ESD, real paranoid lol.

[gabbit]

hey guys so im getting my new build coming in tuesday and im kinda paranoid about esd and have some questions:

Is putting a computer together on a wooden shelf while standing on carpet in my bare feet really that bad?

How do i discharge myself of static without a wristband? ive heard that touching the case works but only if you have a psu and its plugged in and turned off. (my case does not have a power supply so im going to be putting one in when it gets here)

some people say i can just touch anything metal every once and a while, and just dont shuffle my feet around on the carpet/move around to much and i will be ok, is this true?


Sry im real noob.

 

[Raiddinn]

I would wear shoes on the carper if it were me. Even just socks would be better than bare feet I would say.

There are a lot of different ways to discharge static, but the most convenient will be touching the metal on the case or the PSU before you do anything and every 30 sec or so while you are working.

It doesn't have to be plugged in for this to work, in fact it is a very bad idea for it to be plugged in when you do anything at all inside the computer. I would unplug it and wait 1 minute regardless of what you are doing. That is ideal.

The electricity in you will shock the case regardless of whether it is plugged in or not. I have worked with hardware in hundreds of computers and never had problems breaking hardware while using the touch the case method.

I agree you probably don't want to rub your feet vigorously on the carper while you are working, but yes as long as you are still on the bottom half and you touch the case often you should have nothing to worry about.

 

[alyoshka]

If I was that worried about ESD, I'd be standing naked barefoot on the floor in a room without a fan or an air conditioner and no electrical outlets. Hells! I might even shave off all my hair before I came close to the parts of the still to be assembled rig.....
To tell you the truth, ESD is really nothing unless you're full of it. And usually standing barefoot on the floor would drain out whatever little that was left on you.
Just avoid the rubbing and brushing of clothes against anything plastic or synthetic, use a wrist band earth thingy that they sell so many off, and it should all be fine.
And don't let anything be plugged into a electrical wall power socket connecting you to the rig or it's parts for gods sake.

 

[unksol]

.... the reason the power supply is supposed to be plugged in and switched off at the back is because this connects the entire case to ground, which ensures any current from an ESD will flow on the OUTSIDE of the case. with the switch off the hot line is physically severed and there's no reason to not have it plugged in. when using a wrist strap and working with chips it is supposed to be connected to ground which is normally done through the bench power supply. have the computer power supply plugged in accomplishes the same thing

 

[majorgibly]

Or buy a anti static wrist strap for around £5. Saves you a lot of time. And then you can wear you favourite socks while building your computer.

 

[Raiddinn]

I agree, the idea behind a ground is that power actually flows into the ground as in planet Earth, but I really don't think that there will be so much static that the case itself can't assume the charge until it dissipates harmelessly without being plugged into the wall physically.

 

[SingingThroughTheStorm]

The case I have purchased has a painted black interior; would I still be able to ground myself by touching or having my arms lean on the case?

 

[alyoshka]

Yes, the "paint" which is black is actually an anodized coating which is conductive, so you will be ground if you were to lean your arms on it or touch it. As long as that black interior was company made and not painted by you using a spray can.

 

[majorgibly]

Yep that would work. I would recommend that you pick up a anti-static wristband it's only costs a few bob and stops hassle.

 

[alyoshka]

The best Idea would be to layout everything on the bare floor itself , and then piece it together while you're sitting squat on the floor, hopefully the floor would be tiled with ceramic tiles and not covered with a mat , carpet or linoleum.

 

[majorgibly]

The best Idea would be to layout everything on the bare floor itself , and then piece it together while you're sitting squat on the floor, hopefully the floor would be tiled with ceramic tiles and not covered with a mat , carpet or linoleum.

Thats difficult in England because if we have a tiled floor it's freezing

 

[SingingThroughTheStorm]

Yes, the "paint" which is black is actually an anodized coating which is conductive, so you will be ground if you were to lean your arms on it or touch it. As long as that black interior was company made and not painted by you using a spray can.

:lol:

It is painted by the company. It is an NZXT Classic Gamma (something like that) which I got on sale for Newegg.
Less than $38 with shipping.