Grounding and Static

[Nabobalis]

I'm going to be building my computer soon and I am slightly paranoid about static, so how likely would I get enough static to do damage to a component in a room with laminate flooring and a wooden table?

Does it matter where the band goes? Having it round my ankle would make life a lot easier.

I've been told this:

I have never used those things. What you do to prevent static is not being a moron.

1. Don't build a pc in very hot, dry weather where your constantly zapping things.
2. Don't shuffle your feet across the carpet. PICK UP YOUR FEET!
3. Be in bare feet.
4. Keep unused hardware in the baggies.
5. The most important tip ever: touch the metal case to get rid of that electricity every time you wak away from your spot where your working.

All you truly need to do is touch that case though.

Really all I need or should I use an anti-static mat/band?

[aidanjt]

You don't need to be in bare feet and the weather don't matter much, but if you follow those rules the whole bracelet thing is completely pointless, I've never used them when working with hardware and I've yet to zap anything with static.

[Fabula]

All I ever do is points 4 and 5, and I've not zapped anything, despite years of poking things.
Anti-static bands are only really needed if you are doing sensitive tasks all day everyday, to make it easier.

[Andy3536]

I have always used an anti static wrist strap, but mostly cos i had to for work and got into the habit.
Genrally speaking if you put the psu in and plug it to the mains (without switching on) you can touch the case and discharge youself.
How likely is it? Well thats very much dependant on the components, some very sensetive while others are not. Ram has always in the past been suseptable.
What would be worth noting and suprising to many is nearly all of us have gotten out of a car and been 'zapped' when touching the door, that is the charge from you body discharging into the car, not the car giving you a shock!
That'll give you an idea as to what you can subject very small components to.

[Nabobalis]

So just touching the case is enough, then what about clipping my anti static band to the case? And wouldn't the case need to discharge also?

[aidanjt]

So just touching the case is enough, then what about clipping my anti static band to the case? And wouldn't the case need to discharge also?

The PSU body is earthed, therefore when you install the PSU, and plug it into a wall socket, the whole case is grounded, that ensures that if there is a short in the system it wont overload something and set it on fire.

[Nabobalis]

Ok thanks everyone.

[merdat]

Nabobalis, ere just use your wristband and resistive cord . You can wear it on yer ankle if you like , just make sure it contacts yer body and the other end of the cord goes to a good earth . Touching the case is ok but - touching the case with your finger results in a 'hard zap ' ie the static that you carry could be as much as 5k - to 10 k volts which is being discharged directly to earth on the case. By using the esp wrist strap and resistive lead the idea is to 'bleed ' the static away not discharge it in one foul swoop. By not wearing the strap you stand the risk of picking up small amounts of static while moving about (unless you can build a PC by staying motionless) and then if you forget to touch the case and touch the graphics card or ram then you stand the risk of giving one of the components a 'soft zap' which is far worse than killing it stone dead as it could give you no amount of trouble . WEAR THE WRIST STRAP

[aidanjt]

Nabobalis, ere just use your wristband and resistive cord . You can wear it on yer ankle if you like , just make sure it contacts yer body and the other end of the cord goes to a good earth . Touching the case is ok but - touching the case with your finger results in a 'hard zap ' ie the static that you carry could be as much as 5k - to 10 k volts which is being discharged directly to earth on the case. By using the esp wrist strap and resistive lead the idea is to 'bleed ' the static away not discharge it in one foul swoop. By not wearing the strap you stand the risk of picking up small amounts of static while moving about (unless you can build a PC by staying motionless) and then if you forget to touch the case and touch the graphics card or ram then you stand the risk of giving one of the components a 'soft zap' which is far worse than killing it stone dead as it could give you no amount of trouble . WEAR THE WRIST STRAP

There's a simple solution to the 'gradual buildup', wear a t-shirt, that way your hands, arms, and elbows bump against the case as you move around inside it, keeping yourself discharged. The bands are pointless, really, it takes a really long time to build up dangerous levels of static.

[Nabobalis]

So I will install the PSU in to the case plug it in and then connect the band to it and wear it. This way I stay grounded all the time while I assemble everything out of the case then install it into the case. This way well it maybe unnecessary, it will make me less nervous about building the computer.

[aidanjt]

Good luck with the build

[merdat]

The t shirt thing will prob work but the point that I am trying to make is the small amounts of static are more dangerous to components than a large discharge . Now the guy HAS a wrist strap and you guys are more or less telling him not to use it !!!!!!!. I wonder just how much 'stuff' Scan gets returned through utter stupidity by the 'end user' . Here.s an experiment for you ---see if you can find a nice nylon chair --- sit in it and rub yourself about a bit getting nicely charged . Then get up and without touching any metal surface approach the wife or girlfriend and put your index finger close to her nose and experience the power of a 'hard zap' hehe.

[Nabobalis]

Good luck with the build

Thanks, hopefully everything will work fine when it's finished.

Now all I need to do is cut a bit of my 8800GTX

[Andy3536]

The t shirt thing will prob work but the point that I am trying to make is the small amounts of static are more dangerous to components than a large discharge . Now the guy HAS a wrist strap and you guys are more or less telling him not to use it !!!!!!!. I wonder just how much 'stuff' Scan gets returned through utter stupidity by the 'end user' . Here.s an experiment for you ---see if you can find a nice nylon chair --- sit in it and rub yourself about a bit getting nicely charged . Then get up and without touching any metal surface approach the wife or girlfriend and put your index finger close to her nose and experience the power of a 'hard zap' hehe.

Never said he had the wrist strap until post 2
If you have a wrist stap, don't know why you brought it up, just wear it.
All the time your carefull you shouldn't have a problem.

[|ARM|]

What would be worth noting and suprising to many is nearly all of us have gotten out of a car and been 'zapped' when touching the door, that is the charge from you body discharging into the car, not the car giving you a shock!
That'll give you an idea as to what you can subject very small components to.

The car becomes charged as your drive it, as the air rubs against it. When you touch the metal, it discharges into you. That is quite a high energy charge, as there is a lot of air moving over the car.

[Andy3536]

The car becomes charged as your drive it, as the air rubs against it. When you touch the metal, it discharges into you. That is quite a high energy charge, as there is a lot of air moving over the car.

Biggest load of rubbish i ever herd!
It's you feet rubbing on the nylon carpet/mat!
The car chassis is connected to DC negetive from the battery so it is effectivly grounded!