Go Back   Hardware Canucks > PC BUILDERS & TWEAKERS CORNER > Troubleshooting

       
Reply
 
LinkBack Thread Tools Display Modes
  #1 (permalink)  
Old June 27, 2008, 12:54 PM
Rookie
 
Join Date: Jun 2008
Location: Quebec City, Quebec, Canada
Posts: 17
Default Grounding yourself?

So I'm about to build my PC! I just need the motherboard shipped.

Since static can completely wtfpwn a computer, how do you ground yourself? I have a static strap, I suppose you clip it on your case, but do you need to have the case plugged in to ground it? Or you just need to clip and forget? Any other ways?

I've heard you can also use latex gloves, and get cheapo rubber shoes.

Also I'm going to work on a ceramic floor with a wood table. I assume these are pretty static-free environments?
Digg this Post!Add Post to del.icio.usBookmark Post in TechnoratiFurl this Post!Bookmark to Slashdot!Stumble this Post!Reddit! Bookmark to Newsvine!
Reply With Quote
  #2 (permalink)  
Old June 27, 2008, 01:04 PM
Cheator's Avatar
Allstar
Level up: 33% Level up: 33% Level up: 33%
Level: 14 - 390 points to level up
 
Join Date: Mar 2007
Location: Ottawa, Canada
Posts: 602
Default

I don't usually. I generally lean against the case, thats it.
__________________
Optimus: Antec P180, Asus P5Q-E, E8400, 4 GB RAM, Asus 4850, Seagate 320gb, Antec TC II

Teletraan I: Asus P5K-E/WIFI, E4500, 2 GB RAM, ATI 3450, Sapphire Theatrix, 2.25TB storage, Antec SP2 400w

Galvatron: Asus M2NPV-VM, 3800+ X2, 2GB RAM, NV8500GT, Seasonic 500w

Tracks: Acer AS5920, C2D 2.1ghz 45nm, 3GB DDR2, NV8600m GT, 250gb hdd

Hound: Gigabyte GA-MA74GM-S, AMD 4400+ X2, 1 GB RAM, 2900XT, 500w Seasonic

My Heatware!
| Got RMA? Tell us your experience! | VOIP Help? PM ME!
Digg this Post!Add Post to del.icio.usBookmark Post in TechnoratiFurl this Post!Bookmark to Slashdot!Stumble this Post!Reddit! Bookmark to Newsvine!
Reply With Quote
  #3 (permalink)  
Old June 27, 2008, 01:30 PM
sswilson's Avatar
Super Moderator
 
Join Date: Dec 2006
Location: Moncton NB
Posts: 4,970
Default

The biggest issue issue is to ground yourself to the case before doing any work on the individual components.

I work with explosive carts so it's old hat for me, but so long as you get into the practice of grounding yourself prior to doing any work you should be fine with or without the case grounded to the plug. (The important bit is being at the same "potential" as the components you are working with).
__________________
Gigabyte P35-DQ6 / E8400 / 2X2 Gig Mushkin PC2 8500 Ascents / Corsair TX750W PSU / Gigabyte 8800GTS / CoolerMaster Cosmos S / MCP655 WC Pump / MCR320 Rad / 6X Yate Loons / PA120.1 / 2X Scythe Ultra Kaze / Swiftech Apogee GTZ WB / Samsung 2253BW
ASUS P5Q Pro / Q6600 / 2X1 Gig Supertalent PC2 6400 / PC P&C 750W Silencer / HIS 3870 IceQ3 / HT Omega Striker 7.1 / MCR220-QP-Res / DD DDCPX-Pro / Apogee GT / Swiftech MCW30 / Highspeed PC Tech Station / Samsung 931BF
Digg this Post!Add Post to del.icio.usBookmark Post in TechnoratiFurl this Post!Bookmark to Slashdot!Stumble this Post!Reddit! Bookmark to Newsvine!
Reply With Quote
  #4 (permalink)  
Old June 27, 2008, 01:35 PM
MVP
Level up: 32% Level up: 32% Level up: 32%
Level: 10 - 191 points to level up
 
Join Date: Jan 2008
Location: London, ON
Posts: 268
Default

You don't REALLY neeeeeed a strap. I don't use it. It's only good if your working on shag carpet and with wool socks. If you're smart, you would touch your case every once in a while and stay still.
Digg this Post!Add Post to del.icio.usBookmark Post in TechnoratiFurl this Post!Bookmark to Slashdot!Stumble this Post!Reddit! Bookmark to Newsvine!
Reply With Quote
  #5 (permalink)  
Old June 27, 2008, 01:43 PM
Rookie
 
Join Date: Jun 2008
Location: Quebec City, Quebec, Canada
Posts: 17
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by bojangles View Post
You don't REALLY neeeeeed a strap. I don't use it. It's only good if your working on shag carpet and with wool socks. If you're smart, you would touch your case every once in a while and stay still.
Yeah, that's usually how I worked when changing parts. I'm just insecure because it's my first full-blown system and I don't want to screw anything up.

So if I snap the strap to the case, I should stay around the same voltage as the individual parts? Or does the case needs to be plugged in (with the PSU off) to ground it?

Cheers.
Digg this Post!Add Post to del.icio.usBookmark Post in TechnoratiFurl this Post!Bookmark to Slashdot!Stumble this Post!Reddit! Bookmark to Newsvine!
Reply With Quote
  #6 (permalink)  
Old June 27, 2008, 01:57 PM
DK2's Avatar
DK2 DK2 is offline
Allstar
Level up: 66% Level up: 66% Level up: 66%
Level: 12 - 140 points to level up
 
Join Date: Apr 2008
Location: GTA
Posts: 623
Default

I just touch the case (the metal) with both hands before picking anything up and installing it,
and avoid as much as possible touching of any contacts, traces, on boards.

Circuits these days are not as susceptible to static as they once were, especially once assembled onto the PCB.
Old CMOS used to be really bad, but most IC’s have some input protection these days.
But if you have enough static to cause an arc you’ll likely blow something,
so some precaution should be taken.
Like, keep your receipt!
__________________
-
Custom Armor case / Gigabyte X48T / Q9550 3.2GHz / Coolit Elite CPU Cooler / OCZ Platinum 4GB DDR3
EVGA GTX 280 SSC / 2x VelociRaptor HDD RAID0 / 2x HDD 750GB / 2x Samsung DVD Burners
Razer AC-1 Sound card / 6600GT video card / ToughPower 850 Watts / 24 & 20 inch Monitors
My Pet Monster
Digg this Post!Add Post to del.icio.usBookmark Post in TechnoratiFurl this Post!Bookmark to Slashdot!Stumble this Post!Reddit! Bookmark to Newsvine!
Reply With Quote
  #7 (permalink)  
Old June 27, 2008, 02:00 PM
SugarJ's Avatar
Allstar
Level up: 13% Level up: 13% Level up: 13%
Level: 14 - 511 points to level up
 
Join Date: Jan 2008
Location: Surrey, BC
Posts: 884
Default

Just touch the PSU case, it doesn't need to be plugged in. All you're trying to do is discharge any static electricity you've built up. Because you're working on a tile floor and wood table, you won't have any issues. Those of us with carpet everywhere have to be a bit more careful.
__________________
Intel E8400 Biostar Tpower I45 Diamond HD4870 512mb G-Skill DDR2-1000 4GB Creative Xtreme Audio PC P&C 750W Quad Silencer Antec 900 Logitech G-15, G-5

WC Loop: Swiftech Apogee GTZ Danger Den CPX-Pro, Maze 4 GPU Black Ice GT Stealth 240 Rad
Digg this Post!Add Post to del.icio.usBookmark Post in TechnoratiFurl this Post!Bookmark to Slashdot!Stumble this Post!Reddit! Bookmark to Newsvine!
Reply With Quote
  #8 (permalink)  
Old June 27, 2008, 03:05 PM
MVP
 
Join Date: Feb 2007
Location: Nova Scotia
Posts: 269
Default

The PSU does need to be plugged in, that's what the ground plug is for.
Digg this Post!Add Post to del.icio.usBookmark Post in TechnoratiFurl this Post!Bookmark to Slashdot!Stumble this Post!Reddit! Bookmark to Newsvine!
Reply With Quote
  #9 (permalink)  
Old June 28, 2008, 07:04 AM
Top Prospect
Level up: 78% Level up: 78% Level up: 78%
Level: 7 - 31 points to level up
 
Join Date: Jan 2008
Location: Winnipeg
Posts: 105
Default

The PSU does NOT need to be plugged in. Touching the case will dissipate any built up static electricity you have created in your body, as SSWilson stated above. It's the difference between two or "potential" that causes the damage to components. The case it self will be the ground, not the plug. If your worried, using the strap won't hurt anything, just remember to take it off before you get another beer! Dragging the case over to the fridge probably won't help things. Good luck with the build.

The "ground" plug on the psu grounds the case to protect you from getting a shock when the computer is running if a wire comes loose makes a circuit out of the case. It's just another "neutral" connected to the case for shock protection.
Digg this Post!Add Post to del.icio.usBookmark Post in TechnoratiFurl this Post!Bookmark to Slashdot!Stumble this Post!Reddit! Bookmark to Newsvine!

Last edited by Mecher; June 28, 2008 at 08:02 AM.
Reply With Quote
  #10 (permalink)  
Old June 28, 2008, 10:12 AM
Allstar
Level up: 2% Level up: 2% Level up: 2%
Level: 14 - 570 points to level up
 
Join Date: Jan 2008
Location: AB
Posts: 697
Default

Dude, just a "my own experience" here, but i lived in an apartment for a year that was so bad for static that i could zap myself like 4 inches away from anything with enough juice to seriously numb my hand (or my wifes nose,ear,lips....) for a long time. I built many many many systems in that house, and repaired many more (none broken because of static) and i dont use a static strap. touching the case before putting your hands inside IS sufficiant as everyone here has told you, BUT if it means the difference between peace of mind for you, they arnt that expensive and you can just alagator clip it to the case. I most certainly DO NOT recomend sticking your hands inside the case with it plugged in, there is enough power going through your computer to kill you, while this is unlikely it is still a danger, switching the psu switch off isnt enough. Everyone knows how complacent humans are and if you get in the habit of leaving it plugged in, eventually your going to forget to hit that switch and hurt yourself and may damage anything you remove from the motherboard while removing it.

Also a good habit to get into is to cycle the power button a couple times after turning the switch off and removing the power cable. there are places in the computer that store power for a short time after its been turned off and cycling the power button will drain it.

Congratulations on your (first?) build BTW, If you have any Questions about configurations, or problems you may have while building and tweeking your system just drop us all a line, We're all always ready and willing to help :D
__________________

vista 64 on these rigs
Q9450 @ 3.5Ghz | E8400 @ 4.2Ghz
8gb Muskin Redline. | 2gb Kingston Hyperx
________________________________|_________________ ______________
EVGA 780i FTW ----\--||___||--/---- EVGA 780i SLI
Antec TP Quatro 1000W \ :==^==: / Antec TP Quatro 850W.
Nvidia 9800 GX2 X 2 SLI \|--o--|/ Nvidia 8800 GTS X 2 SLI
1X 500GB Western Digital. \_____/ 3X 150GB WD RAPTOR RAID-0
Digg this Post!Add Post to del.icio.usBookmark Post in TechnoratiFurl this Post!Bookmark to Slashdot!Stumble this Post!Reddit! Bookmark to Newsvine!
Reply With Quote
Reply

Thread Tools
Display Modes