Q&A for How to Ground Yourself to Avoid Destroying a Computer with Electrostatic Discharge

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How can I permanently ground myself to avoid electric shock?

Luigi Oppido
Computer & Tech Specialist
Luigi Oppido is the Owner and Operator of Pleasure Point Computers in Santa Cruz, California. Luigi has over 25 years of experience in general computer repair, data recovery, virus removal, and upgrades. He is also the host of the Computer Man Show! broadcasted on KSQD covering central California for over two years.

Luigi Oppido

Computer & Tech Specialist

Expert Answer

There are these grounding strips you can buy that go around your wrist that will basically make it impossible to cause an electric shock. That's going to be overkill for most people, but if you work with computer components, that's probably the best way to do it.

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Question

What kind of surface is best for working on a computer?

Luigi Oppido
Computer & Tech Specialist
Luigi Oppido is the Owner and Operator of Pleasure Point Computers in Santa Cruz, California. Luigi has over 25 years of experience in general computer repair, data recovery, virus removal, and upgrades. He is also the host of the Computer Man Show! broadcasted on KSQD covering central California for over two years.

Luigi Oppido

Computer & Tech Specialist

Expert Answer

Hardwood or concrete is going to be good. Carpeting is going to be the worst option. If you're on a hard surface, make sure it's unpainted. Paint can often make it difficult to stay grounded.

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Can you move around when you're working on a computer?

Luigi Oppido
Computer & Tech Specialist
Luigi Oppido is the Owner and Operator of Pleasure Point Computers in Santa Cruz, California. Luigi has over 25 years of experience in general computer repair, data recovery, virus removal, and upgrades. He is also the host of the Computer Man Show! broadcasted on KSQD covering central California for over two years.

Luigi Oppido

Computer & Tech Specialist

Expert Answer

No, I really wouldn't do much walking or shuffling. Whenever I'm working on a computer, I make a conscious effort to keep my feet planted so that I'm not walking, shuffling, or dragging my feet.

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Is grounding used to prevent electrostatic discharge or to make it safe?

Community Answer

Grounding yourself does not strictly prevent electrostatic discharge, but instead, redirects the discharge away from your sensitive computer parts. Think of it this way -- electricity always 'wants' to find the fastest path to ground. Without grounding yourself, the electrical charge from your body will try to get to ground by going through your highly conductive computer parts, which can damage them. So, grounding yourself gives it a faster path than through your computer, protecting your parts from electrical damage.

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Question

What is the purpose of discharging yourself before touching computer parts?

Community Answer

Some components are electrostatic sensitive - meaning they are so delicate, even the static electricity in a body can destroy them. It is for this reason we ground ourselves (so we have no static charge), then touch the components.

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Do these methods always work, or sometimes do they fail?

Community Answer

There is always a risk no matter what you do, but the more precautions you take, the smaller the likelihood of something going wrong becomes.

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Theoretically, couldn't I just wrap a copper wire around my wrist and attach it to a grounded item?

Community Answer

Yes, because as long as the copper wire provides as a route from your body to the ground, you have made yourself neutral and you can't give off an electric discharge.

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Question

Can I use cotton gloves to stop static shock?

Community Answer

No, cotton gloves would make it worse, not better.

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Would wearing rubber gloves, like dish-washing gloves, prevent unwanted electrical discharge.

Community Answer

Yes, it would.

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Can I use latex surgical gloves to work on my PC?

Community Answer

No, these still allow electricity to pass through them. If you are worried about your skin oils or getting fingerprints on things, baby powder and gloves will work (baby powder to absorb sweat if present). Still use the grounding methods above.

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Question

My room is all carpet and my computer case is painted black. All of the metal on my desk is painted too! What should I do if I cannot ground myself at all?

Community Answer

Wear rubber gloves, an ESD mat and band, and don’t wear socks, wool, or jewelry.

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Would rubber gloves help?

Community Answer

Yes. Rubber blocks the electricity from transferring from you to the computer.

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Would hospital gloves work?

Community Answer

As long as they are rubber or latex, then yes, they will work. Rubber blocks the electricity from transferring from you to the computer.

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What do I do if the entire case is painted with no bare metal anywhere?

Community Answer

Then it is very improbable that electricity will go through your computer, but it is highly recommended to ground yourself anyway. Better to be safe than sorry. Standing barefoot on the ground can prevent you from having to buy new components.

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Question

What if I just touch the earh thingy on my power outlet?

Community Answer

That should work, but be careful when sticking anything into any outlet. Make sure you know which slot is ground.

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Question

Is it possible that I destroyed my graphics card with electrostatic discharge by removing it from my PC and then reinstalling it? The fan still blows, but it's not giving a signal to my monitor.

Community Answer

If that's the case, you are out of luck, as there is no way to tell what part it shorted.

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Question

Can the charges go to one's body and damage it?

Community Answer

Static electricity accumulated just by going about one's day is not in large enough amounts to be harmful.

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Question

To ground myself, do I need to have a metal object connecting me and the ground, or can I just directly touch the ground?

peter king villagonzalo

Community Answer

A metal object would do. You may need to do it again every few minutes while working on something.

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Could I touch my laptop or my current PC to ground myself?

Community Answer

Yes, provided the part of the laptop/PC that you are touching is unpainted metal.

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Question

So my case is an NZXT S340. Could I clip an anti static wristband to the case or screw, and also would working on a wooden kitchen table count as grounding yourself?

Community Answer

Yes you can, and yes it would count as grounding yourself as provided you have yourself connected to an unpainted metal part of the case the case itself it should be enough to dissipate the static.

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Will being barefoot prevent electrostatic discharge?

Community Answer

Being barefoot does not prevent ESD but provides a pathway through your body to the ground by way of your feet, as opposed to through your body to the computer components for hands.

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I do not want to get fingerprints on any of my components while building. Are medical Nitrile gloves okay to use, along with a grounding strap?

Community Answer

As long as they're rubber or latex, then yes, it should be fine. Rubber and latex stop electricity moving from your body to your computer parts.

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Will getting a static shock by touching the side of a computer's case when it's closed harm anything?

Community Answer

It depends on the scenario. If it is passing from you into the case (the most likely scenario) then no, it shouldn't. However, if it is coming from the case into you (very unlikely) the case may not be grounded and there may be a problem. However, there is an infinitesimal chance that it is coming from the case into you, so I wouldn't worry. However, if you think the power is coming from the PC into you, I would advise doing research into it and seeing if you can find a solution.

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Question

If your PC is on a table and you wear an ESD band and connect it to the case, is that considered grounding? What other options do I have?

J

Community Answer

Wearing rubber shoes and removing polyester, cotton or wool clothing. Also, removing carpeting or rugs from the area.

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