fins. I know that what I used to do is stick my finger between the fan blades and kind of wipe the superficial dust off the HSF. Ehh, that kind of worked. But this way is a lot more effective. This is a guide to clean your Zalman 7000 or 7700.

You will need:

- A dirty Zalman 7000/7700
- A philips head screwdriver
- A compressor/can of air
- Patience

This is my Zalman CNPS 7000-AlCu before a good cleaning... Eww... stuff hanging off...



First, what you need to do is take the fan off the HSF. There is only 2 screws holding the fan to the HSF. One on each side. It's the darker yellow colored screw.



This is the dirty fan:



And this is teh heatsink:



Now, you have to clean all the fins out. Fire up the compressor, or get your canned air. Blow all the dust out. It should look clean and shiny.

Here's mine :D



Putting it back together is the same as taking it apart. Mount the fan again, and put the screws back in. It should look like brand new. Hope this helps.

A little update on this FAQ:

Do NOT use a vacuum cleaner in a PC. The air rushing over your components generates an insane amount of static. Not a good idea.

FlaKing

Comments anyone?

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For the moon never beams without bringing me dreams
Of the beautiful Annabel Lee;
And the stars never rise but I feel the bright eyes
Of the beautiful Annabel Lee;
And so, all the night-tide, I lie down by the side
Of my darling, my darling, my life and my bride,
In the sepulchre there by the sea,
In her tomb by the sounding sea.

PROBN4LYFE

I prefer a can of compressed air and a toothbrush (soft bristled Oral-b)

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Burn

You also could just soak it in the sink after removing the fan, then use a hairdryer to dry it off :D

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FlaKing

I thought of that, but I knew since it was me, I wouldn't get the water totally off, and that would cause oxidation. And we all know what the statue of liberty looks like. :D

__________________

For the moon never beams without bringing me dreams
Of the beautiful Annabel Lee;
And the stars never rise but I feel the bright eyes
Of the beautiful Annabel Lee;
And so, all the night-tide, I lie down by the side
Of my darling, my darling, my life and my bride,
In the sepulchre there by the sea,
In her tomb by the sounding sea.

bentan77

just use a vacuum and a paint brush. that works for me

someone153

Don't use a vacuum with anything electrical it could short out something.

FlaKing

No, a vacuum would be fine. The HSF is taken totally out of the PC. What's to short out? The fan?

gonX

Not even. Vacuums hardly does ESD.

FlaKing

Well, yeah. That and a vacuum is PLASTIC.