what's the "lifespan" of a chip?
 

just curious. what can we do to keep it running a long time?

The key is to not let it get too hot. Clean the vents at the front and rear so they are clear, and you'll be fine. Lack of airflow is what kills consoles through the dust and also remember to keep that laser clean, lol ;)

Yep As Lufc said keep it clean

My tips are keep it vertical as well the dust doesnt settle on the laser then :)
I usually hover the vents everyonce and a while and use my dvd disk cleaner keeps it ticking over :) If the chips going to blow up it would be by short circuit or a power surge.

As it happens some mod chips can blow up as soon as you put them in your console hmmm X3 Cough!!!!

I agree with LUFCFAN all the way; dust kills a console in more ways than one :)

If dust is an issue in your gaming environment, you could purchase a third party "dust cover pack" that fits in the front and rear vents of a PS2--comes in black only.

It's available in most online PS2 gaming stores.

In addition to this it is a good habit to (if you are handy with taking it apart) use some air duster and blow it out about every 6 months just to be sure it stays dust free. Be careful not to allow the can to mist on the mobo or spray the laser directly however. I do this to mine and it has helped big time to keep those hard to reach spots dust free.

Yes thats a good way to do it. I told my mate i chipped his ps2 for him and i told him to keep dust away from it so he uses one of those air canisters from pc world and a fine artist brush for the fan and grills. Its a good way to keep the ps2 healthy.