Help required with avoiding static discharge during first PC build

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saurabhmishra

Junior Member
Mar 28, 2013
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Hi,
I am going to be doing my first PC build in a few days (eagerly awaiting PSU). While going through tutorials online, people have been warning a lot about static discharge, damaging the components. I have read about anti-static wrist bands, but problem is they are not easily available in my case.
Also the suggestion for touching the pc cabinet is also futile as my cabinet surface is polished with some non conduction material (both inside and outside)

Here are details of my future workspace, kindly suggest something from it :
1. A wooden bed (non-polished and rough raw surface) - i read online that moisture i good to avoid ESD, so can i think about sprinkling some water on the bed before working on it
2. I have a water cooler, which can keep my surrounding humid during the build.
3. My house has marble flooring

So is there anything i can make up with the above available options. Also if i create a metallic platform of some type, how can ground it. I mean should i just connect some wire with it and put into my power supply. Also how can i be sure that the power mains ground is actually working and not just some bluff.

Any help in this regards will be greatly appreciated

Sincerely
Anxious First Time Builder
 
jaqie

jaqie

Platinum Member
Apr 6, 2008
2,471
1
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Ive been building and working on PCs for 16+ years.

Just make sure to touch the metal of the parts and case before anything else, each time you touch them. The backplate for cards, the motherboard I/O shields (the metal around the usb ports for example), the case side somewhere bare metal when open, et cetra.

That's all I ever do and I have never damaged a component due to static.
 
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piasabird

Lifer
Feb 6, 2002
17,168
60
91
Cement Vinyl and wood floors do not have much static. Take a shower right before assembling the PC. higher humidity lessens static. If you grasp a metal case by the metal parts it will help to discharge static. I have never used an anti-static wrist strap.

I used the Dining room table last couple of times simply because the lighting was good. I just threw some kind of sheet or blanket or cloth on top of the table to protect it. It also helps to keep screws and what not from rolling or bouncing on to the floor.
 
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Remobz

Platinum Member
Jun 9, 2005
2,564
37
91
piasabird said:
Cement Vinyl and wood floors do not have much static. Take a shower right before assembling the PC. higher humidity lessens static. If you grasp a metal case by the metal parts it will help to discharge static. I have never used an anti-static wrist strap.

I used the Dining room table last couple of times simply because the lighting was good. I just threw some kind of sheet or blanket or cloth on top of the table to protect it. It also helps to keep screws and what not from rolling or bouncing on to the floor.
Click to expand...

Higher Humidity less static?

I live in a VERY high humidity climate. Good to know.
 
W

weez82

Senior member
Jan 6, 2011
315
0
71
My advice, dont worry so much ;). I've been building pc's for 14 years and have never killed a part with a static discharge. PC components are a lot tougher than people think. Just focus on getting everything in the right slot and hope you didnt get any doa parts :)
 
bryanl

bryanl

Golden Member
Oct 15, 2006
1,157
8
81
Don't ground directly to earth since that can create a hazard if a source leaks high voltage. That's why anti-static wrist bands have a 1 megaohm resistor in series with their ground clips.

Be careful when using a metal surface since shorts can occur, including with the lithium battery on the motherboard, which can explode.

Wood and formica are good surfaces, or cover the table with anti-static material, either a mat (not cheap) or pink bubble wrap:

http://www.staples.com/Staples-Anti-...product_657404
 
aarontpx

aarontpx

Senior member
Apr 3, 2013
240
0
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weez82 said:
My advice, dont worry so much . I've been building pc's for 14 years and have never killed a part with a static discharge. PC components are a lot tougher than people think. Just focus on getting everything in the right slot and hope you didnt get any doa parts
Click to expand...
Wear socks and rub them back and forth on the carpet while rubbing your head with balloons.

In all seriousness static discharge damages a lot more components than you might think.

Build it on an appropriate surface (wood table, countertop etc...) and touch the case to discharge any static you've built up before touching any components and you will be fine.
 
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Eureka

Eureka

Diamond Member
Sep 6, 2005
3,822
1
81
Remobz said:
Higher Humidity less static?

I live in a VERY high humidity climate. Good to know.
Click to expand...

Yes. The higher humidity allows static to dissipate easier. IIRC when I worked in a tech shop, we had to stop the line if humidity went below 40%.

Also, while extreme, going naked does help. Less clothes = less static.




But I think with these parts, static won't be a major problem. It's stressed far more than it's needed. Static is a danger to high-sensitivity parts. These boards have gigantic ground planes... a few shocks shouldn't be too hard on the components. Just ground yourself before touching and it should be fine.
 
Meghan54

Meghan54

Lifer
Oct 18, 2009
11,684
5,225
136
Like others have said, just discharge/ground yourself by touching metal before handling the parts. And I wouldn't wear wool or fleece....although I have worn a fleece bathrobe when working on computers without incident.

Another safe surface I've worked on for years, when I'm not at my wood table, is cardboard. Can almost always find some around.
 
J

jaedaliu

Platinum Member
Feb 25, 2005
2,670
1
81
TY-1 said:
You can always get an Anti-static Wrist-strap if you want to be extra sure about it. You can find them pretty much anywhere that sells computers and computer components.
Click to expand...

You can also get a ESD mat that you can build the computer on. The wrist strap is a cheap accessory, I've never tried buying a mat, but I'm sure theyr'e a little bit more expensive. I think the important thing is not to build directly on carpet. If you take any sort of percaution, that should be enough.

I don't take any percaution.
 
jaqie

jaqie

Platinum Member
Apr 6, 2008
2,471
1
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I work on comps a lot on carpet, just don't scoot it around or lay the parts on the carpet!
 
ViviTheMage

ViviTheMage

Lifer
Dec 12, 2002
36,189
87
91
madgenius.com
lucklessgorath said:
http://cdn.ebaumsworld.com/mediaFiles/picture/2274192/82811097.jpg
Click to expand...

:thumbsup::thumbsup::thumbsup::thumbsup::thumbsup:

but to the OP ... i've built probably close to 200 computers, wearing socks on carpet, barefoot on wood, wearing shoes, building on carpet, etc ... I have never had a static issue.
 
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Torn Mind

Torn Mind

Lifer
Nov 25, 2012
12,044
2,763
136
weez82 said:
My advice, dont worry so much ;). I've been building pc's for 14 years and have never killed a part with a static discharge. PC components are a lot tougher than people think. Just focus on getting everything in the right slot and hope you didnt get any doa parts :)
Click to expand...

Damage from static discharge need not be apparent for the life-cycle of the product.
 
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