Running a PC outside of a computer case

So that means since you were the only one to pick up on this that everyone else in SER is ignorant.

Thanks for expressing your true feelings.

I've damaged things with ESD. Just because myself or anyone else didn't bring it up in this thread until you did does not make you any better. Comprende?

I found your reply a bit acerbic and degrading to the group denizens who might have a few hundred years of combined electronics service experience.

Keeping a hand on an earth ground always helps. Don't forget before you remove or add components to the mainboard to allow the 5 volt supply to drain. Most mainboards have a green LED to indicate when it's safe to make hardware changes.

...the light being off, being the indication.

D Inscribed thus:

The point being that any potential difference between you and whatever you are handling must be minimised. Its easy to generate more voltage on your body than a semiconductor device can tolerate. Simply getting up from a chair or opening a postal packet can often be more than enough to generate damaging voltages.

As William mentioned anti static wrist bands help by equalising the potential difference between two points. The nasty thing about damage to semiconductors is that the damage doesn't always appear straight away and can cause creeping failures.

I don't think static is a common failure mode of bipolar devices. And no, I'm not saying it never happens, anything is possible. Just not common, that's all.

Mark Z.

And hundreds of people with little or no understanding of ESD precautions. Like the fact that a properly designed antistatic wrist band has a 1 Meg flameproof resistor between you and ground to limit the discharge current, and to keep some idiot from getting cocky and electrocuting themselves.

Well, I'm not a professional like many of the people here, but I have to say I have done a fair bit of work on the numerous PC's I have owned (including replacing a bunch of those infamous leaky caps on a couple MOBOs a few years back), and so far, I haven't had any difficulties. I'm not saying it's impossible, but I would also think it's pretty rare. I now live in Seattle which, being more temperate compared to the winters when I was in central Ohio, seems relatively low-static (less use of central heating). I haven't had any trouble yet just grounding myself periodically and being careful.

Dan

I live outside Seattle, and can't remember the last time I built up a charge walking across the carpet. The RH (when it isn't raining!) is relatively low, but doesn't seem to contribute to static build-up. I never turn on the heat, even during cold weather, which keeps the RH from being driven even lower.

Mark Zacharias Inscribed thus:

I agree static damage to bipolar semiconductors is less likely than it is to cmos ones since they don't have an intrinsic insulation layer to puncture.

D Inscribed thus:

Good ! Its nice to hear of successful outcomes.

Its all relative. You see only the machines that are yours. To someone who sees 30, 40 or more machines a week it can appear quite common !

Its wise to be aware of this invisible hazard and to take precautions to avoid causing damage.