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Reduce static electricity in your Case

Forum Homebuilt Systems : New System Build - Reduce static electricity in your Case

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I always read static electricity is very bad for your PC. However I've never had a PC that didn't gave you a little pinch after opening the case up so I guess it is normal.

In this PC however there is an abnormal high amount of static inside but it only occurs after I plug in the monitor cable on my VGA card.

I've had the electrician ground my wiring today but it is still being highly static in there after I plug in the VGA cable.

Is this normal? I've tried it with different cables, different monitor, onboard vga and my video card. It remains the same, as soon as I plug in the VGA cable my hardware starts to give me little pinches when I touch them.

Is this normal? Is there a way to further reduce the static in my pc by running extra ground wires from the case or isn't this nescescarry?

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I'm not an expert on electricity, but I don't really think that's normal. You mentioned you just had your home wiring grounded, I hope this is something that you haven't waited on too long, running electronics completely ungrounded is not a good idea. Is your VGA monitor plugged into the same grounded circuit as your PC now?

Reply to wathman

Yes the monitor and pc are both plugged into the same UPS and the UPS into a grounded circuit.

But isn't it quite normal that you feel some static when you still have your powered on monitor VGA cable plugged into the PC?

Once I disconnect the cable it is all gone.

I'm a bit confused here reading about wrist straps and such and do think it is kinda awkward to get these miniscule pinches touching my harddrives while the VGA is plugged in.

Reply to Crypt36

The way you're describing it, I'm not completely sure it's static electricity that you are feeling. Normally, static electricity builds up on your body as your clothing rubs against things, or you walk on carpet and the like, then by touching something metal, all those built up electrons transfer over in an instant, effectively discharging you. You shouldn't continue to feel shocks unless you build up more charge on your body.

What seems more likely is that you have a low voltage short somewhere that is causing some electrical flow across your metal surfaces.

Reply to wathman

Crypt36 wrote :

However I've never had a PC that didn't gave you a little pinch after opening the case

Are you sure it's the PC and not your body? Your body can pick up static electricity when walking over carpet or such, or your clothes rubbing together, or whatever you do when you reach for that monitor cable. Have you tried grounding yourself? Touching something big and metal should help.

Reply to case-assembler
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