questions about ESD and grounding shizzle whizzle

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xdthevoidxd

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Jun 16, 2014
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I am soon going to upgrade my psu and gpu. I have been reading online about ESD and grounding, but i can't get a clear answer. Some people say keep psu plugged in but off to ground it(my current one has no off switch), while others say it's not about grounding yourself, it's about equalizing the electrical potential between you and the pc, which can be solved by touching the case often, which also makes sense because then the same voltage is running through you and the case, and it is spread out through the case so it doesn't do damage by itself( if that last part made sense). However, that becomes a closed circuit, doesn't it? Would anything happen when I plug in my power supply after? Also, would anti static wristbands become useless/redundant if they are connected to a case that isn't grounded? I haven't had any electrical training ever except in an assembly in middle school, but i would understand if it was explained to me. One more thing, what are the dangers of esd when installing a gpu and psu, if any. This is my first time upgrading a pc! Thanks for your time!
 
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i7Baby

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Plug your pc in but don't switch power on. plug your anti static wrist/ankle strap to ground too - say on the pc frame. Try to keep a hand on the pc frame when you can. Don't wear synthetic clothes - just wool and cotton. Don't work on synthetic carpet. Just wood floors and a wood table is good.
 
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xdthevoidxd

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Okay, but my current psu doesn't have a power switch. What about those wood floors that kind of feel like plastic but are made of real wood. Are those good? Also, do you know what kind of an effect ESD has on gpus and psus? Basically, I can't really have my pc plugged in, so what would be the best way to go about this without it being plugged in?
 
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i7Baby

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It doesn't need a power switch. Just leave it plugged into the outlet but DON'T turn the power on. When you plug in an appliance to an outlet, it's earthed and connected to the neutral line. Switching on just switches active.

The main thing is to not have synthetic carpets on the floor.
 
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Kaileb Wyatt

Kaileb Wyatt

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Well its always safe to unplug your computer. That's just a precaution, but better safe than sorry. Anti static writs wraps are always good to use when upgrading or handling your pc parts because it reduces the risk of a potential accident. A shock that the human eye can detect is 8000V. 100V can destroy some of the transistors and parts in a computer chip. I have never had a problem with ESD and hardly ever use an ESD strap, I have been an IT help desk professional for almost two years now. Grounding yourself to you case (touching a metal part of the case every so often) is you best bet, but if you are really concerned you can take a trip to Wall-Mart and pick up a strap for under $5.
 
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xdthevoidxd

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Kaileb Wyatt, does touching the case while it is not plugged in still ground me to it? Isn't grounding when you are connected to earth? If so, I wouldn't actually be grounded, would I?
 
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Kaileb Wyatt

Kaileb Wyatt

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Grounding yourself to the case is equalizing the electrical potential between you and the case, therefore creating no ESD when you touch any other components, because the reside inside the case. as long as you are the same electrical potential as the comonents in the case, there will be no ESD damage to you components.
 
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