Easiest way to ground yourself before building?

A

AcidicRage

Limp Gawd
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Jul 18, 2002
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I was told by my friend that the best/easiest way to ground yourself is just touch the metal case of your PC right before you start building/assembling. Is this true? I don't really want to purchase any anti-static wrist bands.
 
every site ive read says to just touch the power supply before doing anything. worked for me.
 
Touch the unpainted metal parts of the PSU/case to which the mainboard and other components are grounded. Don't touch conductive parts of the components you're handling whenever you can avoid doing so. Pretend touching those parts will kill you instantly ^_-
 
Oh, so it's best just to touch a PSU thats already plugged in? Does the PSU have to be hooked up to the parts (like the cables to the mobo/hd/fans/etc)? Or can you just take a random PSU even out of the case and hook it up to the plug in the wall, and touch it?
 
I wouldn't touch anything plugged in, but yes touching the unpainted surface of the metal is a good way to ground yourself.
 
If you're paranoid, touch a PSU/case that is plugged in, tho doesn't have to be turned on. If it's not plugged in you're just at the same potential as the case (until you let go then you may be higher), you don't actually get rid of any static. Of course in all my years and thousands of computers/laptops I've worked on, I've never killed anything with static. Old schoolers usually laugh at anti-static straps/mats and use them for roach clips instead. :D
 
This is true, i have never fried any piece of equipment due to ESD myself. I still do just touch the side of the case though out of habit i guess.
 
i touch both hands to the frame of the case (Bare metal) before touching inside any system.


If you have a static strap with a removable clip. you could always plug directly into the ground of a plug ;D
 
I usually stick a 0-gauge bare-wire into the closest handy power socket's ground and then lick it. TASTY! :D
 
If it's my new stuff and expenisve, or expensive stuff for a customer, I just use an anti-static strap. Its painless and you cant even tell its there. Comes standard with all 3M field mats, I bet a ton of us have.
 
Alright, one last question before I assemble. :)

Here's my current situation. My workplace is a hard-floor, small room in which I already have ANOTHER computer hooked up to internet, and always on (for building guides/reference/forum help, hehe)... now would it be good just to touch the metal case/PSU WITH THE OTHER COMPUTER *ON*? Or do you have to have the other computer off (while PSU I/O on and still connected)? Thanks!
 
AcidicRage said:
Alright, one last question before I assemble. :)

Here's my current situation. My workplace is a hard-floor, small room in which I already have ANOTHER computer hooked up to internet, and always on (for building guides/reference/forum help, hehe)... now would it be good just to touch the metal case/PSU WITH THE OTHER COMPUTER *ON*? Or do you have to have the other computer off (while PSU I/O on and still connected)? Thanks!
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It is possible to generate enough static to mess up a computer when its running, so I'd say ground yourself on some big piece of metal (computer that's turned off works). I was walking around the office a while ago and touched a PC that was running, which gave quite a large static spark and reset the computer. Unfortunately it was installing windows at the time...
 
What you're trying to avoid is ESD (ElectroStatic Discharge), or the discharge of static electricity in other words. The way to do this is to bring the electrical potential of your skin (the charge collected through your clothes rubbing against your skin, your feet on the carpet, etc.) down to around the same level as the central ground (the ground of the component(s) you're working on). The way to do this is to discharge this charge into the aforementioned ground by touching the ground plane (the case). What makes ESD harmful is when it happens through sensitive circuits, such as ICs.

Plugging the PSU in an outlet isn't necessarily harmful, but it's unnecessary, as it'll only reduce the ground level of the system you're working on even more, possibly increasing the risk of you damaging something through ESD, as a charge will continue to build up on your skin while you're working.

Touching other 'grounds' around you (such as large metal surface) is nonsense, as each of them will have another electrical potential ('ground' is always a relative term) unless they're connected to each other with a ground wire.
 
Elledan said:
Touching other 'grounds' around you (such as large metal surface) is nonsense, as each of them will have another electrical potential ('ground' is always a relative term) unless they're connected to each other with a ground wire.
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I dunno, while it is completely true that ground is relative etc., I have found that if you've built up a pretty healthy static charge (spark-inducing), discharging yourself on a large metal filing cabinet (for instance) tends to take the bulk of the charge, leaving a very minimal difference between you and the case. No matter what, you still have to touch the case to fully ground yourself, I agree.
 
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