[SOLVED] ESD Risk for Computer on Wood Board on Carpet Floor

[Crag_Hack]

Hi I have a new computer, my beautiful baby, that I currently have placed onto a wooden board that sits on carpet. Unfortunately my room has only carpet floor. Is there any risk of ESD damage to components from charge on the carpet?

For space between the edge of the wood and the edge of the case, I have 1/2" in the front but there's no sensitive components in the front, 2" on the sides, and 3.5" in the back. Also the stands on the bottom of the case raise it about .5" above the wood. Is this enough space if there is risk? I can easily buy another bigger piece of wood if necessary.

Here is a picture.

I'm mostly concerned about the PSU the device closest to the bottom... but I do not know such things....

Thanks!

 

[madmatt30]

That's absolutely fine, nothing to worry about at all.

 

[Crag_Hack]

Thanks madmatt30. Is there any possibility of positive or negative charge building up on the carpet?

Does the PSU have protective mechanisms built in to safely dissipate charge that may pass from whatever surface the computer is placed on?

 

[madmatt30]

The carpet is obviously capable of building up and discharging static.

Assuming your electrical mains is earthed then there is now way of damaging that pc while it is powered on or indeed off and the case is closed.

The only risk is standing on that carpet while having built up static and touching bare components internally with the case open.

Which you should never do anyway (or indeed have any reason to do)

My pc is also on carpet but on a neopropylene board (wood is fine as an electrical insulator too), so we are in vey similar positions.

Electrostatic damage has never concerned me personally, I'd be more worried about dust etc from the carpet than any thing else.

 

[Crag_Hack]

A couple follow-up questions:

What if the computer PSU is unplugged? Can charges jump from the carpet to the PSU then? Any risk involved?

Is my wood piece plenty big or should I get another bigger one?

Another somewhat related question - sometimes I don't want to go through the effort of unplugging the computer from everything and setting up my bench with anti-static mat and instead just leave it on the wood. I just want to take a peak inside the computer for whatever reason like the other day to check on my wiring in the back. Is there any risk of ESD then or am I covered there as well? *I am grounded using an anti-static workstation monitor.

 

[InvalidError]

What if the computer PSU is unplugged? Can charges jump from the carpet to the PSU then? Any risk involved?

Carpet does not magically accumulate charge and neither does wood. You have to rub something capable of picking up a charge against the carpet to generate one and unless your computer is skidding across the carpet, that won't be happening.

The main way computers get zapped by static is when YOU walk on carpet with slippers, polyester socks or other similar insulators and then touch your PC.

Putting a piece of wood under a computer that otherwise sits on carpet serves three purposes:
1- prevent the carpet from clogging bottom air intakes when present
2- reduce the amount of dust ingested by the PC
3- reduce the likelihood of a catastrophic PSU failure setting the carpet on fire

 

[Crag_Hack]

@InvalidError Thanks dude. I did slide the computer on the wood on the carpet the other day to put it in a good place... in which case my original question might be a little more valid. Any risk there?

Also any risk of popping open the computer while it's chillin on the wood on the carpet if I'm properly grounded?

 

[InvalidError]

Most natural fibers including wood don't hold static charge particularly well. I doubt you have ever had a static shock from touching wood.

As I wrote earlier, the highest risk by far is YOU gathering static charge from walking (or crawling) on the carpet and zapping the computer if you wear stuff made of synthetic fibers.

Being grounded to the computer isn't everything though: whatever surface you put components you plan to take in/out of the computer or ESD bags needs to be grounded too or you may zap components while moving them between places if your body picks up static in-between.

For home PC building, the simplest trick to avoid static buildup from carpets is to be bare-footed.

 

[Crag_Hack]

Thanks. Last question ....
Any risk of popping open the computer while it's chillin on the wood on the carpet if I'm properly grounded through an anti-static workstation monitor? It's much easier to pop it open where it is than to set up the bench and anti-static mat....

 

[InvalidError]

Any risk of popping open the computer while it's chillin on the wood on the carpet if I'm properly grounded through an anti-static workstation monitor?

Worry-warting much? The whole point of having some sort of proper ESD grounding is to not have to worry about ESD much beyond that.

Tons of people here are taking PCs apart and putting them back together with no ESD protection whatsoever, they just make sure they maintain contact with the case whenever taking things in/out of the case and pick components up by grounded surface or PCB edges where ESD should jump to a ground or power plane where it shouldn't hurt anything.

While you are better safe than sorry, assembled PCBs aren't super-sensitive to human-body-model ESD like loose chips can be. It is good to keep it in mind but getting super-obsessed about it is unnecessary.

 

[Crag_Hack]

@InvalidError Worry-wart is my middle name! I'm a perfectionist especially when it comes to my brand new beautiful baby. Just covering all my bases.