[SOLVED] Painted Cases, Grounding, Static, and PC Building

[MarsColonist]

I got the Be Quiet! Pure Base 500DX case to build a PC with, and I'm reading some articles that tell me I need to connect my anti-static wristband to an UNPAINTED metal area of my PC case to safely handle my PC components while I build.

The problem is that I don't see any area on my PC case that is unpainted. The whole thing seems to be painted black or with some type of black finish. How can I connect the anti-static wristband to an unpainted metal area of the case or PSU if they are both completely painted in black? I am not seeing any exposed metal to connect to.

I am also building in a room with carpet on the floor, so I'm trying to be extra careful about this. (Would it help to put the PC case on a wood table in the room with carpet?)

 

[siaan312]

I think it mostly means like, metal parts as opposed to plastic part.
You can actually be pretty chill about static, since it's only in VERY extreme cases able to harm your stuff.
But it's good practice.
Just hook it to the grills of your powered off, but plugged in psu. (I don't think touching the case actually helps with static since it's not grounded.

 

[ClapTrapper]

Electronic components are so tolerant these days a e-strap is almost a scam. Don't sweat it. But be sensible.

1. Don't wear fuzzy socks and rub them on the carpet while inserting components (wear rubber sneakers if paranoid)
2. Handle the components so that you don't touch any metal part of it-if possible. If it is a choice between touching the gold contacts on a memory stick or dropping it-touch the metal contacts. Electronic components will not explode with the minuscule amount of static electricity from your body.

Honestly I would dump the wristband since it tends to get in the way. I'm not saying it is totally useless,but you should not fret about it.
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Let is know how the build goes.

 

[RAIDGoblin]

I'm a factory engineer who handles sensitive electronics and chips on a regular basis, causing damage with static is unlikely but however unlikely, it can still happen

wearing rubber shoes would make it worse, it would better trap any static in your body and make a charge jump more likely, the better earthed you are the safer you're equipment will be, the only way to make certain that you don't cause damage is to connect everything (including yourself with the wrist band) to some form of ground/earth to neutralise any charge, if you do this properly it shouldn't matter what carpet you have etc... just wear a cotton shirt and you should be fine

the metal case isn't earthed unless you put the PSU in first, then plug it into mains and leave the back switch turned off, then it's earthed but only if you live somewhere where the wall socket's carry an earth, they don't all, and I personally don't use this method as it's to easy to accidentally have the PSU turned on

My prefered method is to use the copper heating pipes that go underground, and to connect the copper (with paint cleaned off) to my antistatic mat, wrist band and PC case (through a screw hole where there's no thick paint). Everything (including me) will then be connected and have an equal charge that will be as close to neutral as possible, preventing charge jumping from one thing to another and causing damage

I know there's a lot of mixed opinions about this topic on the web, damage is unlikely, but possible, so take as much or as little caution as you like at your own risk