Shocked by case, mother board fried Need help.

[poO_onyou]

I have built 3 computers using this case.
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16811144026
Each computer had a different motherboard in it. One contained a Foxconn, one a DFI, and one and ECS.

All three computers have fried within the first two months of building. All the people said they went to turn the computer on one day and it shocked them. After that only the case fans and lights would turn on, nothing would boot, no display on the monitor would appear. I replaced the motherboards in all three cases and they worked fine. Something is obviously wrong with the case or with the power supply. (**I am using the stock power supply that comes with the case**)Any idea as to what could be producing the static, resulting in the shock and damaging the motherboard??

 

[RichPLS]

You are shorting somewhere... I suggest dissassembling and carefully examining and re-assembling properly.

 

[poO_onyou]

That is what i figured, when I assembled them I was very careful in hooking up the connections... would it be that the front panel headers are connected incorrectly (i have built a good number of computers and never shorted anything until now), or could it have something to do with the thermal monitor? After one fried the blue back light on the thermal monitor no longer lit up?

 

[Jim_L9]

It sounds like a static problem to me. You could install a static mat where the chair is for the PC. You can also try an antistatic spray on the carpet, but that doesn't last forever.

 

[Grimmy]

Are they plugging the PSU with a 3 prong outlet?

That is the only way it is going to have a ground.

I can see that happening if they use an extention cord that may have bad grounding in it.

 

[MaximRecoil]

I clicked on your Newegg link to the case and the latest user review, posted today, seems particularly relevant:

Killed 4 motherboards.

Pros: Removable motherboard tray. Plenty of fan mounts....

Cons: The acrylic front panel allows static electricity to build up around the power and reset buttons. A simple release can send a LETHAL CURRENT through the POWER SWITCH and POWER RESET cables straight to the motherboard.

Reviewed By: Starks, 3/20/2006 3:19:59 PM

Assuming you are not in fact "Starks", and you fried a 4th motherboard just today.

If other people are having the same problem as you with this case, then it is likely to be a fault of the case itself, rather than the users. I would get a different case.

You could also avoid touching the power and reset buttons like the plague, if you want to continue using the case. Set the PC to power on with the keyboard space bar or something.

 

[Grimmy]

Clap on... Clap/Clap off?

<( J/K!! J/K!! J/K!!)

 

[poO_onyou]

Ha, thanks max that does seem to build the problem. You can feel the static build up on the case, to bad im gonna have to fork out some cash to buy new cases ... better then replacing motherboards every few months

 

[Pain]

Another reason [actually, the same reason] why I stick with metal cases.

 

[Human1]

Holy crap! That happened to my friend, too. My advice: don't get that case!

That's just scary. People should be warned. I have the model just before that one and have never had a problem (thankfully).

 

[delanooch]

I did this to mine by walking across the room and plugging in a usb key to transfer files because of the system upgrade I was going to do a week later 3/4/2004 and my finger touched the usb port, FRIED my mobo with a static shock, went to the local PCclub.com store and bought the exact same board and was able to finish tranfering files but wasnt happy about spending another 100 bucks that I didnt need to.

My friend came over for a LAN party soon after and he upgraded his RAM and had to take his videocard out of his machine and when he touched it to put back in ZAP! toasted brand new vid card, he sent to back to BFG and within 2 weeks he had his card back.

Always ground yourself somehow if you need to touch any of your components, if it is merely a matter of touching your case and frying your board, I would chuck that case so fast!! throw it out on the curb and let someone else deal with it.

Try raising the humidity in your computer room a bit, if you live in a dry climate static builds much more so than in humid climates.

Sucks this keeps happening though. GL

 

[poO_onyou]

hmm.. thanks for the info. I think I am going to avoid any case with acylic on them. and I am going to avoid cheap powersupplies... I just had one of those blow out on me. I am not have much luck here