How to properly ground your PC?

[Kistel]

Going to be installing a new CPU in a motherboard tonight which will require removing the motherboard.

To ensure that I do everything right and do not destroy it like I did to my other one last night (view my other thread), I want to make sure I do everything right this time.

I know I must ground my PC - what is the best method for doing so? I plan putting my PC on a wood desk when I take it apart. I'll place the parts I remove on their anti static bags they came in.

[F1reFly]

use a grounding wrist strap. their cheap. ground to the frame. i usually hold my parts by the side edges or non metal parts of it if i can. alternatively, you could insert a wire into the ground of a plugin to the frame but thats a bit overkill i would think.

[Mussels]

grounding is pointless.


static electricity killing hardware is a myth made up by people who killed their systems (or just dont know how to assemble them) and blamed it on something they didnt understand, instead of admitting failure.


I've built hundreds of machines on carpet (no case - just on the carpet directly) and the only one to have a problem was because a resistor/capacitor (not sure which) on the bottom of the board got caught, and pulled off the board. (cats fault.)


short version is: static wont really do squat. dont worry about it.
DO worry about damaging the boards physically however, be careful not to bend pins or contacts, or get debris in any slots.

[Champ]

I've built and worked on multiple PCs with no grounding. The most important grounding is when you plug it in.

[Kistel]

Originally Posted by Champ

The most important grounding is when you plug it in.

Thanks for the replies. But what does this mean exactly? Just to make sure it is grounded when I power it on after working on it?

[ASRockIQ]

same here the last two post. i have build many systems but not on carpet 'as Mussels said' but rather on Cardboard or a Wooden Desk or a computer desk if anything. as Champ said as well. most important is when plugging in the power cord to the PSU. ALWAYS Double Check to make sure everything is plugged in correctly and be sure NO Wires are in the way of any Fans

[ctrain]

unplug psu, press power button, touch inside of case, feel good about self, remove mobo, do whatever, put back in, win.

unless you are building up a comical amount of charge somehow by rubbing your feet on carpet to the point where your hair is standing up i doubt you can ever really run into problems with static.

i've never used a wrist strap or whatever and i've built plenty with no issue. if you have a short thanks to something in the case you'll probably get the lovely result of ~* nothing *~ when you try and start up.

[Mussels]

Originally Posted by Kistel

Thanks for the replies. But what does this mean exactly? Just to make sure it is grounded when I power it on after working on it?

the case gets grounded when you do plug it in (at least with 3 prong power sockets) so i dont know what he means either.

[Champ]

Originally Posted by Kistel

Thanks for the replies. But what does this mean exactly? Just to make sure it is grounded when I power it on after working on it?

I was messing with you

[AsRock]

Originally Posted by Mussels

grounding is pointless.


static electricity killing hardware is a myth made up by people who killed their systems (or just dont know how to assemble them) and blamed it on something they didnt understand, instead of admitting failure.


I've built hundreds of machines on carpet (no case - just on the carpet directly) and the only one to have a problem was because a resistor/capacitor (not sure which) on the bottom of the board got caught, and pulled off the board. (cats fault.)


short version is: static wont really do squat. dont worry about it.
DO worry about damaging the boards physically however, be careful not to bend pins or contacts, or get debris in any slots.

funny you say tha as when my 3800 X2 setup died was the that i touched the thumb drive that was pluged into it and both no longer work lol.

touching the case is only good if the PSU is in the system and pluged in. When in side a PC or plan to mess in a PC i tend to find some thing that i normally get a static shock from.

Dam flash drive court me of gaurd although should of known with the casing being metal and btw the flash drive i am talking about is the Rally 2 which i just got back from RMA.

yet another reason why i picked a msi mobo as the usb ports supposed to be protected from such thing.


Other wise i would agree with you mussels but the last experience tells me be even ore carefull. never had a issue with static ever b4 and thats over15 years of pcs and longer wither electronics.

[Mussels]

that wouldnt be static, that would be a short in the flash drive damaging the PSU (and everything else on the 5v rail)

[purefun65]

Originally Posted by Mussels

that wouldnt be static, that would be a short in the flash drive damaging the PSU (and everything else on the 5v rail)

I agree with mussels.

[AsRock]

Originally Posted by Mussels

that wouldnt be static, that would be a short in the flash drive damaging the PSU (and everything else on the 5v rail)

It was static i felt the discharge lol. And the PSU is fine.

[Mussels]

Originally Posted by AsRock

It was static i felt the discharge lol. And the PSU is fine.

then it wasnt static, what you felt was the 5V line from the USB stick.

[pantherx12]

I plug rig into mains to ground it.
(power off obviously)

[random]

I am not fussed with static or the whole carpet myth, although what I have made a habit of when turning off my computer is including the power supply and unplugging the connection from the back whenever I decide to clean my rig or make changes.

[sniviler]

wear latex gloves.

[ShiBDiB]

Originally Posted by Mussels

grounding is pointless.


static electricity killing hardware is a myth made up by people who killed their systems (or just dont know how to assemble them) and blamed it on something they didnt understand, instead of admitting failure.


I've built hundreds of machines on carpet (no case - just on the carpet directly) and the only one to have a problem was because a resistor/capacitor (not sure which) on the bottom of the board got caught, and pulled off the board. (cats fault.)


short version is: static wont really do squat. dont worry about it.
DO worry about damaging the boards physically however, be careful not to bend pins or contacts, or get debris in any slots.

This^^^

Originally Posted by sniviler

wear latex gloves.

lolwut

[Frick]

I always have to post this when talking about these things:

[rickss69]

I once built up too much static...

[Frick]

That's.. That's not real is it?

[Bundy]

Adding post to agree with mussels.

if the air is dry and you are sparking onto lots of things, just touch the bench or case regularly to be sure.

[micropage7]

ive on building rig about several years and never experienced static electricity
just make sure you power on after all these things placed, and avoid any dust and i more just make sure your finger is dry enough or you gonna have electricity shock
simple right
touch the case regularly that i do, you dont need any expensive tool to avoid that

[Radical_Edward]

rickss69, that's one of the oldest photoshop burn photos ever, jeez.

[Frick]

Originally Posted by Radical_Edward

rickss69, that's one of the oldest photoshop burn photos ever, jeez.

Oh phew. I spent some time googling electrical burns and they can look kinda like that but more burnt.