Ultra Case - Stamped mobo mounts with "bumps" on case wall

[Budarow]

I've got this cheapy case from Ultra and the mounting screw holes for the mobo are "mounded" or raised with the screw-holes in the center. I've never seen this before (i.e., the case side where the mobo attaches has always been perfectly flat).

I tried installing typical brass "risers" under the mobo, but this raised the height of the mobo and the I/O's on the mobo wouldn't line up with the I/O bracket on the case.

EDIT....the raised screw-holes almost seem like a "built-in" riser to keep the main parts of the mobo from contacting the steel side of the case (except where the mobo contacts the "bumps" at the screw-hole location).

Do I need some kind of plastic washer or something to prevent the mobo from "grounding" out on the case or is it okay to just mount the board to the "raised" screw-holes. The "bumps" are relatively small so they "should" only contact the area immediately adjacent to the mounting screw-holes in the mobo.

I just don't want to "flip the switch" and short out my entire system possible damaging some/all of my components.

Thanks,

Bud

 

[Zepper]

That kind of case needs no standoffs - the bumps are the standoffs. That has always made me nervous, so I usually top off the bumps with pieces of electrical tape and punch holes for the screws.

.bh.

 

[crispy2010]

Originally posted by: Zepper
That kind of case needs no standoffs - the bumps are the standoffs. That has always made me nervous, so I usually top off the bumps with pieces of electrical tape and punch holes for the screws.

.bh.

No need for tape, mobo needs to be gorunded to case, screw holes in mobo should have metal rings that are ment to touch case!

 

[Budarow]

Thanks for the input. I did find this thread which describes the same situation with an Icute case (ah...yeah). If you don't mind...please check out the last 3-4 posts at the bottom.

http://forums.overclockers.co.nz/archive/index.php/t-1176.html

 

[crispy2010]

Originally posted by: Budarow
Thanks for the input. I did find this thread which describes the same situation with an Icute case (ah...yeah). If you don't mind...please check out the last 3-4 posts at the bottom.

http://forums.overclockers.co.nz/archive/index.php/t-1176.html

Read them, didnt catch the point? You have a link to the case in ?

 

[Budarow]

Originally posted by: crispy2010

Originally posted by: Budarow
Thanks for the input. I did find this thread which describes the same situation with an Icute case (ah...yeah). If you don't mind...please check out the last 3-4 posts at the bottom.

http://forums.overclockers.co.nz/archive/index.php/t-1176.html

Read them, didnt catch the point? You have a link to the case in ?

The peeps seem to have different viewpoints that all make sense. With your information and theirs...makes me more unsure

Please tell me if I have the following correct:

The purpose of using "normal" brass spacers is to ground the mobo at ONLY the screw-hole locations on the mobo AND to prevent the mobo from grounding in other "unwanted" areas which would damage the mobo?

If the above is correct...I can mount the mobo to the "bumps" using the standard screws AND in other areas of the case with NO bumps but having screw-holes, I can place brass spacers and screw the mobo down for more support?

As you can tell...I'm far from being an "expert" on grounding mobos

Thanks again for your help!

Bud

 

[Fullmetal Chocobo]

Originally posted by: Budarow

Originally posted by: crispy2010

Originally posted by: Budarow
Thanks for the input. I did find this thread which describes the same situation with an Icute case (ah...yeah). If you don't mind...please check out the last 3-4 posts at the bottom.

http://forums.overclockers.co.nz/archive/index.php/t-1176.html

Read them, didnt catch the point? You have a link to the case in ?

The peeps seem to have different viewpoints that all make sense. With your information and theirs...makes me more unsure

Please tell me if I have the following correct:

The purpose of using "normal" brass spacers is to ground the mobo at ONLY the screw-hole locations on the mobo AND to prevent the mobo from grounding in other "unwanted" areas which would damage the mobo?

If the above is correct...I can mount the mobo to the "bumps" using the standard screws AND in other areas of the case with NO bumps but having screw-holes, I can place brass spacers and screw the mobo down for more support?

As you can tell...I'm far from being an "expert" on grounding mobos

Thanks again for your help!

Bud

The grounding of the mobo comes from the PSU connection, NOT the case connection. Hence the numerous black wires of the 24p connection. There are no electrical contacts in the area of the standoffs. If you look closely, you'll see the area blank around where the screw would get installed. This goes for the underside of the mobo as well. If there is a stand off, use it. If using electrical tape or another non-conductive layer makes you feel better, do so. It won't hurt anything doing so. Would be good idea to do if you intend upon moving your case around a lot. And if there is a screw hole mount, but no "bump", then yes, you could use the brass mounts, or whatever type your mobo uses (there are several different types, by the way).

 

[Budarow]

Originally posted by: Fullmetal Chocobo

Originally posted by: Budarow

Originally posted by: crispy2010

Originally posted by: Budarow
Thanks for the input. I did find this thread which describes the same situation with an Icute case (ah...yeah). If you don't mind...please check out the last 3-4 posts at the bottom.

http://forums.overclockers.co.nz/archive/index.php/t-1176.html

Read them, didnt catch the point? You have a link to the case in ?

The peeps seem to have different viewpoints that all make sense. With your information and theirs...makes me more unsure

Please tell me if I have the following correct:

The purpose of using "normal" brass spacers is to ground the mobo at ONLY the screw-hole locations on the mobo AND to prevent the mobo from grounding in other "unwanted" areas which would damage the mobo?

If the above is correct...I can mount the mobo to the "bumps" using the standard screws AND in other areas of the case with NO bumps but having screw-holes, I can place brass spacers and screw the mobo down for more support?

As you can tell...I'm far from being an "expert" on grounding mobos

Thanks again for your help!

Bud

The grounding of the mobo comes from the PSU connection, NOT the case connection. Hence the numerous black wires of the 24p connection. There are no electrical contacts in the area of the standoffs. If you look closely, you'll see the area blank around where the screw would get installed. This goes for the underside of the mobo as well. If there is a stand off, use it. If using electrical tape or another non-conductive layer makes you feel better, do so. It won't hurt anything doing so. Would be good idea to do if you intend upon moving your case around a lot. And if there is a screw hole mount, but no "bump", then yes, you could use the brass mounts, or whatever type your mobo uses (there are several different types, by the way).

Thank you for the clarification Makes sense now. The spacers (whether brass, plastic, or "bumps") are to prevent any portion of the mobo which has electrical contact points from touching metal areas inside the case.

The "bumps" seem like a good idea because it makes it easier to install the mobo (i.e., no/less spacers to install and less likely for board damage to occur due to the metal spacers accidentally "scraping" on any portion of the bottom of the mobo).

I guess I never really examined the bottom of a mobo before. Are there lots of structures/features (e.g., traces) to damage on the bottom of a mobo?

 

[Zepper]

Crispy et al.,
. Yes, I know that the mobo does ground thru the proper screw holes but it doesn't have to do so at the bottom. The tinned lands on top and at the bottom of the mounting holes are connected to gether so the screw will effect the grounding with the threads in the hole. I often have to remind folks that the special mobo mounting holes are thru plated and connect to the ground plane of the mobo - as many still believe the old wives tale (as apparently FMC does even though I'm sure he's read the truth in many of my posts). All you have to do to prove it to yourself is to take your DMM and check it out. I use the tape to try to be sure that any other nearby stuff that might make contact with the bump-type standoffs if the board flexes, doesn't. I always try to make sure that my mobos are well grounded at at least two mounting holes as well as thru the power connectors.
. On some, very rare occasions one DOES have to make sure that the mobo is not grounded thru the standoffs (or if there is plenty of time for elimination, perhaps just one or more certain ones) as there is not a good, low-resistance path to the metal of the PSU case via the case chassis. That could cause a ground loop. So if you are having a problem that seems insoluble, that might be worth a try. Hooking the mobo up while it's outside the case and it works, then putting it back in the case and it doesn't work is the presumptive test for that problem. Isolating the mobo will require nylon screws or nylon replacement standoffs, and/or an insulating washer on top of metal standoff posts.

OP,
. You can use more metallic standoffs but only at official mobo mounting points. You will know those by the tinned (shiny metallic) rings around the holes (top and bottom). Holes without the tinned rings (except on ancient mobos) are generally not mounting holes. True mounting holes will also be pointed out in the mobo manual. You can also use "unofficial" holes for extra support if you want (I do it most of the time, but I have a huge supply of case hardware on hand) but you must use the old plastic standoffs for those to be safe.

.bh.

 

[pkrush]

I've had problems with motherboards grounding out on those raised bump type standoffs before (I bought an Asrock K8NF4G and for some reason it only worked when it wasn't in the case), so I'd put some electrical tape on them first before screwing in the board. If you don't, you'll probably be fine but may run into an unexpected problem when you try to boot your system for the first time.

 

[Budarow]

The PC's built and "posted" with no use of tape, etc. so I guess the "bumps" are doing their job.