What do you put under you mobo

Here's a HUUUUUUUUUUUUUGE misconception about static bags.

THEY DO NOTHING if the item isn't INSIDE the bag and SEALED shut.

It's called a Faraday cage.

Anti-static bags do absolutely nothing to protect from ESD unless the item is surrounded by the bag.

Even the "taco shell" method is no good (wrapping the bag around the item like a taco shell).

The only REAL way to protect the board from ESD is to buy yourself an ESD mat. They aren't very expensive, and they are protable (as long as you have a grounded outlet to plug it into), and get yourself an ESD wristband as well.

Now, watch as all the idiots post after me saying the wristbands are worthless. If they were, then would we be REQUIRED to wear them by ISO9004 and company policy?
 
The wristbands are so convenient I don't know why you wouldn't use 'em if you tinker inside the case all the time, the more you do the higher the chances.
 
I have been building and servicing computers for a while, and Ive never used a wristband...
 
Just because you haven't harmed something doesn't mean it can't happen or that it couldn't be avoided...
 
i have been building computers for 4 years and never worn a satic dilly while working on one, no problems due to that. That said, you should wear them i am just to stubborn and i throw my mobo where ever there isnt anything metal (my bed or sofa at the moment)
 
I work on cars for a living. When working on an air bag system it's recommended when handling an airbag ( the deploy charges are legally classified as an explosive device ) to use a ground strap. The end result of a static charge leaving you and entering the terminals of the bag will cause it to deploy.

Whether it be in your hands, lap, or in the car. I would rather take the extra step to prevent getting the twig and berries slammed by the equivalent of 2 .45ACP rounds due to me scooting my butt around. When upgradding in the case I just wrest an arm on the PSU.

Same thing with my mobo's if I'm installing one into a new case I'm wired to it. It only takes one time to cost you. Just me but I'm a little paranoid.
 
The only thing you gotta remember if you are grounding yourself to the case - if it isn't plugged in, it's pointless to put the anti-static wristband on your case. It's not grounded if it's unplugged. :)
 
I usually use the foam that came with the mb box to put under my mb. It keeps your fingers from being poked as you handle the board. It only takes a small shock to damage your pc equipment, just a rule of thumb, have a grounding strap or a esd mat.

You never know when it might come in handy, even if you never worked with a grounding strap or mat, and or never will use one. Someday a small static shock will destroy your equipment and it will be too late to think I should have used it.
Even putting it on the carpet isn't great, if you have kids, pets or you scuffing across the floor creates static electricity. Even casually walking across the carpet can also create static, this can also damage your mb if you touch the mb after you have walked across the floor. You may not notice the static has damaged your equipment, but it takes time for the damage to develop. Even if you don't use a grounding strap or mat, you can still ground yourself by touching the computer case, not on the side of the powersupply. The powersupply still has some voltage flowing around it even when you unplug it.

I do agree the esd bags will only help prevent static if it is in the bags, it will not prevent it if it is under the mb. I myself have been doing this for quite some time, I would rather do it safe, use the esd strap or mat. Better be safe than sorry.
 
So many noobs, so little time.

And keep in mind, I NEVER EVER use the term "noob", but there are quite a few posters in this thread that deserve that title.

The carpet? Oh my god! Hey guys, why not just plug the ATX connector into a 2000VAC outlet? That's pretty much what you're doing.

Let this be a lesson to everyone who wonders why a $20 motherboard costs $80. It's from all the "noobs" zapping them with ESD and expecting a replacement.
 
Thank you serversystems to voice your opinion on why people are dumb enough not to think that safety is first when working on a computer. I use the grounding strap to be safe, I was a noobie once and fried some components, but never a mb.

You kill your mb by static your screwed till you get a replacement, meaning the computer you built is worthless w/o a mb.
If you have your hands under the mb when your working on it, you would be better off to play in a field of rose bushes, where you will get constantly poked by thorns. Please anyone viewing this thread, take your mb off the carpet when you work on your mb. The board is taking a 95% chance of static electricity damage. The 5% when it is on the carpet and mistakenly stepped on by you, kids or pets.

Please use common sense when working on your computer, use a strap or something to prevent esd. Because it sure would suck if you had to pay more money to get a replacement or have to wait for the component to come back because you didn't think of safety when working on your system.
 
i usualy put my mobo on a cardboard box but somtimes i sit it upright on a carpet so it minimises contact... i need to stop doing that.. i usualy put it on a wood table or my bed

additionaly... up here in the north east the air is allways quite wet except in the winter
i never find myself apping metal things even if i try...last time i zapped myself was from a ccfl inverter
 
I have one of those $4 velcro jobs from Belkin. I don't think it would work all that well after seeing some of those nice units from 3M. Even so, I've never zapped a piece of hardware, had anything arrive doa, had anything die within a month, etc that I can attribute to ESD. Prior to using one, I just touched the power supply before handling the electronics. Even with the wrist strap on, I still, out of habit, touch the power supply.

This thread has reminded me to look at the better models of wrist straps out there.
 
Something conductive works great. As long as it's not a material prone to building up a charge. Then use a wrist band connected to, or discharge yourself by touching the metal plate or whatever that the mainboard is placed on.

The key to ESD prevention is to maintain as close to a 0 Volt potential between you and the parts you're working on.
 
I don't have a ESD mat or wrist strap. I've been meaning to buy one for years though. :rolleyes: If I have to remove the motherboard from the case i'll set it upside down on something hard. Carpet is a no no. Upside down is good since nothing sensitive will touch the surface. On rare occasions if i have the board out for extended times i'll put it back in it's static bag and box it came in.
 
One of these days I'm gonna write a guide to ESD. I consider myself an expert in the field, since I am trained every 6 months on the subject, and I work on life-saving instruments all day.
 
SarverSystems said:
So many noobs, so little time.

And keep in mind, I NEVER EVER use the term "noob", but there are quite a few posters in this thread that deserve that title.

The carpet? Oh my god! Hey guys, why not just plug the ATX connector into a 2000VAC outlet? That's pretty much what you're doing.

Let this be a lesson to everyone who wonders why a $20 motherboard costs $80. It's from all the "noobs" zapping them with ESD and expecting a replacement.
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So true. :rolleyes:

PlaidJello said:
I have one of those $4 velcro jobs from Belkin. I don't think it would work all that well after seeing some of those nice units from 3M. Even so, I've never zapped a piece of hardware, had anything arrive doa, had anything die within a month, etc that I can attribute to ESD. Prior to using one, I just touched the power supply before handling the electronics. Even with the wrist strap on, I still, out of habit, touch the power supply.

This thread has reminded me to look at the better models of wrist straps out there.
Click to expand...
A man after my own heart. :)
 
A question about anti-static straps - I've seen a few wireless wrist straps around, how well do they actually work?

My understanding of the normal variety is that as you move around and build up static, it is discharged down the strap (via the resistor which drops the charge to a negligible voltage) to whatever you earthed it to.

That said, I have always wondered how the wireless ones work....
 
Yeah, the wireless ones got me stumped too. I am thinking it's some kind of capacitor inside, but I am probably wrong.

BTW, the resistor inside a wrist strap is to protect you if you touch something high voltage. The resistor will blow, creating an open in the circuit.
 
I used to repair two-way radios/baystations/mobiles/portables for fire depts, police depts, hospitals, bus drivers, and the like, and as much as I hate the damn wrist straps, they do serve their purpose.
 
ryuji said:
i usualy put my mobo on a cardboard box but somtimes i sit it upright on a carpet so it minimises contact... i need to stop doing that.. i usualy put it on a wood table or my bed

additionaly... up here in the north east the air is allways quite wet except in the winter
i never find myself apping metal things even if i try...last time i zapped myself was from a ccfl inverter
Click to expand...


I remember doing that. one of the ccfls had some exposed wire where it rubbed on the plastic block on the end and I didn't notice it. Also, I zapped myself on an LCD controller (hurt a lot worse than the ccfl, and left a nice burn too) and fried the LCD controller. :(
 
HRslammR said:
i know i put mine on the carpet!
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Let me guess, you were wearing only socks on your feet before picking it up too, just to increase the chance of ESD?? :eek:
 
i just throw it wherever i please...then when i put it all back together i touch the case motherboard and something metal like a table before powering anything up. i havent friend anything....yet
 
Thanks for correcting me there SarverSystems. I think I shall stay away from the wireless ones until someone can actually tell me how they work...
 
the wireless ESD bands usually are not clean room accepted, and to me if it's not acceptable for a clean room, then it's not acceptable for general use.

Just get a $30 sed portable kit.

Myself I went ghetto, and use a 2ftx2ft aluminum panel to rest my hardware on. The panel has a lug for a ground strap as well as snap-ons for grounding plugs, and to ground my case, etc. The whole rig with strap cables was about $20. That panel is NOT safe for working with voltage though, that's where the actual portable ESD kits are best.

I work in a level 2 clean room, so I have to know this stuff...oh, and heel straps are worthless if your flooring is not static dissipative, just so nobody goes and buys one and feels protected.


--as far as hardware, a shock may not kill a chip, but it might screw it up. So if you noticed your "hot OC card_01" cant OC worth crap, maybe you shocked one of the chips and it's not exactly functioning properly anymore as a result. Sometimes ESD damage is very subtle, and expensive to diagnose. Basically just be safe about it.

--ESD bags are not ESD mats
--Straps are a must, preferably the cable type (yes, even folks who wear one everyday hate them, just deal)
--remember to ground your esd mats, wriststraps, and computer chassis (if it's plugged to the wall it's in most cases grounded)
--take your ESD kits to an electronic supply shop once in a while to test their functionality...these kits will go bad eventually.
 
mustang_steve said:
--as far as hardware, a shock may not kill a chip, but it might screw it up. So if you noticed your "hot OC card_01" cant OC worth crap, maybe you shocked one of the chips and it's not exactly functioning properly anymore as a result. Sometimes ESD damage is very subtle, and expensive to diagnose. Basically just be safe about it.
Click to expand...

Good point.

I think now we all can start blaiming ESD instead of PSU's for causing unexplainable things going wrong with our systems.
 
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