IKEA Computer Chair Static Might Be Blanking Your Display

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Ensuring the chair is grounded should cure any issues.

IKEA Markus chair static
(Image credit: IKEA)

There are a lot of potential pitfalls in building a smoothly running PC, but who knew that monitors and computer chairs could fall prey to compatibility issues? German programmer Felix Häcker recently pinpointed the source of his system's intermittent monitor blanking as his IKEA Markus computer chair (h/t Future Zone). Content with his deductive reasoning, Häcker was mildly surprised to find that the IKEA Markus has been previously highlighted as a problematic ESD (Electro Static Discharge) source.

When a monitor intermittently blanks, there are plenty of possible culprits a PC enthusiast or DIYer might ponder over. A natural first few steps could be to check the monitor to computer graphics card cabling, power cabling, then to consider software and drivers.

(Image credit: IKEA)

Häcker tenaciously pursued the issue and eventually confidently pinpointed the root cause of the monitor blanking problem as his chair. The first clue to the chair being an issue was that the screen blacking only occurred when he "sat down or stood up, although the chair didn't even touch the table."

Using a different chair, no screen blanking problems occurred. Switching back to the IKEA Markus, the problem returned. With the chair brand/type firmly in the spotlight, Häcker quickly Googled the ComputerBase thread we linked above.

(Image credit: IKEA)

Investigations reveal that the Markus chair causes strong ESDs in some environments. It could be the fabric material, the gas suspension mechanism/materials, or a combination of these factors. However, with the root cause identified, at least there is now a solution available for Häcker and others. The answer is to ground the chair however is most practical to your workspace. That might mean connecting a part of the chair to an earth/ground source (plug, metal radiator, TV antenna, etc), whatever is most convenient. 

As well as causing intermittent monitor blanking, a quick search revealed that some users have previously blamed the "ESD Monster" Markus chair for wiping their HDD, or causing a Radeon RX 6800 XT to stutter.

The IKEA Markus remains a current shipping "top seller" product available in-store and online. In the US it retails for $289.99, but there are no warnings about ESDs on the product pages.

Mark Tyson
Mark Tyson
News Editor

Mark Tyson is a news editor at Tom's Hardware. He enjoys covering the full breadth of PC tech; from business and semiconductor design to products approaching the edge of reason.

7 Comments Comment from the forums
  • Nigel Spike
    While there are no warnings about ESDs on the product pages, you find the following comment there:

    In Swedish
    Komplettera gärna med golvskyddet KOLON.
    "Preferably complete with KOLON floor protector."

    In German:
    Als Ergänzung empfehlen wir KOLON Fußbodenschutz.
    "As a complement we recommend KOLON floor protector"

    In English (US):
    May be used with KOLON floor protector.

    In English (UK):
    May be completed with KOLON floor protector.

    I personally would have been interested in knowing the materials in his clothes and shoes and in the flooring. ESD dosn't usually come from only one type of material, in this case polyester.

    Also, the chair has been a best seller since 2007. If this was a common problem, there would have been more reports about it, and for a long time.
    Reply
  • chaz_music
    It isn't if the chair is compatible: It is why the monitor has such a high sensitivity to local static discharge.

    Office chair ESD discharge has been known for decades and is one reason why the USB ports have such a high ESD capability (upward to 15KV and higher). There were even some guys from MIT who wanted this "chair discharge" outlined as a standard ESD source/test but it was rejected for some reason. When you sit down or back up, there are a series of micro discharge events that creates a ton of EMI in the local environment (both E fields and H fields). Foam based chairs are bad, but nylon chair as astounding in their ESD buildup. You can buy ESD discharge spray which is actually a mildly conductive salt that you are putting on the surface of the chair fabric.

    All good electronic industry testing standards require doing EMI and RF immunity testing, which includes ESD discharge testing. If this monitor has a discharge sensitivity from a half meter away (few feet), it is definitely not going to handle having a direct discharge that these tests will subject it. Some of the best tests are the IEC static discharge tests, but the EMI part would typically also catch this issue. And are there any other monitors that have this issue?

    So, in essence, the monitor design was not tested well or possibly not at all. This is the difference between a good high quality monitor and an inexpensive monitor/TV/gadget that you find on the Internet.

    When you sit down in an office chair, you should learn to touch the desk surface first to spread out the chair charge generated into the the desk capacitance. I do this with my keyboard drawer. Haven't zapped a USB drive or port in years since doing that step.
    Reply
  • smaiderman88
    I've had this chair for more than 10 years, and only in the last 3 years I noticed this. I think it is because of the wooden floor
    Reply
  • DookieDraws
    I was having an issue with my Alienware 38 inch monitor's screen briefly blacking out, and still don't know for sure what was causing that, but I haven't seen it do this again in a couple months or so. Maybe it was my desk chair causing that. Wonder if ESD can damage the monitor?

    My thread on Dell's site.
    After doing a little research, I've found where others have experienced the same issue as I have. Some with the same monitor.

    For the record, my monitor has been working great as of late.
    Reply
  • DookieDraws
    chaz_music said:
    It isn't if the chair is compatible: It is why the monitor has such a high sensitivity to local static discharge.

    Office chair ESD discharge has been known for decades and is one reason why the USB ports have such a high ESD capability (upward to 15KV and higher). There were even some guys from MIT who wanted this "chair discharge" outlined as a standard ESD source/test but it was rejected for some reason. When you sit down or back up, there are a series of micro discharge events that creates a ton of EMI in the local environment (both E fields and H fields). Foam based chairs are bad, but nylon chair as astounding in their ESD buildup. You can buy ESD discharge spray which is actually a mildly conductive salt that you are putting on the surface of the chair fabric.

    All good electronic industry testing standards require doing EMI and RF immunity testing, which includes ESD discharge testing. If this monitor has a discharge sensitivity from a half meter away (few feet), it is definitely not going to handle having a direct discharge that these tests will subject it. Some of the best tests are the IEC static discharge tests, but the EMI part would typically also catch this issue. And are there any other monitors that have this issue?

    So, in essence, the monitor design was not tested well or possibly not at all. This is the difference between a good high quality monitor and an inexpensive monitor/TV/gadget that you find on the Internet.

    When you sit down in an office chair, you should learn to touch the desk surface first to spread out the chair charge generated into the the desk capacitance. I do this with my keyboard drawer. Haven't zapped a USB drive or port in years since doing that step.
    GO DAWGS! :p
    Reply
  • RichardtST
    Office chairs are notorious for static. I go through the whole office and give everything a nice bath in anti-static spray every fall. Chair seats and backs, as well as the surrounding floor, are all prime targets. It's a yearly ritual...
    Reply
  • TaKeNeK
    Woot!
    I got exacly this same issue with my chair - Razer Iskur exacly this model: RZ38-02770100-R3G1 and got tiles on the floor.
    I got 2 monitors Dell S2721DGF both connected via DP to ROG-STRIX-RTX3090-O24G-GAMING and both monitors blanking as I get up from my chair.

    Best Regards
    TaKeN
    Reply