A couple of things to think about when working with electronics and ESD safety: 1. It is not nessesary to "ground" you to the wall outlet or whatever, whats important is that everything you touch is the same potentiale as yourself, e.g with a wristband thats connected to some bare metal on e.g. your computer chassis. It is all about equal relative potential, not some kind of "absolute zero potential"(whatever that is). You need to have the same potential as the electronics you need to handle. 2. Do NOT(!) plug your wristband directly into the wall outlet. Never. Period. Not even if you are 100% sure that you plug it into the right socket/slot in the wall. If something else in your building is failing or have a shortcircuit, there is a potential risk of electrocuting yourself if you do this. So dont. IF, and only if, you KNOW that your wristband has a large in-series resister(usually 1Mohm), you can do this, but again, you'll not gain anything from this, you need to have the same potential as your components, not you freezer, your tv, your garagedoor-opener etc. The only reason why this COULD be an idea is that in many new houses the rebar in concrete floors is grounded via same same ground(At least in Europe, dont know about the US). This removes a lot of static created by walking around in the house and would therefor lower the chance of accidental static buildup. Again, remember the 1Mohm resistor! 3. Minimize the handling of the electronics. Only take the parts out of the ESD-bags when you are ready to mount it. Don't touch anything unnessesary(like waving it around in a video;-) ). Handle the parts by grapping large metal parts, e.g. the heatsinks, shrouds etc. Do not touch bare pins og the back of the pcb. 3. Best solution: Get an ESD mat to put your desk. They are like 20USD on ebay. When you are going to work with any kind of electronics, just place all you components on the mat, including your tools. Everytime you go to your desk to work, connect your mandatory(!) wristband to the mat, wait a couple of seconds and get to work. If you want to make sure you have equal potential, always start by touching a large metal part of the components on the ESD-mat, e.g. the computer case. And dont use a chair, stand up while working on the delicate eletronics. It will save you from static buildup between you and your chain AND be good for your back, win-win ;-) 4. The aftermath: ESD damage is tricky to spot. ESD damage CAN result in a completly bricked device, but often you will not notice at first. You will just fry a couple of transisters(out of millions). But eventually your computer starts BSOD'ing once in a while or acting strange. Something you have no chance to diagnose or repair. So all you guys saying "i do not need ESD protection, i've never had any issues", my response would be: are you sure? never had an unstable computer? never seen BSOD? Not yet, anyways :-) ...just my two cents to an old video for you people passing by like me :-)
Thanks a lot for the info! But may I ask since I would be building my first PC now can't I just walk barefoot and ground myself? I can do this since i will be on my own home. (And I don't have a carpet on the floor)
The important part is to have the same potential as the hardware you are working on. So always start by touching case/shrouds/heatsink/etc on the components a couple of seconds before proceding. And yes, walking barefooted would help you avoid static buildup, but it isn't a guarantee that you have the same potential as the components, so make sure to equalize any differencies in potential anytime you return to the table/components...
Is it okay to attach the anti-static wrist strap clip to my case even if that's where the Motherboard is currently installed & the PSU is/isn't plugged in? I wonder because while testing the board, it's features outside of the case it will be plugged in & on via the PSU. In that scenario I'm really confused how I'm supposed to ground myself.
there is so much false information out there and you got it right. do you work with electronics ? also propper clothing and materials around the electronics is important.
No i do not work with electronics other than on hobby and interest level. But i'm an electrical engineer(B.Sc.EE, high voltage)... ..and you are correct about both the clothings and materials around you...
Wait?! The outside of the anti-static bags is conductive?! Placing the PC parts on it after taking them out is usually the first thing I do. Man, all my PC components are so lucky to be alive.
The inside is conductive too. It's the conductivity that makes it work. The trick is it's only a bit conductive so the relative charges of you and the device are equalized less quickly (and with less damage) that if you directly touch the device and equalize suddenly.
when i buy something new i rub it for 5 good minutes on the carpet and then i zap my wife with it, if it still works then it is a solid component that deserves to be on my pc
KevinementD Can confirm. I shocked the shit out of my hand straight from an outlet around 4 years ago. Scared the shit out of me (figuratively speaking), and my finger was numb for a couple hours, but I'm very much alive.
KevinementD it really doesn't matter how healthy your heart is, if the shock goes through your heart your pretty much done. Now if you got shocked on the leg or something the electricity cant reach your heart and stop it. Either way I wouldn't recommend getting shocked by the wall outlet no matter what :P
I agree bare feet is the best way to go, that and non carpeted floors. Frankly ESD killing your components is incredibly rare, and unless you get shocked often when you touch a metal object in your house you really don't need to worry.
i usually put my hand on my pc exterior before a build and in my 15 years of putting together pc components, to my knowledge has newer destroyed eny components.
+LinusTechTips grounding isn't so simple, it can be really dangerous to ground yourself to the wall plug ground, any unwanted electrical discharges on that ground will be connected to you... Any malfunctioning device on the electrical network and even lightnings!
I never took any precaution on any of my builds and they worked and do work fine. Although if I were to make a pc for someone else I would take precaution.
The anti-static advice is excellent: in 1995, I ruined a £100 RAM card by just touching it - it was only 4 MEGABYTES!! For £100!! That's almost $200!!!!
Gummin I first saw him and thought, "this guy is real interesting and informative". Then I saw him on other channels and wondered if he maintained them all, but apparently not.
Chu E. He used to be working with NCIX Tech Tips but then he moved on to make his own company he named LinusTechTips which now the company has three channels named LinusTechTips, ChannelSuperFun, and TechQuickie. Pretty great adventure thus far.
+SquidPlays Got it built already, in fact I'm using it for this reply. I went a step farther and also got a anti static mat to go with the wrist strap. (First time builder)
You cant get shocked as long as the PSU is connected to a grounding outlet with a 3 prong plug and turned off. Just keep your PSU turned off but plugged in and when you clip the band to it all the static goes through it and into the the ground. As long as it is off the PSU will not draw enough power from the outlet to shock anything.
In the UK if you are grounding yourself via a wall outlet you need the pin from the top of the plug (the ground pin) connected to the alligator clip and then put the pin in the top of the outlet thats the ground (or earth as we brits call it) and you cant miss the earth hole because the live and neutral holes are behind safety shutters
I can't find any documentation anywhere that indicates that anti-static bags are in any way different on one side or another. They are a weakly conductive metallicized plastic. The conductivity is not enough to read on a multimeter but enough to prevent the buildup of a static charge. Static builds on surfaces that are insulators. Then when it comes in contact with something that has less of a charge or a negative charge, you can get a sudden transfer, ESD. Wood is an insulator, plastic coated particle board is an insulator. Somehow i think setting components on a table or work bench is worse than using the bag unless you have a specific workbench with a similar weakly conductive coating, and the whole thing is connected to a ground(the way it would be in a factory or warranty center). The table could have a built up charge from you moving stuff around on it, then you set your component on it and get discharge from table to the component. That painted metal also probably isn't a very good ground. Better than nothing I guess. Touching the bare metal frame of the computer will equalize charge from your body to the case and prevent buildup. If you put some case screws between the case and the psu, this will probably ground the entire case and then touching the case or the power supply would be a good option, and you can clip the alligator clip onto the case if you are using one.
You know it's kind of amazing how every single one of these ESD wriststrap videos talks about what to do/what not to do, but they never actually demonstrate good practices in action, or go through full PC builds, or whatever other example of sensitive work you can think of, while talking about why they are doing what they're doing when it comes to ESD. The video I watched before this one was of a guy using an ESD wriststrap for the first time, and I Shit you not, he said in the first few minutes of the video "Not sure what I should be clipping this to." As engineers/computer geeks/programmers, etc. we should be better at this than cooks are at describing recipes.
I've read that a lot of computer components have been designed to better resist electrostatic discharge so that you should be able to build a PC on a shag carpet, in fleece clothing, and in the middle of thunderstorm without frying it. Still, the more precautions you take, the less likely you are to damage something. Therefore, be prudent and take as many precautions as you can while building a system. Working on a wooden surface and occasionally grounding yourself after moving around should allow you to build without problems.
use a wrist band,use a mains plug adaptor for wrist bands,they have a 1M-10M resistor in series with the ground pin so static can "LEAK" away,and you may zap static sensitive electronics without them dying,but will shorten the components life span. I prefer to plug into the system ground as not all shiny surfaces are connected to a good ground,and i don't mean mirrors.
LinusTechTips Thanks for the video! Most of this series I already knew, But you always teach me something. Love your videos. Also, Your channel name is LinusTechTips - But you never do anything concerning linux! As my main operating system, and my favorite youtuber, You two should meet each other. Warthunder is on linux, Metro last light, Benchmarks would be greatly appreciated. With almost every game i've tested, resource usage is much less at all around on linux at the exact same settings, with a fresh install of w8, w7, and linux. You could even debunk common myths such as 'Linux is hard to use' 'Linux has no windows compatibility, and there is no linux equivalent of the software I need' You're a great face in the PC community, but so is linux! Booting up Ubuntu is one of the best experiences i've ever had, not to mention using it. Also, That graphics card is beautiful. I know this probably won't ever be seen, But that's okay.
It's a terrible idea to touch a plugged in power supply or connect an anti-static strap to one either. That will be an earth ground. When dealing with electronic components, you do not want an earth ground, you want a ground on the same level as the environment that you are working in/on. That is why the PC case is an excellent way to ground yourself when working with PC parts.
No, you are grounded to the case. Why do you think you get shocked when you touch a metal shopping cart or a metal chair? You become grounded to that piece of metal. This goes exactly the same with a computer case. If you touch the computer case and get shocked, you have gotten rid of your static electricity and are now at an equal level or ground with the case and electronic components being installed.
That's fine. I'm not trying to give advice, just state the facts. Either way will technically still protect you from statically killing your components but grounding to a case alone is arguably better.
man I just wanted to say, I have been following your vids now for like 3 weeks and omg I have learned SOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO much from you. just want to say thanks for bringing us great content that's easy for new pc builders to understand. you deserve a sub
I see that you know about this, so i think you can answer another thing xD Does cable management really matter at airflow? I mean, i bought a pc but it comes assebled, the cable management is pretty bad, cause they do not use the back of ther motherboard, but, cables are not near any fan. indeed, they are accumulated near the hdd and it seems non-obstrusive. I'm spanish, That is the explanation of my spelling :v
I used to work in a Electronics manufacturing plant and the key was.....don't put pcb's on top of any anti static bag because the outside is conductive. This was something explained in great detail through out the ESD training soooo....proof is that in the manufacturing process even in a Electro-Static controlled environment still follow the same guidlines as if you were building or working electronics in your home. Ground your self to be safe, multiple ways if possible.
I just touch something that's metal and grounded every once-in-a-while. I don't wear an anti-static wrist strap, sometimes I even wear polyester. I just put the parts on top of their boxes and in my 10 years of building PCs I have never killed any component through ESD ever.
hi can you help me with something? i don't really understand the words "ground" or "wall" when someone is talking about anti static safety or stuff like that cuz english is not my main language.. touching a grounded psu means that it has to be connected to a power outlet? or i can just touch it even if it's on the table and it's not connected to anything?
bro i have learnt so muchfrom all you videos in such a short time. like watching too many and realising its 3am and you have work at 7am. but seriously im nuilding a pc atm and helped a shit tonne!.
From an HVAC installer I have never had an issue with a circuitboard and never used a grounding strap nor had a component failure from static electricity. Plus almost all HVAC circuitboards are bare. Maybe touching the chassis of the furnace or outdoor unit grounds me through the unit and thus the ground through the home electrical panel? Any input is appreciated.
I don't understand as much how to use the ESD strap. cuse im building my first pc soon so do i just put the strap on and attach it to something metal? PLEASE HELP ME!!!
strap it on and attach the alligator clip to the ground terminal or negative terminal of any electricity outlet; or to any conducting material that's plugged in to an electricity outlet, but switched off. If you happen to clip the strap to any positive electrical terminal (the red wires) you'll die or at least get some sort of sever burn.
what i do with mine is get a powerbar and get a cable with a grounding prong, cut the cable and strip the wires, there should be three, your positive and negative and then your third is the grounder, seperatly tape off the positive and negative to keep them out of the way, note if they do touch you will get a blue arc flame, this is bad, don't let this happen, finally connect the aligator clip to the grounder wire that you previously stripped. you esd will be now out of the way and you will be consistantly grounded.
I used to work at a place where we had grounded benches, we could plug our wrist-stat into a plug and be grounded.... we had an anti-static spray we'd put on the surface to wipe it clean of dust. And we had an air de-ionizer above the bench.
It equalises the potential difference between you and the case so helps prevent ESD. I have always thought ground is the wrong word for that. Grounding is when your piece of metal is connected to the earth(ground) and all the static build up flows from you to the earth(ground). People can get too precious about ESD any one who lives in a relatively humid area (so not desert) and doesn't scuff their feet across carpet should just take reasonable precautions and not get TOO worried.
blastedstorm The bottom of motherboard itself is insulated, but this is too thin to prevent an electrostatic discharge to jump through, since it's designed to run at 1 to 12V.
***** It isn't for most bags, which are the kind that are semi-transparent and looks shiny. But you're not forced to believe me, you can use a multimeter on one and see by yourself.
Oh my fucking God. So much damn misinformation on the Internet. The inside and outside of the bag are made of the same exact material. Yes, the bag is slightly conductive but the skin on your fingers are more conductive than the material of the bag. The fact that it's even slightly conductive is why people don't recommend it. You should set it on a nonconductive surface.
You can attach the wrist strap to any metal object that is connected to the ground at some point. Outlets in some countries may be grounded in some way but use care to only attach to the ground lead, screw, or casing and depending on the design these may not all be grounded. An alternative is to attach to metal plumbing because gas and water pipes are typically grounded if they have continuous metal connections and are buried in the earth when they leave the building. If you absolutely cannot find a way to ground adequately in the space you are in an you can try insulating instead of relying on grounding. To do this you would use latex gloves and use extra care while handling. It is considered a less than ideal solution because of the chance of bumping the electronics with some part of your body that is not insulated. You should also try to discharge at least some of the static by touching something metal nearby before starting to work such a metal chair or refrigerator. You probably won't feel a spark but it will be discharging a tiny amount.
***** You mostly need it when handling the motherboard, graphics card, RAM, and other circuit boards but it is a good idea to just keep it on whenever you have the side panel open on the case. Many people get away with not using one when installing RAM or graphics cards but it is safest to use one all the time. You should also avoid touching the components on the circuit boards and handle the boards by the edges whenever possible.
Graphic's cards are pretty static resistant, CPU's and RAM are the things you have got to worry about motherboards being a close third. HDD's nowadays are pretty static resistant too I constantly handle bear hard drives with a docking bay and just leave them on the side and I haven't had any problem. The once inside my PC are the once which fail but that's not surprising considering they are being constantly used. Where as the once outside are left offline laying on my desk most the time. Things like NIC's and Sound card's are usually pretty static resistant as well but I would take greater care considering workmanship is a lot more shoddy on those kinda of things.
I was told you should attach it to the motherboard, or the components you're working with as this discharges your static electricity to the component slowly until you reach equilibrium.
it wont work the metal has to be attached the earth so unless you are building the system on your lawn it wont work, you can attach it to your plumbing as that leads in to ground.
Just to clarify, if you're hooking the aligator clip on your ESD bracelet onto something that's painted (like your pc case or the power supply), make sure that the teeth go through the paint and into the metal beneath. Otherwise the paint might insulate you from the ground, making your ESD bracelet useless.
I must be one lucky dude. I work on my pc by sitting down on the carpet, removing the side panel, and doing what I gotta do. Never used a wrist strap at home but I will keep a foot on my case while I work if I remember to. And somehow I've never fried anything ever. XD
Same here...I actually (ashamed) never knew this stuff can happen so easy. I unplugged, and plugged in my GPU milion of times, mobo and CPU few times also, not to talk about RAM. Most of time I would do it on carpet or my couch, and I guess, I never damaged something. Now Im getting new mobo and new RAM, and I found out about this, kinda made me nervous cause I don't know how to do it, even after watching this
Just stay in contact (skin to metal) with your case and it should be ok. Or at least that's what my prof. and experience has taught me. I'm sure it'll go well.
Tyler Canich Been working on PCs for 20 years and no one had a wrist strap thingy back then. The ESD scare is a fairly new phenomenon, back in the day you'd ground yourself by touching the metal case and go to work.
so if i touch my video card now, it will have shorter life. bud how it can be measured, did the touch affect its life or not? i have been fixing computers for 3 years now, and i have 5 desktop pc and 3 laptop that i have opened and cleaned. and they all are working like a charm.
One additional tool you can use to reduce the risk of ESD is anti-static spray. The spray designed for this purpose works best but is a little bit expensive. You can spray the circuit boards down before installing them - it only takes a thin coat. Let them drip dry completely before installing. Some people use anti-static spray designed for fabric such as Static Guard brand spray and it also works but leaves some sticky residue and as it is an off label use - use it at your own risk. Do not use any of these sprays while the components are connected to power, even if it is turned off. Using the professional purpose designed spray will also help clean your boards and help to keep them from attracting more dust for a short time.
0:58 The entire bag is conductive not just the outside, it is supposed to eliminate a static charge inside of the bag during shipping (from vibration, like rubbing a balloon) You actually should place the motherboard on the bag since it grounds your motherboard (after you touch the bag of course) BUT never put the BAG under the motherboarc WHEN IN USE THIS MAY CAUSE DAMAGE Only when building its good to put it on top
I'll just build my PC on my carpet and hold it with my socks so that it doesn't explode. I'll also remember to turn on all my components while assembling them thanks
Am I safe if I'm going to build my pc on the kitchen table and i don't have any antistatic products? And what happens if you keep your other hand or maybe foot on the plugged but turned off power supply the whole time?
I hope that you take this comment as a positive cretic! :-) Sorry to say but your advice is forgetting the main problem and the cause for zapping your electronic, because even with a rist band, you can totally destroy new electronic you are taking out of a antistatic bag. The reason for zapping your electronic is the difference in voltage between you and the electronic you are handeling so it does not matter if you ground yourself if the board has a difference of i.e. 2,000 voltage. An easy and safe way for the home tinkere is to: 1) let the pc be off without any power cord at all!! 2) take a real antistatic ristband on (containing a 1MOhm ricistor) 3) open the antistatic bag but DO NUT TUCH THE ELECTRONNIC 4) put the crocodile clips on the new electronic so that you and it have the same voltage 5) now while holding the new electronic, mount the crocodile clips on the pc case 6) mount the new electronic and close up the computer 7) of with the rist band 8) and then first now put the power cord in the pc and boot up. :-)
just as a heads up, touching that power supply like that would not be very effective... it's painted (powdered) so you won't completely ground yourself because it's not conductive unless you scratch some of the paint/powder stuff off. you must touch *bare* grounded metal.
pff I do 90% of my computer building on carpet with no fancy wrist strap or touching anything ground and always touch the components on my hardware and I've never had a problem. It is all a load of crap if you ask me.
He's was talking about using it as a test bench. Having a powered on motherboard on top of something conductive can cause problems with the solder points aka shorts.
Hey you're probably never gonna see this but if you do can you tell me what you usually build on I'm trying to build my first pc and I'm not sure if I should get a non conductive mat like the one from GN or I should just use my mother board box
@@adrianw7091 will it work with woodem floor or a cheap "cardboard table?" Ive never grounded myself while building pcs but iam doing it now for my rtx 2080 super build
You can also touch a large metal object (such as a computer case) instead. This is called a floating ground (basically, the object is large enough that a bunch of electrons will barely affect how negatively charged it is.
Well, actually, the outside of that anti-static bag may not be conductive at all. Have you tested it with a meter? I agree static is a big concern. However, the thing I have issues with is getting oils from your fingers on the circuit. Contaminants on a circuit board, if they conduct or partially conduct electricity, may cause damage or malfunction to the board.
i don't understand completely. is the risk of static an issue with new computer components? because i apart my old computer and its graphics card all the time on my rug and slip it back in and it works just fine. i do the same with my laptop. i just stick my finger in the laptop to position the hard drive after its been knocked loose. i'm lost...
BULLshit. I've been "into" computers, hardware, audiocomponents etcetera since 1986 or so, I never, EVER used any "antistatic" precautions and NEVER encountered any electronic device failing because "I didn't use antistatic precautions".
It's a situational and especially locational thing. Apparently neither of those things are actual words. Anyway, it all depends on location and where you're handling parts. For some people it's absolutely necessary, myself included since I get static shocks frequently from simple stuff like touching door knobs and turning light switches on.
my house is lined with carpet, i'll take the precautions, only takes one time to fuck it all up, not following precautions can be fine, in most cases, but they're their to stop you having a real fucked up day
The pink bags without a metallic coating on them are NOT anti-static (or technically, "static dissipative") the only difference between them and regular polythene is that they won't PRODUCE static charge when rubbed against themselves. STATIC DISSIPATIVE bags, are metallic coated plastic, they're a grey colour. These are the only ones that can actually shield from ESD. Theres also treated foam (the dark grey stuff you mention) Look up 'eevblog static myths' on here for more info
Some bags like the one Linus handled was conducted, the solid color ones are safe to work in
9 років тому+3
Funny, in all the 35 years of buiding computers, I have never had any problem with static killing components. I have even tried it by rubbing my feet on nylon carpeting and building the computer (even back in the old 486 days,) but, nope, still nothing. Perhapsi I just don't conduct static in my body? Or its BS! I like the latter.
+DAGATHire To be fair, with the cellphone while pumping gas, the actual reason they dissuade you from using it is because people tend to get distracted while on the phone, and that can lead to an actual situation that causes problems. Getting a static charge from moving out of your car back onto the seats and back to the pump does actually cause a charge great enough to spark aerated gasoline, and it's not uncommon for people to do that sort of thing while chatting on the phone. Unfortunately stupid took only two words from each sentence on why they should do something(as stupid people are want to do) and made up a story to fill in the blank. It's sorta like how some are convinced that the brand ADIDAS must stand for "All Day I Dream About Soccer" despite the fact that it's a play on the creators last names (Adi and Dassler I believe) and Adidas is the Greek God of Sports. Stupid people just want to believe what they want to believe, logic be damned.
ESD is very high voltage and can burn out transistors, which in turn can alter the performance of a component (instabilities, worse than expected oc results), if not brick it entirely (who knows maybe a certain component wasn't doa, but you killed it instead). If you want proof of this please refer to the beautiful realm of physics. P.S. even high voltage esd discharges may happen unnoticed by humans, so please don't give me the, i never noticed a discharge, so no discharges ever happened argument.
yogibear2k10 Don't mean to be rude, but how do you know that you have never destroyed or altered a component due to static electricity. In your time building computers you must have received some doa components, how do you know that you did not destroy them, remember that you cannot always tells if you discharge static. PLUS a strap costs about as much as a can of coke, what do you mean a waste of money. And please learn physics before you say "maybe in the 1950's but not today" There is no magical voltage protection on transistors. Here are some numbers, a computer component can be damaged by a 10-20 volt discharge, whilst a human cannot feel a discharge under 3000 volts, in short, yes you can easily kill a transistor TODAY with a static discharge that you may not even feel, that is why I make the doa component argument. Remember, in electrical components over-volting is in many cases much more deadly than over amping.
yogibear2k10 It's nice to hear that you have never had to fret about doa components. Additionally, I didn't want to come across as fearmongering in my previous comment, your working environment and even the material of your clothes can largely (if not fully) prevent static discharges. It was great having a chat with you. Have a Merry Christmas!
Not all anti-static bags are conductive on the outside. The transparent ones with tile pattern (like in the video) usually are, but the semi-transparent, metallic-looking bags like those that typically comes with motherboard aren't conductive.
Something people were taught in the early days of computers to remove static without a strap is lick or wet your finger (just a bit) then touch something grounded, i guess it does a bit more than touching it with dry fingers (let fingers dry before touching electronic stuff)
i have a question. would having the PSU plugged in while working on the PC be dangerous because theres still a charge going through it? so heres what i think i must do to ground myself: plug in PSU to wall, turn it off, clip my anti static wrist band to the PSU. and then im grounded is that all? is this a safe method? i need some answers
Linus, Where should i plug it into? The power supply for the desktop or the outlet in the wall? Sorry, Im a noob when it comes to building a computer, but indeed fascinated by computers
I found yelling at my parents to be the most effective way of getting grounded.
lol , made my day
freusin I try.
***** Is your real name Butters?
Mitche23 Pfffft I wish XD
+Pk Biggums PK Biggums i have an 8 month old cookie for you
A couple of things to think about when working with electronics and ESD safety:
1. It is not nessesary to "ground" you to the wall outlet or whatever, whats important is that everything you touch is the same potentiale as yourself, e.g with a wristband thats connected to some bare metal on e.g. your computer chassis. It is all about equal relative potential, not some kind of "absolute zero potential"(whatever that is). You need to have the same potential as the electronics you need to handle.
2. Do NOT(!) plug your wristband directly into the wall outlet. Never. Period. Not even if you are 100% sure that you plug it into the right socket/slot in the wall. If something else in your building is failing or have a shortcircuit, there is a potential risk of electrocuting yourself if you do this. So dont. IF, and only if, you KNOW that your wristband has a large in-series resister(usually 1Mohm), you can do this, but again, you'll not gain anything from this, you need to have the same potential as your components, not you freezer, your tv, your garagedoor-opener etc. The only reason why this COULD be an idea is that in many new houses the rebar in concrete floors is grounded via same same ground(At least in Europe, dont know about the US). This removes a lot of static created by walking around in the house and would therefor lower the chance of accidental static buildup. Again, remember the 1Mohm resistor!
3. Minimize the handling of the electronics. Only take the parts out of the ESD-bags when you are ready to mount it. Don't touch anything unnessesary(like waving it around in a video;-) ). Handle the parts by grapping large metal parts, e.g. the heatsinks, shrouds etc. Do not touch bare pins og the back of the pcb.
3. Best solution: Get an ESD mat to put your desk. They are like 20USD on ebay. When you are going to work with any kind of electronics, just place all you components on the mat, including your tools. Everytime you go to your desk to work, connect your mandatory(!) wristband to the mat, wait a couple of seconds and get to work. If you want to make sure you have equal potential, always start by touching a large metal part of the components on the ESD-mat, e.g. the computer case. And dont use a chair, stand up while working on the delicate eletronics. It will save you from static buildup between you and your chain AND be good for your back, win-win ;-)
4. The aftermath: ESD damage is tricky to spot. ESD damage CAN result in a completly bricked device, but often you will not notice at first. You will just fry a couple of transisters(out of millions). But eventually your computer starts BSOD'ing once in a while or acting strange. Something you have no chance to diagnose or repair. So all you guys saying "i do not need ESD protection, i've never had any issues", my response would be: are you sure? never had an unstable computer? never seen BSOD? Not yet, anyways :-)
...just my two cents to an old video for you people passing by like me :-)
Thanks a lot for the info!
But may I ask since I would be building my first PC now can't I just walk barefoot and ground myself?
I can do this since i will be on my own home.
(And I don't have a carpet on the floor)
The important part is to have the same potential as the hardware you are working on. So always start by touching case/shrouds/heatsink/etc on the components a couple of seconds before proceding.
And yes, walking barefooted would help you avoid static buildup, but it isn't a guarantee that you have the same potential as the components, so make sure to equalize any differencies in potential anytime you return to the table/components...
Is it okay to attach the anti-static wrist strap clip to my case even if that's where the Motherboard is currently installed & the PSU is/isn't plugged in? I wonder because while testing the board, it's features outside of the case it will be plugged in & on via the PSU. In that scenario I'm really confused how I'm supposed to ground myself.
there is so much false information out there and you got it right. do you work with electronics ? also propper clothing and materials around the electronics is important.
No i do not work with electronics other than on hobby and interest level. But i'm an electrical engineer(B.Sc.EE, high voltage)...
..and you are correct about both the clothings and materials around you...
I was so scared of static the first time a built a computer that I did it only in my underwear and touched my PSU every 30 seconds.
That is fucking hilarious.
If u were in a place where u could build it using underwear why not naked then?
Tim Burke that’s gonna be me when i build mine😂
anti static underwear
omfg
Wait?! The outside of the anti-static bags is conductive?! Placing the PC parts on it after taking them out is usually the first thing I do. Man, all my PC components are so lucky to be alive.
MaddXav Sameee
oh so thats why all my gpus keep breaking
It's the same material as the inside, don't worry, your PC is good. Just look at CareyHolzMan's video on Anti Static.
The inside is conductive too. It's the conductivity that makes it work. The trick is it's only a bit conductive so the relative charges of you and the device are equalized less quickly (and with less damage) that if you directly touch the device and equalize suddenly.
MaddXav i used it as isolator!!!!
when i buy something new i rub it for 5 good minutes on the carpet and then i zap my wife with it, if it still works then it is a solid component that deserves to be on my pc
+tismanassoutomuni LOL dude
lmfao
LOL
Zap the cat
Ah, the hunger games of pc building
Thank you Linus. About to build a PC for the first time and knowing how to use a wrist strap properly is helping my confidence immensely.
Not sure if sarcasm or honesty...but I feel the same way
+Astr0M0nkeys honesty, but now that I look at it again I can see how it looks like sarcasm
Nick C. Instructikns unclear dick caught in heatsinj
Does wrist strap work
@@Slidified worked great for me
Bad things happend to me. I'm going to sue Linus Media Group
Too bad he has a disclamer
r/woooosh
I did not know Torvalds had a Media Group
What if you turn the anti static bag inside out?
+I Sexually Identify As a GTX 980 Ti List of things that are not conductive: Anti-static bags, unchecked. Boxes, checked.
Thank you! I can't be the only who one though this
the universal timeline will implode
It becomes a static bag
Big Brain
pause the video, and then put it at 0:00
Legend
+Hjálmar Húnfjörð Sverrisson Lmao! XD Well done!
XD
+Hjálmar Húnfjörð Sverrisson I'm lucky because my video froze there before it started.
and 0:03
But i plan on spooning with my graphics card on the first night :(
This person cares about esd safety
ua-cam.com/video/1ESmwnuX2Yg/v-deo.html
I find driving a 6" nail through my foot grounds me most efficiently. word of warning though... make sure everything is well in reach before you start
I just electrocuted myself and died, I somehow ended up on the youtube comments section. HELP ME LINUS!
Goddame it . You bricked yourself. Try to hard install the OS.
Warning: you must have root access, first.
Have you tried turning it on and off again?
I plugged it in to the wall and I shocked myself really bad thanks for that tip!
are you joking? I mean he specifically warned you that bad things might happen
KevinementD if he wasn't joking he would probably be dead
Cole H
not necessarily. You can easily survive a shock from a socket if you have a healthy heart.
KevinementD
Can confirm. I shocked the shit out of my hand straight from an outlet around 4 years ago. Scared the shit out of me (figuratively speaking), and my finger was numb for a couple hours, but I'm very much alive.
KevinementD it really doesn't matter how healthy your heart is, if the shock goes through your heart your pretty much done. Now if you got shocked on the leg or something the electricity cant reach your heart and stop it. Either way I wouldn't recommend getting shocked by the wall outlet no matter what :P
PSU wasn't RGB, literally unwtchable.
That's why I handle my components naked....
+GameRaft
I prefer someone else handling my naked components.
+Xsuprio wow your profile picture fits perfectly xD
I built my pc bare feet, it's much safer than any of the methods in this video xD
Yeah, THAT's the reason......
I agree bare feet is the best way to go, that and non carpeted floors. Frankly ESD killing your components is incredibly rare, and unless you get shocked often when you touch a metal object in your house you really don't need to worry.
i usually put my hand on my pc exterior before a build and in my 15 years of putting together pc components, to my knowledge has newer destroyed eny components.
Tobias Bergstrand so the case xD
+LinusTechTips grounding isn't so simple, it can be really dangerous to ground yourself to the wall plug ground, any unwanted electrical discharges on that ground will be connected to you... Any malfunctioning device on the electrical network and even lightnings!
Anti-static wrap? Ain't nobody got time fo' that.
You spelled it worng
Kevin Calderon you spelled it wrong.
Flavor you spelled it wrong
Lucas Burrell, you spelled it incorrectly.
Flavor you spelled it incorrectly
I never took any precaution on any of my builds and they worked and do work fine. Although if I were to make a pc for someone else I would take precaution.
Six years and this still helps me like the first thing I did with my motherboard was place it on top it's bag.
The anti-static advice is excellent: in 1995, I ruined a £100 RAM card by just touching it - it was only 4 MEGABYTES!! For £100!! That's almost $200!!!!
well, in 1995 that was alot.
The first 250gb hard drive was nearly the size of a 2 year old kid. No joke, glad to see our world changed a lot.
wow...That's got to suck.
***** yeah, good thing now micro sd can go way up to 64gb, or is it 128gb now?
Ivanderjsk 128 gb micro sd, 512 gb sd
This guy is everywhere
Yeah it happened when I got my pc parts lol I see him everywhere literally...
Considering he has played a huge part of 4 UA-cam channels all totalling to well over 5 million subscribers, yes.
Gummin
I first saw him and thought, "this guy is real interesting and informative". Then I saw him on other channels and wondered if he maintained them all, but apparently not.
Chu E. He used to be working with NCIX Tech Tips but then he moved on to make his own company he named LinusTechTips which now the company has three channels named LinusTechTips, ChannelSuperFun, and TechQuickie.
Pretty great adventure thus far.
Chu E. Saw him on paper towns
So, Wrist strap, clip on PSU, and PSU plugged in but turned off.. Got it!
Yes Please!
+SquidPlays Got it built already, in fact I'm using it for this reply.
I went a step farther and also got a anti static mat to go with the wrist strap. (First time builder)
XIIILegend yay!
+XIIILegend If you use the mat do u need the wrist strap? the wrist strap confuses me i dont want to be shocked or anything xD
You cant get shocked as long as the PSU is connected to a grounding outlet with a 3 prong plug and turned off. Just keep your PSU turned off but plugged in and when you clip the band to it all the static goes through it and into the the ground. As long as it is off the PSU will not draw enough power from the outlet to shock anything.
In the UK if you are grounding yourself via a wall outlet you need the pin from the top of the plug (the ground pin) connected to the alligator clip and then put the pin in the top of the outlet thats the ground (or earth as we brits call it) and you cant miss the earth hole because the live and neutral holes are behind safety shutters
Dat first frame XD
yup haha
xD
"linustechtips takes no responsibility for any bad things that happen to you " LMAO
most people have a sense of humor
but this video is on the Techquickie channel, not LTT... prepare the lawsuits.
If you plug into the ground outlet it's perfectly safe.
Did no one reply
@@amogsussy just you and I
@@sexkiro me too
@@hdzaqe same
I can't find any documentation anywhere that indicates that anti-static bags are in any way different on one side or another. They are a weakly conductive metallicized plastic. The conductivity is not enough to read on a multimeter but enough to prevent the buildup of a static charge. Static builds on surfaces that are insulators. Then when it comes in contact with something that has less of a charge or a negative charge, you can get a sudden transfer, ESD. Wood is an insulator, plastic coated particle board is an insulator. Somehow i think setting components on a table or work bench is worse than using the bag unless you have a specific workbench with a similar weakly conductive coating, and the whole thing is connected to a ground(the way it would be in a factory or warranty center). The table could have a built up charge from you moving stuff around on it, then you set your component on it and get discharge from table to the component.
That painted metal also probably isn't a very good ground. Better than nothing I guess. Touching the bare metal frame of the computer will equalize charge from your body to the case and prevent buildup. If you put some case screws between the case and the psu, this will probably ground the entire case and then touching the case or the power supply would be a good option, and you can clip the alligator clip onto the case if you are using one.
Can I just were a piece of aluminium foil on my arm?
You know it's kind of amazing how every single one of these ESD wriststrap videos talks about what to do/what not to do, but they never actually demonstrate good practices in action, or go through full PC builds, or whatever other example of sensitive work you can think of, while talking about why they are doing what they're doing when it comes to ESD.
The video I watched before this one was of a guy using an ESD wriststrap for the first time, and I Shit you not, he said in the first few minutes of the video "Not sure what I should be clipping this to."
As engineers/computer geeks/programmers, etc. we should be better at this than cooks are at describing recipes.
I've read that a lot of computer components have been designed to better resist electrostatic discharge so that you should be able to build a PC on a shag carpet, in fleece clothing, and in the middle of thunderstorm without frying it. Still, the more precautions you take, the less likely you are to damage something. Therefore, be prudent and take as many precautions as you can while building a system. Working on a wooden surface and occasionally grounding yourself after moving around should allow you to build without problems.
What happens if you turn the bag inside out? Would that make it safe?
use a wrist band,use a mains plug adaptor for wrist bands,they have a 1M-10M resistor in series with the ground pin so static can "LEAK" away,and you may zap static sensitive electronics without them dying,but will shorten the components life span.
I prefer to plug into the system ground as not all shiny surfaces are connected to a good ground,and i don't mean mirrors.
LinusTechTips Thanks for the video! Most of this series I already knew, But you always teach me something. Love your videos. Also, Your channel name is LinusTechTips - But you never do anything concerning linux! As my main operating system, and my favorite youtuber, You two should meet each other. Warthunder is on linux, Metro last light, Benchmarks would be greatly appreciated. With almost every game i've tested, resource usage is much less at all around on linux at the exact same settings, with a fresh install of w8, w7, and linux. You could even debunk common myths such as 'Linux is hard to use' 'Linux has no windows compatibility, and there is no linux equivalent of the software I need'
You're a great face in the PC community, but so is linux!
Booting up Ubuntu is one of the best experiences i've ever had, not to mention using it.
Also, That graphics card is beautiful.
I know this probably won't ever be seen, But that's okay.
Isn't his name Linus?
99% sure it it is, we both know what I meant.
i really like you're 'fast as possible' video's they are short and explain everything very well in normal english!
It's a terrible idea to touch a plugged in power supply or connect an anti-static strap to one either. That will be an earth ground. When dealing with electronic components, you do not want an earth ground, you want a ground on the same level as the environment that you are working in/on. That is why the PC case is an excellent way to ground yourself when working with PC parts.
No, you are grounded to the case. Why do you think you get shocked when you touch a metal shopping cart or a metal chair? You become grounded to that piece of metal. This goes exactly the same with a computer case. If you touch the computer case and get shocked, you have gotten rid of your static electricity and are now at an equal level or ground with the case and electronic components being installed.
That's fine. I'm not trying to give advice, just state the facts. Either way will technically still protect you from statically killing your components but grounding to a case alone is arguably better.
joshmosky No. You connect yourself to the ground, not to the electric + or - :)
man I just wanted to say, I have been following your vids now for like 3 weeks and omg I have learned SOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO much from you. just want to say thanks for bringing us great content that's easy for new pc builders to understand. you deserve a sub
I completely forgot the horrors of beardless Linus
This background still looks nicer because it is clearly a real one which has the same chemical property as the kitchen back in the warehouse.
that power supply is coated with paint.... so how are you supposed to ground yourself on that???
it's ionized paint
so i can touch it and I'll be sure?
Gianfranco Boz Magni yeah. I'd just use one of those de-static bands and hook it to your psu and you'll be definitely safe
Thanks! I'm sure now xD
I see that you know about this, so i think you can answer another thing xD
Does cable management really matter at airflow?
I mean, i bought a pc but it comes assebled, the cable management is pretty bad, cause they do not use the back of ther motherboard, but, cables are not near any fan. indeed, they are accumulated near the hdd and it seems non-obstrusive.
I'm spanish, That is the explanation of my spelling :v
I used to work in a Electronics manufacturing plant and the key was.....don't put pcb's on top of any anti static bag because the outside is conductive. This was something explained in great detail through out the ESD training soooo....proof is that in the manufacturing process even in a Electro-Static controlled environment still follow the same guidlines as if you were building or working electronics in your home. Ground your self to be safe, multiple ways if possible.
Really helpful for rookie pc builders. Thanks a lot, Linus!!!!
I have found something that brings me joy. Old Linus Videos
I just touch something that's metal and grounded every once-in-a-while. I don't wear an anti-static wrist strap, sometimes I even wear polyester. I just put the parts on top of their boxes and in my 10 years of building PCs I have never killed any component through ESD ever.
hi can you help me with something? i don't really understand the words "ground" or "wall" when someone is talking about anti static safety or stuff like that cuz english is not my main language..
touching a grounded psu means that it has to be connected to a power outlet? or i can just touch it even if it's on the table and it's not connected to anything?
@@Monicara nah, planned to upgrade 2 years ago too and still didn't xd
@@Monicara can u give me the sauce of ur profile pic tho?
bro i have learnt so muchfrom all you videos in such a short time. like watching too many and realising its 3am and you have work at 7am. but seriously im nuilding a pc atm and helped a shit tonne!.
+Robin Andrews You just described my sleep schedule haha. and for the same reason as my sleeping is off.
What if I want to build a PC in a room with hardwood floor and nothing that can possibly create static electricity?
Am I 100% safe?
no
RCGReconGaming How so?
***** Oh yeah. I need to pay more attention in science ._.
BuildMeASnowmanBiatch
Don't you love physics :D
You're never safe from velociraptors
From an HVAC installer I have never had an issue with a circuitboard and never used a grounding strap nor had a component failure from static electricity. Plus almost all HVAC circuitboards are bare. Maybe touching the chassis of the furnace or outdoor unit grounds me through the unit and thus the ground through the home electrical panel? Any input is appreciated.
I don't understand as much how to use the ESD strap. cuse im building my first pc soon so do i just put the strap on and attach it to something metal? PLEASE HELP ME!!!
strap it on and attach the alligator clip to the ground terminal or negative terminal of any electricity outlet; or to any conducting material that's plugged in to an electricity outlet, but switched off.
If you happen to clip the strap to any positive electrical terminal (the red wires) you'll die or at least get some sort of sever burn.
Don't worry about static too much. Just touch the side of your case (assuming it's metal) every now and then while building.
okay!!! thank you!
what i do with mine is get a powerbar and get a cable with a grounding prong, cut the cable and strip the wires, there should be three, your positive and negative and then your third is the grounder, seperatly tape off the positive and negative to keep them out of the way, note if they do touch you will get a blue arc flame, this is bad, don't let this happen, finally connect the aligator clip to the grounder wire that you previously stripped. you esd will be now out of the way and you will be consistantly grounded.
can i get rid of static just by touching metal
I used to work at a place where we had grounded benches, we could plug our wrist-stat into a plug and be grounded.... we had an anti-static spray we'd put on the surface to wipe it clean of dust. And we had an air de-ionizer above the bench.
I wish I had paid closer attention to this video. Well, lesson learned.
What happened?
You can't guess, based on the context of the video?
I was asking specifically mane
destroyed my computer by not paying enough attention to static electricity.
Kappa
It equalises the potential difference between you and the case so helps prevent ESD. I have always thought ground is the wrong word for that. Grounding is when your piece of metal is connected to the earth(ground) and all the static build up flows from you to the earth(ground). People can get too precious about ESD any one who lives in a relatively humid area (so not desert) and doesn't scuff their feet across carpet should just take reasonable precautions and not get TOO worried.
Actually, the anti static bag is not conductive.
Yeah I remember a video where they booted up a motherboard on the bag and nothing happened.
At least nothing bad happened. Booted up fine.
blastedstorm The bottom of motherboard itself is insulated, but this is too thin to prevent an electrostatic discharge to jump through, since it's designed to run at 1 to 12V.
***** It isn't for most bags, which are the kind that are semi-transparent and looks shiny. But you're not forced to believe me, you can use a multimeter on one and see by yourself.
Oh my fucking God. So much damn misinformation on the Internet. The inside and outside of the bag are made of the same exact material. Yes, the bag is slightly conductive but the skin on your fingers are more conductive than the material of the bag. The fact that it's even slightly conductive is why people don't recommend it. You should set it on a nonconductive surface.
i always rub my components against the carpet for 5 minutes or so, to improve their immune system against static electricity for when they grow up.
Lol
@@UshankaMaster gotta increase somehow those warranty years, m8
This is the best video on the subject of grounding I've ever seen.
OH NO BUT THEN YOU TOUCH IT AND...*BUZZZT* IS DEAD. i laughed hard at that :l
So you only have to worry about static when your building or making changes to your pc correct?
I built my first PC on carpet and I used the anti-static bag to place my motherboard on lol.
lmfao same
here somehow in 2023 nice to see linus get so far!
Where else can I plug anti-static wrist strap, because when I am building pc, I have to put that power supply in case -__-
***** 1:40
You can attach the wrist strap to any metal object that is connected to the ground at some point. Outlets in some countries may be grounded in some way but use care to only attach to the ground lead, screw, or casing and depending on the design these may not all be grounded. An alternative is to attach to metal plumbing because gas and water pipes are typically grounded if they have continuous metal connections and are buried in the earth when they leave the building.
If you absolutely cannot find a way to ground adequately in the space you are in an you can try insulating instead of relying on grounding. To do this you would use latex gloves and use extra care while handling. It is considered a less than ideal solution because of the chance of bumping the electronics with some part of your body that is not insulated.
You should also try to discharge at least some of the static by touching something metal nearby before starting to work such a metal chair or refrigerator. You probably won't feel a spark but it will be discharging a tiny amount.
***** Any idea if I need to keep the wrist strap on at all times when building a PC?
***** You mostly need it when handling the motherboard, graphics card, RAM, and other circuit boards but it is a good idea to just keep it on whenever you have the side panel open on the case. Many people get away with not using one when installing RAM or graphics cards but it is safest to use one all the time. You should also avoid touching the components on the circuit boards and handle the boards by the edges whenever possible.
***** Are you telling me I live a charmed life if I installed my graphics card in a carpeted room while not grounded?
Graphic's cards are pretty static resistant, CPU's and RAM are the things you have got to worry about motherboards being a close third.
HDD's nowadays are pretty static resistant too I constantly handle bear hard drives with a docking bay and just leave them on the side and I haven't had any problem.
The once inside my PC are the once which fail but that's not surprising considering they are being constantly used. Where as the once outside are left offline laying on my desk most the time.
Things like NIC's and Sound card's are usually pretty static resistant as well but I would take greater care considering workmanship is a lot more shoddy on those kinda of things.
Not sure if Linus is a Brony but if so *Brohoof*
I was told you should attach it to the motherboard, or the components you're working with as this discharges your static electricity to the component slowly until you reach equilibrium.
How about attaching the strap to your metal case?
it wont work the metal has to be attached the earth so unless you are building the system on your lawn it wont work, you can attach it to your plumbing as that leads in to ground.
Arron Graham How can I use it then?
U can touch it or use a grounding strap
If there's a central heating radiator nearby, you can clip it onto that.
Actually if the case is large enough the larger charge on your hand will discharge in the case do to being at a lower potential. so, it would work.
Just to clarify, if you're hooking the aligator clip on your ESD bracelet onto something that's painted (like your pc case or the power supply), make sure that the teeth go through the paint and into the metal beneath. Otherwise the paint might insulate you from the ground, making your ESD bracelet useless.
How about to the case on a MacBook Pro?
I must be one lucky dude. I work on my pc by sitting down on the carpet, removing the side panel, and doing what I gotta do. Never used a wrist strap at home but I will keep a foot on my case while I work if I remember to. And somehow I've never fried anything ever. XD
Same here...I actually (ashamed) never knew this stuff can happen so easy. I unplugged, and plugged in my GPU milion of times, mobo and CPU few times also, not to talk about RAM. Most of time I would do it on carpet or my couch, and I guess, I never damaged something. Now Im getting new mobo and new RAM, and I found out about this, kinda made me nervous cause I don't know how to do it, even after watching this
Just stay in contact (skin to metal) with your case and it should be ok. Or at least that's what my prof. and experience has taught me. I'm sure it'll go well.
Tyler Canich Been working on PCs for 20 years and no one had a wrist strap thingy back then. The ESD scare is a fairly new phenomenon, back in the day you'd ground yourself by touching the metal case and go to work.
Matthew Einsla Haha I've been kicking it old school then.
Not really. Even if things work okay, you probably decreased the lifespan or even the performance of one or more of your parts.
this is probably the best info vs time video i have ever seen on grounding. thanks.
Linus never ages 😂
so if i touch my video card now, it will have shorter life. bud how it can be measured, did the touch affect its life or not? i have been fixing computers for 3 years now, and i have 5 desktop pc and 3 laptop that i have opened and cleaned. and they all are working like a charm.
OH BUT WAIT! YOURE ABOUT TO TOUCH IT AND... bzzzT ! ITS DEAAAD...
One additional tool you can use to reduce the risk of ESD is anti-static spray. The spray designed for this purpose works best but is a little bit expensive. You can spray the circuit boards down before installing them - it only takes a thin coat. Let them drip dry completely before installing. Some people use anti-static spray designed for fabric such as Static Guard brand spray and it also works but leaves some sticky residue and as it is an off label use - use it at your own risk. Do not use any of these sprays while the components are connected to power, even if it is turned off. Using the professional purpose designed spray will also help clean your boards and help to keep them from attracting more dust for a short time.
I was doing a static electricity experiment and I made my friend fry his phone lmao
+Ryan P You tell lies..... not possible.
+Bryson Shires the screen was broken and could be lifted up
Ryan P Oh, well why in the world would you put anything under it?
+Ryan P Full of shit, mayne.
0:58
The entire bag is conductive not just the outside, it is supposed to eliminate a static charge inside of the bag during shipping (from vibration, like rubbing a balloon)
You actually should place the motherboard on the bag since it grounds your motherboard (after you touch the bag of course)
BUT never put the BAG under the motherboarc WHEN IN USE
THIS MAY CAUSE DAMAGE
Only when building its good to put it on top
I'll just build my PC on my carpet and hold it with my socks so that it doesn't explode. I'll also remember to turn on all my components while assembling them thanks
Am I safe if I'm going to build my pc on the kitchen table and i don't have any antistatic products? And what happens if you keep your other hand or maybe foot on the plugged but turned off power supply the whole time?
I don't have carpet, do I still need a Anti Static wrist strap?
***** Could I just build it naked?
my dad that...my mother was very pleased.
Heisenberg style (Breaking Bad)
Angry Toast
You mean that you'll either have a wrist wrap, or dont have a carpet, but never both?
I hope that you take this comment as a positive cretic! :-)
Sorry to say but your advice is forgetting the main problem and the cause for zapping your electronic, because even with a rist band, you can totally destroy new electronic you are taking out of a antistatic bag.
The reason for zapping your electronic is the difference in voltage between you and the electronic you are handeling so it does not matter if you ground yourself if the board has a difference of i.e. 2,000 voltage.
An easy and safe way for the home tinkere is to:
1) let the pc be off without any power cord at all!!
2) take a real antistatic ristband on (containing a 1MOhm ricistor)
3) open the antistatic bag but DO NUT TUCH THE ELECTRONNIC
4) put the crocodile clips on the new electronic so that you and it have the same voltage
5) now while holding the new electronic, mount the crocodile clips on the pc case
6) mount the new electronic and close up the computer
7) of with the rist band
8) and then first now put the power cord in the pc and boot up. :-)
Subbed, Where are the ponies?
4 years later... did you ever receive those ponies?
It's been five years. Any ponies yet?
It's been 6 years, have you found them yet?
It's been 7 years have you found them yet?
just as a heads up, touching that power supply like that would not be very effective...
it's painted (powdered) so you won't completely ground yourself because it's not conductive unless you scratch some of the paint/powder stuff off. you must touch *bare* grounded metal.
pff I do 90% of my computer building on carpet with no fancy wrist strap or touching anything ground and always touch the components on my hardware and I've never had a problem. It is all a load of crap if you ask me.
So you are lucky. In my first computer i change ram memory, i do everything in correct way (even tuch my wall radiator) and i fuckedup motherboard....
***** Because you are a leek :')
I have build 2 PC's today and a total of 40-50 PC's. Never ever had a problem!
I repaird and build about 50 to but fucked up one because of electrostatic...
My first build was above carpet. I wasn't grounded either and the computer is perfectly fine.
You are playing tag WITH DEAD!
He's was talking about using it as a test bench. Having a powered on motherboard on top of something conductive can cause problems with the solder points aka shorts.
17 years building PC's, never worn an anti-static bracelet......never had a fault
Hey you're probably never gonna see this but if you do can you tell me what you usually build on I'm trying to build my first pc and I'm not sure if I should get a non conductive mat like the one from GN or I should just use my mother board box
@@mysteriousman1302 just build it on a wooden table, it's non conductive and should work easy.
@@adrianw7091 will it work with woodem floor or a cheap "cardboard table?" Ive never grounded myself while building pcs but iam doing it now for my rtx 2080 super build
You can also touch a large metal object (such as a computer case) instead. This is called a floating ground (basically, the object is large enough that a bunch of electrons will barely affect how negatively charged it is.
subscribed just because of ponies.
lol bro /)
same
same
I mean I already WAS subbed...
dat's pretty gay, but whatever.
Well, actually, the outside of that anti-static bag may not be conductive at all. Have you tested it with a meter? I agree static is a big concern. However, the thing I have issues with is getting oils from your fingers on the circuit. Contaminants on a circuit board, if they conduct or partially conduct electricity, may cause damage or malfunction to the board.
Me at 1:00
FUUUUUUCK!
I just took mine out of the bag threw all wrap shit avay expect cardboard box and plugged it in.. yolo.
Me too! xD
i don't understand completely. is the risk of static an issue with new computer components? because i apart my old computer and its graphics card all the time on my rug and slip it back in and it works just fine. i do the same with my laptop. i just stick my finger in the laptop to position the hard drive after its been knocked loose. i'm lost...
like how it says sub if you like ponys...
Sorry for the noob question but does the wall socket have to be turned off when grounding yourself?
BULLshit. I've been "into" computers, hardware, audiocomponents etcetera since 1986 or so, I never, EVER used any "antistatic" precautions and NEVER encountered any electronic device failing because "I didn't use antistatic precautions".
You don't need them, really, it is just an extra safety measure.
It's a situational and especially locational thing. Apparently neither of those things are actual words. Anyway, it all depends on location and where you're handling parts. For some people it's absolutely necessary, myself included since I get static shocks frequently from simple stuff like touching door knobs and turning light switches on.
If you live in a more humid climate than static probably wont be a problem
GTI1dasOriginal i touch all the parts where they say not to and i have never had an issue...
my house is lined with carpet, i'll take the precautions, only takes one time to fuck it all up, not following precautions can be fine, in most cases, but they're their to stop you having a real fucked up day
The pink bags without a metallic coating on them are NOT anti-static (or technically, "static dissipative") the only difference between them and regular polythene is that they won't PRODUCE static charge when rubbed against themselves.
STATIC DISSIPATIVE bags, are metallic coated plastic, they're a grey colour. These are the only ones that can actually shield from ESD. Theres also treated foam (the dark grey stuff you mention)
Look up 'eevblog static myths' on here for more info
Oh god I just finished building my 1200$ pc with all of my parts on their packaging... Welp, it's running so thanks lady luck
Some bags like the one Linus handled was conducted, the solid color ones are safe to work in
Funny, in all the 35 years of buiding computers, I have never had any problem with static killing components. I have even tried it by rubbing my feet on nylon carpeting and building the computer (even back in the old 486 days,) but, nope, still nothing. Perhapsi I just don't conduct static in my body? Or its BS! I like the latter.
Yeah it's not real man static is fake
+DAGATHire To be fair, with the cellphone while pumping gas, the actual reason they dissuade you from using it is because people tend to get distracted while on the phone, and that can lead to an actual situation that causes problems. Getting a static charge from moving out of your car back onto the seats and back to the pump does actually cause a charge great enough to spark aerated gasoline, and it's not uncommon for people to do that sort of thing while chatting on the phone.
Unfortunately stupid took only two words from each sentence on why they should do something(as stupid people are want to do) and made up a story to fill in the blank. It's sorta like how some are convinced that the brand ADIDAS must stand for "All Day I Dream About Soccer" despite the fact that it's a play on the creators last names (Adi and Dassler I believe) and Adidas is the Greek God of Sports. Stupid people just want to believe what they want to believe, logic be damned.
ESD is very high voltage and can burn out transistors, which in turn can alter the performance of a component (instabilities, worse than expected oc results), if not brick it entirely (who knows maybe a certain component wasn't doa, but you killed it instead). If you want proof of this please refer to the beautiful realm of physics.
P.S. even high voltage esd discharges may happen unnoticed by humans, so please don't give me the, i never noticed a discharge, so no discharges ever happened argument.
yogibear2k10 Don't mean to be rude, but how do you know that you have never destroyed or altered a component due to static electricity. In your time building computers you must have received some doa components, how do you know that you did not destroy them, remember that you cannot always tells if you discharge static. PLUS a strap costs about as much as a can of coke, what do you mean a waste of money. And please learn physics before you say "maybe in the 1950's but not today" There is no magical voltage protection on transistors. Here are some numbers, a computer component can be damaged by a 10-20 volt discharge, whilst a human cannot feel a discharge under 3000 volts, in short, yes you can easily kill a transistor TODAY with a static discharge that you may not even feel, that is why I make the doa component argument. Remember, in electrical components over-volting is in many cases much more deadly than over amping.
yogibear2k10 It's nice to hear that you have never had to fret about doa components. Additionally, I didn't want to come across as fearmongering in my previous comment, your working environment and even the material of your clothes can largely (if not fully) prevent static discharges.
It was great having a chat with you. Have a Merry Christmas!
Not all anti-static bags are conductive on the outside. The transparent ones with tile pattern (like in the video) usually are, but the semi-transparent, metallic-looking bags like those that typically comes with motherboard aren't conductive.
DO NOT USE THIS VIDEO.
This is rubbish, you want to put yourself on the same electrical level, not earth yourself.
do you even work with electronics ?
Josh Mar both work. Bonding and grounding
Josh Mar yeah, connect the wrist strap to the case, instead of the psu.
Something people were taught in the early days of computers to remove static without a strap is lick or wet your finger (just a bit) then touch something grounded, i guess it does a bit more than touching it with dry fingers (let fingers dry before touching electronic stuff)
i have a question. would having the PSU plugged in while working on the PC be dangerous because theres still a charge going through it?
so heres what i think i must do to ground myself: plug in PSU to wall, turn it off, clip my anti static wrist band to the PSU. and then im grounded
is that all? is this a safe method? i need some answers
Linus, Where should i plug it into? The power supply for the desktop or the outlet in the wall? Sorry, Im a noob when it comes to building a computer, but indeed fascinated by computers
Linus didnt mention using rubber gloves. Is there a problem with using those?
is it any way to ground a pc when the wallplug does not have grounding?
probably a stupid question, but i go barefoot vs wearing shoes, does it make any difference ?