Grounding myself

hopkiller

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Jul 22, 2008
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Ok need some more help. By the way you guys have been a great help so far. On monday i am going to buy my parts for my new build. With my order i bought one of those anti-static straps or whatever they are called. What do i attach it to and should i touch something metal just in case. Thanks for the help.
 

blerb

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Jun 4, 2008
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First of all, just touching something metal does not remove static electricity from you. I, for one, have never had any problems with static, just try not to do your build over carpet. The pin on the anti static strap can be hooked to a bunch of things, for example the screw on electrical outlets, and, after your psu is hooked up, just turn off the rear power, plug it in, and connect the ground connector to your static band.
 

blerb

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That doesn't actually ground you, unless your case is grounded. (Which it is usually not until later in the process.)

 

jaysins

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Oct 21, 2006
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I'm cheap so I always just ground myself to the case by having my leg or arm against it before I touch and parts. As long as you remain conscience of what your doing and not zone out and run around in your socks and start touching components you should be fine.
 

rockyjohn

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It's best to have direct contact with the household electrical system which really does have a positive ground to the real ground. Therefore I try to build close to an electrical outlet. I go to the fuse box and test the ground to make sure it is working. Then I go to the socket, take off the cover plate, take off my shoe and sock (only necessary on one foot) and stick my toe in the socket. Then I have a positive ground and will not collect any static.
 

rgsaunders

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Although being at ground potential is ideal when doing this type of work, the primary goal is to be at the same electrical potential as whatever you are working on. Therefore, touching the bare metal on the case is normally sufficient to put your body at the same potential as the case and therefore avoid static discharges. Avoid touching edge connectors on circuit cards with your bare hands, skin oils on contacts are not conducive to good electrical connections.

 

bc4

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Apr 20, 2004
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why not just lick the socket to test it? :whistle:
 

sirrell

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Aslong as your not wearing much woolen or nylon clothing and have rubber soled shoes, and carefully handle ur parts, and touch the case, avoiding/resisting the urge to poke at components, static shouldn't be a problem.
Those anti Static straps are a gimick, while they might actually work they are definately not needed, i have built, repaired and played with thousands of computers since 1996 and never have I statically charged a compenent inside the computer.
 

rockyjohn

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Yes - wood is a good insulator - as long as it does not have natural oils or synthetic cleaning products applied that might put a light film on component connections or bare computer board surfaces. You also need to make sure that component sides and edges don't damage the wood surface.
 
In the summer, on a hardware floor, not wearing any wool or nylon, in a room with no air conditioning, in bare feet, you probably would not have the positive charge to do any damage.... did I mention the cat and clothes fresh from the dryer?