I'm looking for a miniature compressor/pump to help clean out my PC since i'm running into issues with the brand of canned air that I use. The brand I get seems to be purposefully altering the pressure of the can. It's not getting the dust off my components and it's quite the annoyance as of late. Anyone know of a good mini-pump I can get that will help me out? I can't spend hundreds of dollars on one, but I don't find a $50 to $120 pump out of the question.

I've http://www.amazon.com/Metro-Vacuum-ED500-500-Watt-Electric/dp/B001J4ZOAW/ref=sr_1_10?ie=UTF8&qid=1375897792&sr=8-10&keywords=Power+air+compressor previously and it has worked great. Though make sure to hold your fans in place when you dust using something like this. If they spin, they can create static electricity.

I think I got EXTREMELY lucky because I use to let my fans spin. Friend who does computer work told me the same thing about the fans and i've stopped doing that. I'll touch the case multiple times to ground myself, and then I proceed to clean them out. My graphics card is in need of some serious dust removal. It's not super bad, but it is getting toasty at around 67*C under load from games like Dead Island Riptide. I'm worried that I may have to consider a new cooler because the one that I use at the moment is revving up a bit. My temp tops out around 60*C at times, and I can't do any movie editing since it pushes around 72*C.

Invest in your future: get a dust fan filter for your computer's fans. I can easily go a whole year without needing to dust the inside, just clean off the dust filters periodically.

Think I have that on my case, but only the front pannel. Using one of the Thermaltake Armor series cases (ATX/BTX) which has a a filter that goes in front of the fan that cools off the HD. Have a rather large fan, think 250mm, that is on the side of my computer and that doesn't have one. I do believe you're right though because those front filters are super nice where I have to clean them off every so often and the fan is the cleanest in my computer. The 250mm side fan is dirty as heck. To be honest, the whole computer needs to be disassembled and cleaned thoroughly.

It helps to use the little red tube that comes with the can. Otherwise, you release the air so fast that what is in the can freezes, so the pressure drops. Also, holding the can upside down can help if you don't have the red tube anymore.

Using an air compressor for this can damage your parts as the volume and pressure can be enough to remove parts from the motherboard. For sure your fans will suffer if your not careful. 20 PSI is about all you want to use in compressor application.

I'm gonna need to clean my fans soon.. especially the side panel fan.

As stated, watch the amount of flow.

Wit that said, Coleman makes a cheap compressor. it's a multitasker - tires, air matresses, kiddy pools, engine air filters, etc....

Glad I listened to my wife and got a compressor

You have to be VERY careful with general-purpose compressors as they will often compress water as well and spray it out after enough has built up.

True.

Mine has a bleed valve.

Of course, you can just try a different brand of compressed air and see if that works. Just because your preferred brand doesn't work anymore doesn't mean another wouldn't.

THIS

The mid-tower case I bought last year just happened to have one (black, foamy looking filter) in the front and I am releived to say I haven't needed to dust my PC since I bought that case.

The black foamy looking filters can be bought at Home Depot or other hardware stores. It's cheap and can be cut down to size. It's also washable.

Not sure if being sarcastic or real. Holding the can upside down releases a rather attrocious smelling gas that freezes stuff. Also, I do make sure to use the red tube that comes with the can.

After I do a thorough cleaning of my computer, i'm tempted to get some for my 250mm fan on the side. It's the main culprit as far as problems do.

The smell you're smelling is an additive (a bitterant to be more precise) due to idiots trying to get high off the aerosol

Junkies ruin everything

No, the freezing occurs at the top of the can, no matter which end is up. By turning it upside down, you can get more air out before it freezes up on you. See this video, the guy is a bit of a dork, but he shows how you can get all the air you need out of one of these cans

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EukG92Evw3Q