A Quick Warning About the Dangers of Static Electricity & Computer Hardware Linus Tech Tips

[TheSpudnip]

puuusaaaaay



[heratus007]

wimp

[SySimms]

Dude, you have the same cordless phone as me ! :D

[pmpc2012]

i heard the zap tat always happends to me

[YTmurphy]

Like some others said, just touch your PC case instead of having a PSU lingering around on your desk. And if you're afraid the case isn't properly grounded just touch the PSU at the back of your case. And if you can't reach it, just attach a cable to it. And ... so on.

[RRWHITEOUT]

do you touch the power supply while it is plugged in and powered on? are do you touch it while it is plugged in, but powered off?

[showmepotat0salad]

@RRWHITEOUT Either way will work one in the same. As long as there is a cord running from the power supply to the wall (and the theird prong hasn't been cut off the cord, as this will be what grounds you), then it will neutralize you.

[hh100488]

i really need help...i am going to install new RAM on my desktop and i wanna know how do i ground myself considering i don't have any anti-static wristbands or mats and my psu does not have a switch...what's the best thing i could do?...help pls....

[SherlocksFlag]

or you can just get an anti-static braclet for like 10$

[cvsporn]

hey its SLIM SHADY

[andy16666]

Why in heck doesn't he just use a generic piece of metal connected to the ground wire of an electrical cable?

[nthanson]

Keep a spare metal object (I use a key) near your computer and touch the object to the screw of a power outlet or light switch. As long as your skin is in direct contact with the key before it contacts the grounding screw, you will not experience any painful spark while grounding yourself. I use this trick when getting in/out of my car too.

[adriansararu1]

clean your mouse !!!

[PetrFM]

If you want to ground yourself safely do it as the electronic industry does - through the 1 megaohm resistor - it is safer in case the voltage of your body is not only static but inducted AC/DC from some faulty equipment. moreover with 1 megaohm there will be no painful spark.

[DrOhReally]

I like it how some people think that the power supply needs to be running in order to ground themselves, technically you only need it plugged in as the shell of the power supply is hooked up to the positive terminal of the plug (if your standard plug has got only 2 pins) and ground (if ur plug is 3 pin) :)

[megadog103]

The real slim shady?

[msi48701gb]

what if i wear rubber sleepers.?

[khmerog1]

Eminem is into computers now?

[lifeclickzinvitez]

it sounded like he was going to keep going!

[ThePCgamer1989]

@Vpsb97 people wear those wrist straps for the exact same reason.

Static electricity can destroy a piece of hardware, motherboard, hard drive and so on.

a static shock is a surge of energy, if that is transfered through the circuitry on a computer part, it can be naffed up for life, the wrist straps are ESD straps, Electro Static Discharge strap, it keeps you constantly earthed, so your body doesnt build up static and break a part when handling it

[aeroaa2]

which is this mouse ?

[Uberslick]

@aeroaa2 Logitech G9

[TABerselli]

@Vpsb97 It makes it so you are grounded, and it is much more difficult for you to "zap" components with static electricity. It is essential that you have no static electricity built up in your body when you are handling your processor, because you can damage it with static electricity, even if you don't feel your fingers shocking it. Basically, the bracelet discharges the static electricity as soon as any of it builds up in your body. This greatly decreases the risk of making a $300 mistake.

[ImmunizeGaming]

Great choice of mouse, Linus.

[xXTheDeathReaperXx]

@ImmunizeGaming Mamba 4G is the best !!!

[ImmunizeGaming]

@xXTheDeathReaperXx Lies

[xXTheDeathReaperXx]

@ImmunizeGaming :(

[jacobdongon]

my mouse is made of plastic... does that zap you?

[VideoGameExplorers]

Sorry, I'm not gonna open my computer case to touch my power supply, or leave it out and let it suck in dust.

[puffycloudsofdeath]

@VideoGameExplorers if you are a true nerd you have an extra shorted out power supply at your desk for stuff like this and testing fans and such

i have a cooler master one from and old build ;)

[VideoGameExplorers]

@puffycloudsofdeath lol, I don't have a shorted out PSU.

For some reason, I have never had static electricity in my own room, maybe because I'm always barefoot in my room, live somewhat near a coast, wood tiled floor, or something. I kinda forgot how and where static electricity builds and releases.

[TheKahanex]

Just make sure u touch your tums bottle and it will all b better.. Trust me I'm a doctor

[Nunk0]

Just go to a window and tap on the glas with your fingtipps. Voila ;) HIGH-TECH TIP!

[unstealthypanda]

So...a powdercoated PSU such as a Corsair model would still discharge you?D:

[daiinuiit]

G15 keyboard <3

[KiraYamato636]

so everybody next time u wanna have sex, remember to get an antistatic condom :)

[cal920c]

@KiraYamato636 my PJ's use my "equipment" as a lightning rod...

[KiraYamato636]

@cal920c lol

[TheXtremeGamer90]

@KiraYamato636 hmm yeah if you fuck motherboards you have to !!! LOOOL

[903harman]

my keyboard and mouse is plastic :) and rubber.

[joaorp]

in the winter? air is dry?... so it rains in the summer there?

[TLeteger]

so the PSU set to 0 (off), the power lead still in (wall plugs off) and connected to the wall plug with the anti static band clipped to the chassis of the case

[qibin9]

0:20 Tumzzzz

[cseology]

You can also just touch your tower case.

[abbidos]

Interesting tip but there must be a better way to discharge that touching a live power supply.

[calvinblinkee]

@abbidos The power supply is turned off.

[666krypt0nit3]

Lucky me.. I live in Texas, and not ever experienced static from a pc or pc components.

[lonesoldier33]

Couldn't you also plug a cable into the earth slot of a mains outlet and have a metal rod to tap or attach an anti-static strap to?

[RAINZDOGG]

How you can fry you motherboard and its components when the first thing you do is open the case and touch the metal which in fact is grounding it anyway

[JohnM3D]

@RAINZDOGG You gotta make sure you're touching the interior, metallic parts of the case. Also, you build up charge all the time so, some time after you had opened the case, you'll have more, and will have to discharge again.

[RussianAzeri]

Heating is also grounded

Tuch the heating LINUS

[DarkBattousai2341]

It's about putting yourself at the same electrical potential of what you're interacting with. If you're at the same potential, it doesn't matter if you're carrying 30,000 volts, there will be no discharge. The mouse is connected to the keyboard, the keyboard is connected to the case. You should be touching a gounding point on the case, some bare metal or the power supply. Since the power supply he's using isn't grounded through his case he still runs the risk of an ESD.

A+ and MS certified tech.

[Trillios]

but if you have 0 static and the mouse has 10 the 10 will also transfer to you so if you and your case has diffrent levels of static you still get zapp so if your computer has 1000 in static value and you got the same you wot feel a thing

[DarkBattousai2341]

@Trillios You're absolutely right.

[TheMaristBoy]

Good thing there's no such thing as winter here in the Philippines

[xnamkcor]

Instead of powering a whole other power supply, you can get what is called a "grounding cable", used for cars and such and the screw that into your PC's PSU and run a chan of them, with nuts and bolts, to a handy place on your desk. If you have a metal mouspad, you can put it there, or put it where you wrist rests while typing.

[Zolantor]

If i were you I would rather be thinking about buying a new computer mouse than grounding yourself before touching it, something is obviously wrong with it.

[DecodeAGamer]

@Zolantor ...so everything that I've experienced static electricity with, I should replace?

Well, guess it's goodbye car an hello shiney new one! :D

[Zolantor]

@DecodeAGamer Of course not! But a computer mouse isn't supposed to give off a static discharge when you touch it, if it does something is wrong.

[xnamkcor]

@Zolantor The mouse isn't "giving off anything" your body is.

[Zolantor]

@xnamkcor Quit nitpicking you very well know what I mean.

[xnamkcor]

@Zolantor I assume you meant to say that a mouse shouldn't receive a static discharge, but it seems the scroll wheel is metal. To say metal should receive a static discharge goes against electrical physics.

Or maybe you meant something completely different. From what you said. I lack the ability to read minds. For now!

[GAKtion64]

slim shady?

[iLoveTaeyeonSNSD]

Nice

[rmaucigasha]

@FURRYDulaman lol respawn

[SurvTheAbst]

doesnt take much to kill a PC component...

when i read comments such as "DOA... PoS" type deal i immediately think they probably weren't grounded... as quality control is a crucial part of any company who manufactures on a large scale.

i work in manufacturing data storage solutions (servers), ESD is in our training and our everyday practice

[HTATigersBasketball]

@ImmortalUniverse Yeah, almost every wall socket on the planet should have a ground prong, an "earth pin" as it is commonly called. Many people plug their anti-static wrist straps into this; as there is no voltage (hopefully!) and it is properly grounded as required by local code/bylaws. Here in Canada, (I can't comment as far as outside of North America) this is the bottom, round hole on the wall socket and the bottom, round/"U" shaped plug on the plug.

[wowsordog]

@FURRYDulaman gj writing this comment then^^

[silverleaf81]

Does the PSU have to be turned on?

[VinylVEVO]

Can I ground myself on your earrings, too? :)

[GamerNebulae]

You can touch a radiator too!

[ImmortalUniverse]

in my country all power sockets have an earth pin ,it is grounded

and all water pipes in our houses are grounded too.

and sinks

[zeldazackman]

@ImmortalUniverse and planes, and birds, and carpets, and forklifts, and also dragonfiles(not flys, Files!, Google it)

[2point6x4]

would it work if you just hooked a wire on the back of your PC case and hooked the other end of the wire to the desk leg?

[TheWoWRevelation]

how would i ground myself with a wrist band if the case is completey painted?

[richardnja]

But the psu on the desk is a lot more easier to just reach over and touch....good to see you doing something on esd linus!

[hiti333]

hey dude does it work when instaling the computer components if i use plastic gloves? pls answr, tnx

[redcm000]

it's because of the floor, it's synthetic

[shigalbigal]

Ok, we saw your case.

In my case I never touched anything and none of my components died from static electricity, also my G5 mouse or my X7 keyboard never stopped working....

[UnscopedReflex]

I killed my motherboard, cpu, ram and optical drive from static electricity.

[Dominykas14]

@UnscopedReflex you murderer

[ZybakTV]

ok ive never had this happen to me?

[MuziiiKProductions]

@ZybakTV same : S

[iskrukutum21]

Question! is there a metal piece on the scroll wheel of the logitech g9 that he was able to transfer an ESD on it? i am buying this mouse in a week and i always have ESD problems. might as well check on this mouse before buying it.

[eddiequest4]

TUMS? Are all Canadians so stressed ouuut?

I have NEVER been zapped by my mouse.... ooops, well it's cordless. ;O

[Sayid112]

or touch radiator

[speeron]

lol that would hurt like hell though if you had built up a large charge.

[Owminator]

I use a radiator instead :)

[BahamutIsKing]

Yeah..I wasn't even grounded when I built my PC and nothing was damaged.

[thelilhacker]

@BahamutIsKing its still not safe you should always ground your self before you start

[BahamutIsKing]

@thelilhacker Oh, I neglected to mention that I was not working on carpet, but, yes I did ground myself before I worked on it.

[papas182]

can i just touch the mirror in my room? that is what i do

[1amfr3e]

watch guys a few days ago, i touched my computer case with it not plugged in i ended up killing my motherboard and my cpu all at the same time. that cpu was a $150 cpu so yea guys it happens.

[Ksquaredgaming]

@1amfr3e did you install standoffs? dumbass

[1amfr3e]

@Ksquaredgaming

yes i did, the computer was not plugged in, and i took it out to show my dad my new computer that i had built, and what did you know i got shocked. went to my place and hooked her up and there was no video, there was cd/dvd running,everything was running but the fan was on full blast which was over 7k rpms. now if it was plugged in when i touched it nothing would have happen to her.

[Ksquaredgaming]

@1amfr3e that doesnt make make sense. The standoffs are non-conductive, the only other way would be if your motherboard was touching the case

[ZeR0Co0L967]

I have that calculator :)

[aztechnotronic]

kinda lame joke actually...Beware Of The Bloody Killer Static Mouse...by Linus Sebastian...hahaha...just kiddin man

[braveofsavne]

it happened to one of my friends...the static jumped through his mouse and into his pc...the hole motherboard got busted. be carefull;)

[migueldELLO]

One time i tried opening the fridge and got shocked real bad and kept trying to opening it xD, then i was like wtf ? then my grandpa opened it and got a banana and i was like wtf !!!!.

That was when i was a noob in knolege of static electricity now i know what happened. lol

[pawppy]

anything prettier than a PSU we can keep around the house that works? :)

[lamiac2411]

@pawppy u can ground ur self out on ne piece of metal it doesnt matter. Believe me the possibilty of u touching ur mouse and actually getting shocked good enough to damage hardware in ur pc is very very very remote. I promise u sure it happens but people also win the lottery and get shocked by a lightining bolt. Ur chances of either of those happening r aboot the same so dont sweat it bro. Rub ur balls on a piece of sample carpet that always seems 2 help

[TheXordinary]

lol that have never happend to me and im using a 1200W computer xD

[zhiheng2005]

Coz that mostly happens in Dry weathers in countries... if ur country happens to be Moist/humid ESD* wont happen easily

*-ESD = Electric Static Discharge

[pccomponetreviewer]

@zhiheng2005 like good old UK :D

[laxitives]

@Joshua17404930 Lmfao, get off the internet and grow a pair.

[Rodnehh]

@Joshua17404930

what do you mean fake you idiot?

[Annieaksamia]

hmany nice guys out there who want to chat and talk on the phone

[eoinycroiny]

cant you just touch your pc case?? you have a PSU in their that grounds it as long as it is plugged in right?

[LinusTechTips]

Yeah in theory. Not all are grounded properly though.

[InternetSandman]

yes, because appearance is so crucial in identifying what a person is really like =/ well, at least it is to shallow idiots

[underfrost89]

FK YOU IDIOT COCK SUCKER!!!!

[danorambo]

LOL

[pfernando27]

i never ground myself not once in my life and yes i touch my cpu pin lol

[masterasia11]

Your desk is a mess.

[XeonVEVO]

@masterasia11 Implying anyone else's desk is not a mess...

[TraxCreations1]

@masterasia11 Mine too. :P

[tamerlan15]

you can also touch you radiator at home cause they all are grounded...

[pimpednammer]

does the psu need to be turned on?

[petegrimsby]

or dont wear stupid boots lmaooo

[alex14469]

Wow, lite-on makes PSUs... learn something new everyday huh

[chupo92]

Radeon HD2900XT LOL!

[Dragho]

lo mismo me sucedía en mi trabajo (proyección de un cine) y para evitar un susto a la hora de simultanear, antes tocaba un metal para descargarme :D

[Jorgie0101]

It can really be any piece of metal that can touch not just a plugged in power supply. Good advise though

[1995firefly4dr]

You should ground your chair and table, linus. Just attach a wire from your chair and table and then stick it in the wall socket. Problem solved.

[cyrax1311]

Its called Cyberclean XD

[24allix]

nice phone i have the same one!

[mrNHC]

When I get static charge I just open up my case and touch the motherboard or the graphic card, and it works every single time.

[Robertwright889]

that mouse needs to get cleaned xD

[R08M]

@Robertwright889 its just the outer layer that peeling....must get alotta use

[Robertwright889]

oh haha xD didnt know

[cal920c]

Tums?

[speedking92]

not nessisarily a psu. You could even touch your radiator heater

[ImminentInfection]

my friend fried the mother board on his last build, from static.

[Hekynn]

lol I get zapped all the time here in az all I do is touch the wall in my room or any part of my desk and the static is gone lol.

[xmegarockx]

lol

[Peetah16]

XD were a static wristband were ever you go :D

[AdamDiddy]

Win.

[FLORENAS]

Never happens to me. I suppose it is more related to your peripheral equipment or most likely carpet underneath your table. I use Roccat Valo and Logitech G1 Mouse (and wood floor). No problems whatsoever.

[Dosycool1]

Same mouse and keyboard as me :)

[Morag0]

or anything else that is grounded........

[marctanw]

that was pretty much it you can go ahead and stop it now lol funny camera guy

[deepakm]

Or if you open your case.. just touch something metal in it. .

[thelasthallow]

static electricity is no longer a threat of pc stuff. even individial parts like the CPU can be shocked and still work fine. i was playing on my PC during a bad storm and there was a HUGE surge of electricity. needless to say my pc was just fine along with my dads.

[fireblind]

static electricity and a power surge are not the same thing, brah

[thelasthallow]

@fireblind yeah a power surge is alot worse.

[scottycatman]

You could just touch the screw on the wall socket... that's grounded.

[myschwettyballs]

haha the things hairy dudes have to deal with

[x00018572]

Shocking.. I would say that really hertz.

There are amp-le reasons to ground yourself.

You've really lost your spark, Linus.

I think it's time I pulled the plug on this comment

[Knuxsega]

@x00018572 LOOL

[hanzerdhotmailcom]

Wow your G9 sure is peeling!

[hyperi]

Or get a anti-static wristbrand

[Anonymistheshiet]

thanks!

[Mibmu]

...Or touch a so called element (Not sure about the real English word for it) :D

[Xertalista]

or just touch ur computer case....

[Xertalista]

its plugged into the wall, aka grounded. u wont fry shit

[DjGalm]

shit happens

[SolarCreed]

No, the charge only flows along the outside, if static could ruin your pc by touching the case thousands of pc's would be destroyed every day from static alone.

[DjGalm]

a very electrifying tip... thanks Linus!

[DjGalm]

learn to say something useful noob