Do acrylic cases run a greater risk of static damage?

[gururu]

I like the looks, but isn't there a reason cases are usually made of metal?

 

[LifeStealer]

Uhh acrylic is one of the best insulators you can use. If anything there is less of a risk over all. What static shock are you talking about? Rubbing your feet on carpet and then touching the mobo? Being made of metal won't help it if that happens. I assume you're talking about external static shock. Acrylic provides better protection in that case.

The reason cases are generally made out of metal is because of EMI.

 

[gururu]

Originally posted by: LifeStealer
Uhh acrylic is one of the best insulators you can use. If anything there is less of a risk over all. What static shock are you talking about? Rubbing your feet on carpet and then touching the mobo? Being made of metal won't help it if that happens. I assume you're talking about external static shock. Acrylic provides better protection in that case.

The reason cases are generally made out of metal is because of EMI.

thanks for clarifying, so I guess it's safe. I got a bit mixed up because I waws thinking that the mobo was grounded to the metal case.

 

[LifeStealer]

Some are I guess but almost all mobos use stand offs and alot of those are isulated. The thing you want to make sure comes in cotact and has a good conection with the mobo is the psu. Anything else is OK. We've gotton to the point where EMI isn't as annoying to pc parts as it once once. However, the more wireless we go the more likely it is that it will start affecting them again.

 

[Thermalrock]

stuff isnt grounded by connecting it to the case. its grounded by connecting it to of the psu which is grounded by connecting it to the powersocket which is connected to the earth somewhere. a case does not have the electron capacity that the earth has and connecting something to it wouldnt be grounding. think of ground as an infinite ammount of electrons and infinite lack of electrons, you cant load it its always gonna be neutral. so if your device is loaded positive and grounded electrons will 'flow' from ground to your device till its not loaded, if its loaded negative electrons will flow from the grounded loaded thing to ground till its neutral. if you connected a loaded object to your case the same would happen but cuz the case isnt big enough the object would still be loaded and the case that wasnt would be too then.
the case is prolly grounded too so you could ground your stuff indirectly through the case but you do not want electricity flowing through your case walls cuz sometimes ppl touch it.

 

[LifeStealer]

Its DC, if you did ground things to the case you wouldn't even notice it. The reason its grounded via connectors is because its a more direct route and less likely to develop any connectivity problems.

 

[Thermalrock]

Originally posted by: LifeStealer
Its D/C, if you did ground things to the case you wouldn't even notice it. The reason its grounded via connectors is because its a more direct route and less likely to develop any connectivity problems.

oh yeah d/c, im stupid....

 

[LifeStealer]

Your highest voltage is -12v. The case itself IS grounded via the power supply, older cases did on occasion ground to the chasis but as things got smaller and smaller it became easier to ground on board.