Question Suspected static from new chair on carpet disconnecting USB Headset

[Grandpater]

Hey fellas.

After purchasing a new chair my usb headset (Corsair HS60 Haptic) started disconnecting intermittently.
I've isolated it to disconnecting whenever I start rolling around, is it possible that it's some sort of static electricity problem?
My PC is also sitting on carpet.

Any help is appreciated

 

[Ralston18]

Very well could be static electricity related.

Just the new chair - nothing else changed. Make and model chair?

No problems with the old chair - correct?

By disconnecting do you mean just the headset or the entire host PC goes down?

Do you hear a headset pop (some can be painful) at the time of the disconnects?

What do you do to get the headset/PC reconnected and to restore the audio?

As an immediate action to test - consider applying an anti-static spray on the chair.

Check the chair's cleaning and maintenance instructions beforehand.

Determine if using an anti-static spray reduces or ends the disconnects.

 

[Grandpater]

Yes the only new addition is the chair. The model is a Secretlabs Titan XL
There were never any problems with the old chair, which was an all plastic, cloth and foam construction.
When the disconnect occurs the headset becomes unrecognised by the system and often (but not always) the program in the foreground will become unresponsive.
The headset will reconnect anywhere between 10-60 seconds automatically.
I'll get some anti-static spray asap to test.

Thanks for the reply!

 

[Grandpater]

After doing some tests this is what i've found

Rolling around on the chair can cause the USB to disconnect even though I'm not touching any peripherals or pc components
Placing cardboard under the chair doesn't change anything
Sitting still doesn't disconnect the USB
I've placed the PC up off the carpet on wooden boards, no change.
I'm suspecting the static is caused by my clothes on the PU leather material of the Secretlabs Titan XL

I'd like to be able to rule out if it could be something else other than static, any suggestions?

Thank you for your help!

 

[Ralston18]

Basically movement causes electrons to be "torn" from rubbed materials and accumulate somewhere. Electrons do not like each other very much and they all want to get away to ground/earth. Sooner or later as their numbers accumulate they will do so. Sometimes quite spectacularly - e..g. lightning.

Clothes and chair are certainly materials rubbing together....

Do you have or can you borrow an anti-static wrist strap?

The key is to allow any charge that builds up on you, your clothes, or on the chair to disperse along another path other than the headset's USB cable.

A wrist strap strap with a 1 M ohm resistor and alligator clip connection to the PC case should be sufficient to test if the problem is static or not.

Be wary of other DIY solutions that involve connections to outlets, etc.. Doing that wrong may not end well.

Once you are certain that the problem is indeed ESD then a more permanent and convenient solution can be sought.

 

[hang-the-9]

After doing some tests this is what i've found

Rolling around on the chair can cause the USB to disconnect even though I'm not touching any peripherals or pc components
Placing cardboard under the chair doesn't change anything
Sitting still doesn't disconnect the USB
I've placed the PC up off the carpet on wooden boards, no change.
I'm suspecting the static is caused by my clothes on the PU leather material of the Secretlabs Titan XL

I'd like to be able to rule out if it could be something else other than static, any suggestions?

Thank you for your help!

Move the PC to the desk or elevate it on blocks and see what happens.

I have heard people that bought new chairs post about getting electric shocks more.

 

[Grandpater]

Hi guys.

After a few more tests I have these results

The disconnecting event ONLY occurs when the chair rolls. Shifting in the seat has no impact towards the disconnecting.

The computer case is now even higher off the ground - usb still disconnects.

The headset DOESN'T need to be touching the seat (or myself who is on the seat) to cause a disconnect.

Shaking / moving / jolting the headset causes no disconnect. Either does manipulating / pulling or shaking the usb cord.

Vibration close to the PC has no effect / causes no disconnects.

I've disconnected all peripherals one by one to see if it has any effect on the disconnects. The USB still disconnects even if Mouse / keyboard / both monitors / external HD are disconnected.

I've connected some copper wire from the headset to a screw on the power supply as a ground - has no effect and still disconnects.

As far as I can ascertain the only two factors that are consistent is that the headset has to be plugged in (any usb port, front, back, 2.0, 3.0, 3.1) and for it to disconnect there MUST be castor movement in the chair.

I am truly perplexed, I'm feeling at this point I may need an actual wizard to divine what is happening.

 

[Ralston18]

This chair - correct?

http://ergonomictrends.com/secretlabs-titan-gaming-chair-review/

= = = =

Plastic castors? Housing/bearings? Appears so.

Spindle and/or wheel axle?

Static needs friction.

Another test:

Lay the chair on its' side.

Spin, move, roll casters - any static/disconnects with such movements?

Without weight in the chair and on the castors- nothing may happen.

Can you remove the casters and sit (carefully) in the chair to determine if the static problem continues?

May be that just a bit of silicon grease on the castors could prove helpful.

 

[Grandpater]

This is a quote from the online store:

"Our XL casters are larger than our standard casters, enabling even smoother gliding, increased sturdiness and durability. The PU rubber coating is friendly towards most kinds of surfaces."

There is a lot of dust and small fibres static clung to the housing between each moving castor part, so I'm suspecting that the PU rubber coating is stopping the chair from going to ground and is instead taking another route.

However, even though this is my suspicion it doesn't satisfy the fact that sometimes the USB disconnect occurs when the chair is moved and the headset is separated from the chair.

Putting the chair on its side and spinning the casters / spindle axle showed no disconnects.

It may be some time until I can try an anti-static spray and some silicone grease, until then any suggestions are still welcome.

Thanks for your help!