Attaching Motherboard to Styrofoam

[GriMFreakss]

I plan on building my PC in a backpack and to do this, I am going to attach the Motherboard to a Styrofoam wall separating storage from PC section. Just very curious about not shocking motherboard or any other components while walking around with computer inside. I also would like to know if I would have to connect fans in backpack to the power supply? Components I am using: https://pcpartpicker.com/user/THEVILLINMINECRAFT/saved/r6hscf

 

[Rogue Leader]

Styrofoam is a bad idea it tends to have a static electrical charge especially when moving around. You are going to need to find something else to pad it.

 

[GriMFreakss]

Styrofoam is a bad idea it tends to have a static electrical charge especially when moving around. You are going to need to find something else to pad it.

well, what if I had fabric over the styrofoam, would that make a difference. I just want a light material that I can attach the components too. I was originally going to use wood but was kind of heavier than I would like. Any ideas or suggestions please.

 

[Rogue Leader]

Styrofoam is a bad idea it tends to have a static electrical charge especially when moving around. You are going to need to find something else to pad it.

well, what if I had fabric over the styrofoam, would that make a difference. I just want a light material that I can attach the components too. I was originally going to use wood but was kind of heavier than I would like. Any ideas or suggestions please.

You'll still have the problem with fabric, you need like some sort of plastic, wood, or metal.

 

[GriMFreakss]

Styrofoam is a bad idea it tends to have a static electrical charge especially when moving around. You are going to need to find something else to pad it.

well, what if I had fabric over the styrofoam, would that make a difference. I just want a light material that I can attach the components too. I was originally going to use wood but was kind of heavier than I would like. Any ideas or suggestions please.

You'll still have the problem with fabric, you need like some sort of plastic, wood, or metal.

So, what if I instead use a metal wall/old PC side panel and put fabric around that with of course the motherboard attached to the metal. Might this be a solution to not shocking the motherboard? Thanks for your help so far

 

[Rogue Leader]

Styrofoam is a bad idea it tends to have a static electrical charge especially when moving around. You are going to need to find something else to pad it.

well, what if I had fabric over the styrofoam, would that make a difference. I just want a light material that I can attach the components too. I was originally going to use wood but was kind of heavier than I would like. Any ideas or suggestions please.

You'll still have the problem with fabric, you need like some sort of plastic, wood, or metal.

So, what if I instead use a metal wall/old PC side panel and put fabric around that with of course the motherboard attached to the metal. Might this be a solution to not shocking the motherboard? Thanks for your help so far

Anything fabric on fabric with the motherboard and electricity is a BAD idea. You have infinite potential to pick up an electrical charge.

To be honest trying to put a PC in a canvas backpack is a bad idea in general. Way too much movement, you can't safely have a CPU cooler in there, you have to carry a fairly large PSU, and get it to run on a battery which will be heavy as well.

 

[GriMFreakss]

Styrofoam is a bad idea it tends to have a static electrical charge especially when moving around. You are going to need to find something else to pad it.

well, what if I had fabric over the styrofoam, would that make a difference. I just want a light material that I can attach the components too. I was originally going to use wood but was kind of heavier than I would like. Any ideas or suggestions please.

You'll still have the problem with fabric, you need like some sort of plastic, wood, or metal.

So, what if I instead use a metal wall/old PC side panel and put fabric around that with of course the motherboard attached to the metal. Might this be a solution to not shocking the motherboard? Thanks for your help so far

Anything fabric on fabric with the motherboard and electricity is a BAD idea. You have infinite potential to pick up an electrical charge.

To be honest trying to put a PC in a canvas backpack is a bad idea in general. Way too much movement, you can't safely have a CPU cooler in there, you have to carry a fairly large PSU, and get it to run on a battery which will be heavy as well.

Well it's something I really want to do and am willing to as long as I can find a way around the risk of the components being shocked. The PSU I picked, the "Corsair SFX 450" is very light as well, weighing only 1.9lbs or .86kg. I would only plan on using the backpack when I have an outlet to plug into as It really is not being made to be a VR backpack or just a computer to use without an outlet. I would be willing to buy a plastic backpack if that would be the safest root but I'm not sure. If you think It would just be a high enough risk in this backpack: http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/890483-REG/Samsonite_49964_1062_Backpack_Camera_Case.html which I already own then I will consider a plastic backpack.

 

[Rogue Leader]

The only way this would be vaguely safe would be in a plastic backpack. You would need to cut holes as well for cooling and airflow (unless you will leave it open when running).

 

[GriMFreakss]

The only way this would be vaguely safe would be in a plastic backpack. You would need to cut holes as well for cooling and airflow (unless you will leave it open when running).

Ok, thank you very much for you input. Just one more question, would the plastic backpack need a plastic interior and exterior or would just the interior need to be plastic?

 

[maxwellmelon]

how about building a matx build and find a way to attach straps to the case frame to carry it around on your back

 

[GriMFreakss]

how about building a matx build and find a way to attach straps to the case frame to carry it around on your back

well this is a good idea indeed, although the only reason I would not want to do this is because I plan on taking this PC with me to school everyday and would need room for folders and such. As well as this likely not looking as cool as a computer in a backpack would look.

 

[Rogue Leader]

What are you going to use for a monitor?

Lots of things on the motherboard get hot, you need air space solidly over the board. And the CPU needs a good cooler, and if you accidentally stick your hand in there, the day will suck.

If I was gonna build a PC into a backpack like this I would use an Intel NUC of some sort.

 

[USAFRet]

how about building a matx build and find a way to attach straps to the case frame to carry it around on your back

well this is a good idea indeed, although the only reason I would not want to do this is because I plan on taking this PC with me to school everyday and would need room for folders and such. As well as this likely not looking as cool as a computer in a backpack would look.

There is one word that is applicable here:
Laptop.

 

[GriMFreakss]

how about building a matx build and find a way to attach straps to the case frame to carry it around on your back

well this is a good idea indeed, although the only reason I would not want to do this is because I plan on taking this PC with me to school everyday and would need room for folders and such. As well as this likely not looking as cool as a computer in a backpack would look.

There is one word that is applicable here:
Laptop.

Well, maybe so, but I want future upgrade ability as well as the fact that I can say I built a PC in a backpack where as everyone else has a laptop. I also don't want to pay a premium for the small form factor of a laptop

 

[GriMFreakss]

Anyways I believe I am going to build my PC inside of this: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B006W5843M/ref=pd_lpo_sbs_dp_ss_2?pf_rd_p=1944687442&pf_rd_s=lpo-top-stripe-1&pf_rd_t=201&pf_rd_i=B0079QRRRM&pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_r=34NDSAK84QNPRMQ99NC2 Mostly plastic and as long as you guys think it would not really have a chance of being shocked. Thanks for all your help.

 

[USAFRet]

Well, maybe so, but I want future upgrade ability as well as the fact that I can say I built a PC in a backpack where as everyone else has a laptop. I also don't want to pay a premium for the small form factor of a laptop

A "desktop" that is small enough to fit in a backpack (with what monitor?), already has very limited upgrade potential.
And hauling around a 3lb laptop vs 6-8 lbs of desktop is a major difference.

That 'premium' you pay for the laptop is what portability costs.

 

[synphul]

What sort of battery are you going to use for this venture? Ups are already somewhat less than compact, contain fairly heavy batteries and unless you go big are really only enough to give you about 5-10min of run time in order to safely exit programs and power down the system or prevent shutdown during a brief power outage. They don't power a pc for any real length of time. A typical car battery (12v) weighs around 40lbs + components inside the backpack, you'll likely be around 50lbs or so.

Then of course there's the issue of recharging such a battery. It's true that laptops use much smaller batteries but they also incorporate a lot of low power parts for that very reason. Which kind of goes back to what USAFRet suggested, the laptop.

 

[Rogue Leader]

Anyways I believe I am going to build my PC inside of this: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B006W5843M/ref=pd_lpo_sbs_dp_ss_2?pf_rd_p=1944687442&pf_rd_s=lpo-top-stripe-1&pf_rd_t=201&pf_rd_i=B0079QRRRM&pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_r=34NDSAK84QNPRMQ99NC2 Mostly plastic and as long as you guys think it would not really have a chance of being shocked. Thanks for all your help.

That is an even more terrible idea. Did you not read anything I said about COOLING?

That backpack is way too thin. You need to look towards something like that VR backpack Alienware makes for case backpack ideas. Which is large, cumbersome, and dorky.

Its your money, but you would be lighting it on fire.

 

[g-unit1111]

how about building a matx build and find a way to attach straps to the case frame to carry it around on your back

well this is a good idea indeed, although the only reason I would not want to do this is because I plan on taking this PC with me to school everyday and would need room for folders and such. As well as this likely not looking as cool as a computer in a backpack would look.

There is one word that is applicable here:
Laptop.

Well, maybe so, but I want future upgrade ability as well as the fact that I can say I built a PC in a backpack where as everyone else has a laptop. I also don't want to pay a premium for the small form factor of a laptop

Buy a Fractal Design Node 202, stick it in a backpack. Poke holes for the USB and power connectors. Problem solved.

 

[GriMFreakss]

I was planing to use this ASUS Monitor: https://www.amazon.com/ASUS-MB169B-Screen-LED-Lit-Monitor/dp/B013XFJKGI/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1467405231&sr=8-2&keywords=MB168B I would likely plan on putting an i5 or i7 processor into the build at a later time and of course whatever graphics but you definitely have a point that a laptop is more portable and of course it has a battery as well so that's a bonus. I just feel it would be much more fun/interesting to face trying to build a PC inside of a backpack.

 

[Onus]

A mITX case like the InWin BP-655 will easily fit into a backpack.

 

[Rogue Leader]

That link is the backpack again.

So youre going to carry around a monitor as well?

While yes you lose upgradability, again, this has fail written all over it. Sensitive desktop components, not solidly mounted, are asking to be broken. And hot inside a backpack thats like insulation.

A laptop may not be as "cool" but it solves every problem this creates

 

[GriMFreakss]

I fixed the link sorry.