Avoid Static Damage to Your PC

Back when I first started working with computers, the PC manager used to blame odd glitches on techs or users wearing nylon underwear. She was joking, of course, about the underwear, but not about the damage that can be done to a computer by a technician who does not pay attention to proper electrical procedures when under the hood.

What is “static electricity” anyway?

What we commonly refer to as static electricity is actually an imbalance between positive and negative charges. The phenomenon is a result of contact between a non-conductor and a conductor with a greater positive charge than the non-conductor. It can carry higher voltage than you might think. And it can be a danger to you as well as your PC. Beyond understanding what static electricity does, it’s critical to know how to discharge it before working on your PC.

ESD – Electro-Static Discharge

Your skin has different conducting qualities than the components of your PC. Your rubber soled shoes have different conducting qualities than your synthetic carpet. These differences lead to an uncontrolled discharge of built up charges in each material when the materials come into contact, even for a brief moment.

The technical term for the shock we get when this discharge takes place is ESD, or Electro-Static Discharge. PC techs control that discharge, and then to ground ourselves to prevent further buildup that could lead to damage to our components from ESD.

Controlling the Discharge

The most common way to discharge built up charges in a controlled way is to choose a surface to touch that isn’t going to get damaged by the resulting voltage. Most home users that install components in their PCs simply use an unpainted metal surface on the PC itself, like the power supply casing or the PC chassis itself.

You can also purchase a static strip. Mount the strip in a convenient spot on your workspace and touch it before handling any of your PCs circuit-bearing components.

The tech’s best friend is an inexpensive little gadget called a static control wrist strap. One end is a simple velcro strap that you wear around the wrist of the hand you will use least when working. Attached to it is a grounding wire that connects with an alligator clip to a grounding surface, such as a non-painted, metallic surface on your computer casing.

What about the power cable?

Different sources disagree about whether or not the power cable should be plugged in while you work on your computer. Certainly, there is a valid school of thought that says the best way to avoid electrical shock is to unplug the power cord.

Consider, though, that having the power cable unplugged results in your not completely being grounded when you touch or ground yourself to your PC’s chassis. So it reduces the risk of ESD damage, but doesn’t entirely eliminate it.

The best compromise that I have found in everything I have read is to indeed plug the power cable into a socket. However, it should be either a wall socket with a switch or a surge supressor/outlet strip. That way, you can turn off the POWER (thus avoiding any nasty surprises with electric shock!) while still maintaining the all important ground.

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