Training, Teaching and Learning Materials (TTLM)

ADMAS UNIVERSITY

The Ethiopian TVET-system

INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY SUPPORT SERVICE
Level II

Learning
guide Date: September, 2017
TLM Development Manual
Compiled by: ICT Department
 Unit of Competence: Maintain Equipment and Consumables
Module Title: Maintaining Equipment and Consumables

LG Code: EIS ITS2 LO1 -07

TTLM Code: EIS ITS2 07 M0812
LO1 Clean Equipment

1.1 Introduction to cleaning equipments

Cleaning your computer and your computer components and peripherals helps keep the components and
computer in good working condition and helps keep the computers from spreading germs. To the right is an
example image of how dirty the inside of your computer case can get. This example is a dirty computer case
fan.

Depending on the environment that your computer operates in determines how often you should clean your
computer case. The below list is our recommendation and may change depending upon your computer's
environment.
1.2. Identifying cleaning tools and equipments

Liquid Cleaning Compounds

Before using any liquid cleaning compound make sure that your computer is turned off. If the PC has
power when you use liquid cleaners, you run the risk of damaging or shorting out your components,
which is an expensive risk to take. Also make sun that the component you have cleaned with a liquid
cleaner is thoroughly dry before turning your computer back on!

Clean or Soapy Water and a Damp Cloth

In some cases, you need only a bit of water and a damp cloth for cleaning chores, such as when cleaning
the mouse ball, the outside of the mouse, or the exterior of the monitor or computer case. If water alone
cannot do the job thoroughly, you can use mild soapy water on your damp cloth. Make sure that the cloth
is damp and not wet and that you do not splash or drip water into your components.
If the keys on your keyboard start to stick or you have spilled a cup of coffee into your keyboard, or,
for that matter, you just know that there is a lot of dirt under the keys, you can clean the keyboard with
distilled water.

Denatured Alcohol
The best thing to use for cleaning floppy drive heads is denatured alcohol (metholated spirits). But how
do you get it in there? You can't just pour it in! You need to use a lint free swab dipped in the alcohol to
clean the floppy drive heads, or you can purchase a floppy drive cleaning kit, which almost always comes
complete with denatured alcohol. Don't clean the mechanical mechanism with alcohol because the parts
are lubricated and the alcohol will dissolve the lubricant.
When cleaning your mouse, you can use a damp cloth to clean the cover and ball, as mentioned
earlier, but what about the rollers?.
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Glass Cleaner
You need to turn your monitor off before cleaning to avoid damage to the screen. Many technicians clean
the monitor screen with regular glass cleaner. Under most circumstances, however, water and a damp
cloth will do the job just fine. Water is the safest cleaning liquid you can use on a monitor. When
cleaning the LCD display screen of a laptop, do not use glass cleaner at all. You will melt the
screen!

Fabric Softener

Some technicians like to use a mixture of 1 part fabric softener to 10 parts water to clean the plastic casing of
their computer components. As a cleaning solution it's not as good as mild soap and water, but as an anti-static
solution it's excellent! Use it after the cleaning process to help protect your computer from the harmful effects of
static electricity.

Cleaning Contacts and Connectors

To protect your contacts and connectors from becoming dirty, avoid touching them with your hands. Your skin
contains natural oils that can leave a residue on contacts and connectors, and that residue needs to be cleaned
off. Leaving the contacts untouched will reduce the amount of residue and make them easier for you to clean.

Denatured Alcohol

You should regularly inspect your contacts and clean them with denatured alcohol. Denatured alcohol is the best
solution for cleaning the oily residue caused by human oil secretions, and it evaporates, leaving no residue
behind.

Erasers

Some technicians use an eraser to rub residue off contacts, but this leaves a residue of its own and may actually
rub the contacts right off. If you absolutely must use erasers, make sure you use the white ones, and immediately
clean any rubber residue off of the contacts. Never, ever use pink erasers to clean contacts as these contain acids
that have the potential to destroy your contacts.

Non-Static Vacuums
Common household dust kills PCs. Throw in some dog and cat hair and you might as well call a priest right now.
A dust buildup can cause dreaded static and can cause your components to overheat and become useless. When
removing dust buildup from your keyboard, inside your computer's case, and from your components, use a non-
static vacuum (shown in Figure 2-1 ). Many hand-held vacuums are designed specifically for use on PCs. Note
that you should definitely not use a common household vacuum cleaner. These create static electricity and can
damage your PC!

FIGURE A non-static vacuum

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Lint-Free Cloths
Lint-free cloths are excellent for removing dust from your computer. The cloths used for cleaning eyeglasses work
the best, because they will not scratch surfaces or leave lint behind.
Make sure you never use "dry dusting" lint-free cloths and the like for cleaning anything in or on your computer.
Cloths such as the Swiffer Sweeper do wonders for dusting those hard-to-reach places in your house, but they use
static electricity to collect the dust. As you probably know by now, static electricity is computer enemy number
one!
Precautions

Precautions are guidelines to be followed to prevent damage to equipment or injury to people. The following are
very important precautions:
 Before cleaning any electrical equipment make sure that it is switched off and unplugged from the mains.
 Allow certain equipment, such as monitors and laser printers, to cool down and lose their capacitance
(charge) before cleaning them for at least 30minutes.
 When cleaning inside the PC, or handling parts from a PC such as hard disk or circuit boards, you should
earth yourself using antistatic wrist strap.
 Always refer to the manufactures manual before attempting to clean any equipment, because improper
cleaning or maintenance may be dangerous and also may invalidate your warranty.
 Some equipment such as power supplies and monitors use voltages and therefore should only be
maintained by specially trained people. It could be dangerous for any one else to open these up for
maintenance.

Cleaning in an IT environment.

Why clean?

Dust needs to be removed because it acts as an insulator that prevents air from circulating over or through the
components and this can cause overheating. If dust contains conductive particles it can also cause a short circuit,
which ca damage components or even cause a fire.

Removing Dust

Dust can be removed using a household vacuum cleaner with an appropriate attachment, although it is much
easier to use a purpose-built computer vacuum cleaner or keyboard cleaner.

Residue from hands

The human skin produces residues that cling to surface of the computer hardware we touch, which can be
removed with liquid cleaners. However, use only specifically designed cleaners for cleaning computer equipment.
Unsuitable cleaners may:

 cause dangerous fumes

 damage the plastics used in computer hardware

 release ozone-damaging gases

 not clean effectively

Cleaning Peripherals

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Monitors

Carefully clean dust away from the vents in the monitor's enclosure using a vacuum cleaner. Anything other
than a vacuum cleaner (e.g. a rag or air blower) is likely to push the dust inside the enclosure where it can lie on
electrical components, causing failure. You should clean the glass screen with one of the cleaners described
previously.

If you use a spray to clean a monitor you should be careful to spray the wipe.

Printers

You will get the greatest benefit from cleaning a printer if you can remove any dust from the paths of moving parts.
To do this you may need to remove covers or paper trays.

However, at all times refer to the printer manual. It will contain the instructions for removing parts and may
even have some tips on cleaning. Do not use any liquid cleaner on a printer unless the manufacturer recommends
it.

Laser Printers

To clean laser printers:

Switch off and unplug the printer, and wait at least 30 minutes for it to cool.
Wear disposable plastics gloves.
Clean the outer casing of the printer using a dampened paper towel or a lint-free cloth with a little detergent on it.
Check for, and remove any loose bits of paper.
Vacuum inside the printer using a static-safe vacuum cleaner.
Use a lint-free swab dipped in isopropyl alcohol to clean the corona wire.

Keyboards

The keyboard tends to not only accumulate a lot of dust and skin residue but also some hair and lint form clothing.
Loose matter can generally be removed with the vacuum cleaner.

Mouse

The mouse tends to accumulate a mixture of dust and skin residue from the surface it rolls on. Therefore to
properly clean the mouse:

1. Turn the mouse upside down and push down and away the roller-opening hatch with two fingers until you see
the panels open.

2. Use a soft, dry, lint free cloth to wipe the ball clean. Never use cleaning fluid or solvent. Gently blow into the
mouse housing to remove any dust.

3. To clean the steel rollers carefully use a cotton swab to remove the material buildup.

4. Replace the ball in it its housing, and then re-insert the retaining panel. When the panel is in place push it down
and backwards until it locks firmly.

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Scanners and photocopiers

The glass top flatbed scanners, like those of monitors and photocopiers, can get pretty dirty with finger marks.
Usually you would use a lint-free cloth dabbed with whatever chemical the manufacture recommends to wipe it
clean.

Power Supplies

Maintenance for the power supply to PCs includes:

 Vacuuming dust from the vent holes

 Checking that the cables coming out of them are not worn or broken

 Checking that the power socket is clear of dust and dirt

Tape Drives

Because tape drives are usually used for backing up data, it is important that they are kept clean, so that data is not
corrupted by oils and other contaminants during the backup process. You can purchase cleaning tapes, or you can
usually use a lint-free bud.

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 LO2 Replacing and maintaining consumable and supply

Consumables can be defined as any parts or supplies that need replacing periodically in order for the machine
to perform all of its functions.

What are Information Technology (IT) Consumables?

IT consumables are items that you use relating to your computer set-up. Examples of IT consumables can include: -
Inkjet cartridges
 Laser printer toner cartridges
 Ribbon cartridges
 Tape cartridges
 Floppy disks
 ZIP disks
 CD ROMs blanks
 Tape, CD, floppy labels
 Cables, connectors, plugs
 Cleaning tools and materials
 Batteries
 Power boards, extension leads, spike protectors
 Fuses
Disposing consumable equipment

Disposal of Computer Waste

“Disposal” refers to the reselling, reassignment, recycling, donating, or throwing out of IT equipment through
responsible, ethical, and environmentally sound means.It is illegal in several states to simply throw computer
parts, or old computers, in the trash.
The average color CRT monitor has about 4 pounds of lead in it. The rest of the computer is a buffet of
heavymetals that can cause liver damage, kidney failure, cancer, and a host of different diseases that affect not
only human beings but wildlife as well.
It is the duty of us technicians resopnseblity to properly recycle or dispose of our old computer parts.
How do you dispose of used printer consumables?
1. Dispose used consumables with recycling centers or the take back programs of printer
manufacturers.
2. Don’t dispose them, manufacture/reuse empty cartridges, drums and other consumables.

3. Refill toner cartridges for a number of print cycles and/or recycle OPC drums. I only get rid of these
once these have worn out.
4. Used consumables often end up with neighborhood trash bins.

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2.3.4. Disposal Procedures and Environmental Guidelines
Many computer components, such as batteries, CRTs, chemical solvents, and toner kits (for printers), contain
harmful ingredients. Don't throw these items in the garbage! Many of these items can be recycled, and a
hazardous waste program can remove most.
Make sure you know the proper disposal procedures for each of the following items.

Batteries

Batteries for the computer often contain lithium, mercury, or nickel-cadmium, which means that if they were
to be thrown in the garbage and carried off to a landfill site, they could contaminate the water and soil. You
can take batteries to a recycling depot or, in some cases, send them back to the manufacturer.

CRTs
Many CRTs contain lead. If you dump them in the trash (and ultimately in a landfill), you may contaminate the
soil and water in your area and poison people. Don't do it! For this reason, CRTs must be recycled or turned
over to a hazardous waste program.

Toner Kits and Cartridges

The main concern about the disposal of toner kits and cartridges is that there are to many of them. Most
people go through several a year, and if they were all thrown in the garbage, they would fill a landfill site.
There are many ways of dealing with toner kits and cartridges.
You can now refill these cartridges, which saves on environmental wear but wreaks havoc on your printer.
The printing quality from refilled cartridges is often less than that of new cartridges and the refilled ink can
cause the bubble jets on ink-jet printers to clog.
Many manufacturers of these cartridges will buy back the used cartridges, refill them, and then resell
them, which is probably the best solution.

Chemical Solvents and Cans

Chemical solvents or cans for PC use (or for any other use, for that matter) contain many harmful chemicals
that should not be placed in the ground. For this reason, you simply cannot throw these in the garbage or they
may damage the soil and water supply. Instead, chemical solvents and cans must be picked up through a
hazardous waste program.

Material Safety Data Sheet

Most compounds, chemicals, and components come with a Material Safety Data Sheet (MSDS) that contains
information about the product as well as any warnings, safe disposal requirements, and safe methods of
transportation. If an item comes without an MSDS, you can obtain one from the manufacturer or locate one on
the Internet.

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LO3 Maintaining equipments
This learning module provides basic information about maintaining your computer hardware and
software.
It is important that computer hardware devices are regularly maintained.
Maintenance Definition: maintenance is a set of organized activities that are carried out in order to keep an
item in its best operational condition with minimum cost acquired.

Types of Maintenance

I. Preventive Maintenance (PM)

II. Corrective Maintenance (CM)
III. Improvement Maintenance (IM)
IV. Predictive Maintenance (PDM)
V. Run to Failure Maintenance (RTF)

Preventive Maintenance (PM)

The advantage of applying preventive maintenance activities is to satisfy most of maintenance objectives.
good for those machines and facilities which their failure would cause serious productionlossei
Its aim is to maintain machines and facilities in such a condition that breakdowns and emergency repairs are
minimized
Its activities include replacements, adjustments, major overhauls, inspections and lubrications.

Corrective Maintenance (CM)

In this type, actions such as repair, replacement, or restore will be carried out after the occurrence of a failure
.in order to eliminate the source of this failure or reduce the frequency of it'soccurrence

Improvement Maintenance (IM): It aims at reducing or eliminating entirely the need for maintena
Predictive Maintenance (PDM) : Predictive maintenance is a set of activities that detect changes in the
physical condition of equipment (signs of failure) in order to carry out the appropriate maintenance work for
maximizing the service life of equipment without increasing the risk of failure.
Run to Failure Maintenance (RTF) : This type of maintenance is useful in the following situations:
1. The failure of a component in a system is unpredictable.

2. The cost of performing run to failure maintenance activities is lower than performing other activities of
other types of maintenance.

3. The equipment failure priority is too low in order to include the activities of preventing it within the
planned maintenance budget.

Maintenance procedure and techniques

Maintenance work order
Identify the Nature problem
Identify cause of problem
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 Action code

Maintenance safety rules

Maintenance safety rules are safe guard of people and Pc components. It prevents people from injury,
equipment from damage.
A. Laboratory procedures
The work place or laboratory should have safety guidelines
B. Safe working conditions
The work place should be cleaned and organized
Think before some action
General Safety Rules
The following general safety rules have been developed to provide a safe and healthy working environment
for all employees and students. These apply to all work activities.
. Report to work well rested and physically fit to be able to give full attention to your job.
 Persons with physical or mental impairment shall not be assigned to tasks where their
impairment has a potential to endanger themselves or others.
 No person shall be permitted to remain on the premises while their ability to work is so
affected by alcohol, drugs (prescription or non-prescription) or other substance, so as to
endanger their health or safety or that of any other person.
 Persons working alone shall be required to check-in regularly with Security or a supervisor
to ensure that their well being is maintained.
 Inappropriate behavior, such as horseplay, fighting and practical jokes are extremely
dangerous and will not be tolerated.
 Any unsafe conditions which are encountered shall be corrected or reported to your
Supervisor and/or the Occupational Health and Safety Department.
 Do not operate any machinery or equipment if it is known to be in an unsafe condition.
 Machinery and equipment, including vehicles, are only to be operated by qualified
persons and then only when adequately trained in the use of the equipment and
authorized to operate it.
 Unsafe Acts shall be reported to your Supervisor and/or the Occupational Health and
Safety Department.

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