Solved How to avoid Electrostatic discharge (ESD)

[Franky]

Hi all,

Using some tools like anti-static wrist strap we can avoid this ESD. But when we don't have any of those tools, as a scenario, one good work is touching the body of the power supply when it's not colored repeatedly to be the same ground with it.
OK. Please have a look at below images. I don't know the body of that power supply is colored or not so what can I do?
I think of two solutions:
1- I can touch that 3 jacks of the power supply (PS) which they are directly connected to the inside of the PS. Or,
2- Put a metal screw driver into the PS from its vents and hit some things in inside part and touch that screwdriver from out while it's attached to inside!

Which method do you agree with?
Thanks.



"America needs another Luther King."

 

[TVeblen]

Are you kidding? Stay away from the power supply. Worst ideas ever.

All you need to do at a minimum is touch the metallic parts of the case.

In my workshop I have attached a 14 gauge speaker wire to a copper water pipe in the ceiling. It lies on the workbench. I just grab that before I touch any components.

 

[Alejandro85]

Never put a metallic thing inside the power supply! EVER

To get rid of electrostatic charge in your body you need something that's grounded, ie, with electric connection to the ground. Both the power supply and the computer case are bad ideas. When you have the computer open, it's most likely unpluged and as such, without any electric connection so it's pointless.
The power supply is not only useless, but dangerous, as it may have charged capacitors, even being unpluged, so it posses risk of electric shock for you.

Without any specialized thing, something metalic is your best bet, like an unpainted part of a window, anything metalic would do, at least partially.

 

[Franky]

Hey guys, the power supply is off.

 

[TVeblen]

Just a small safety correction, but it is not necessary to use an "electrical" connection - meaning an electrical outlet or device. You only need to provide a path from your body to earth ground.

A modern building's electrical system is connected to an earth ground and that would work, but using electrical devices for this purpose could be dangerous in some cases.

 

[TVeblen]

The power supply contains capacitors that store enough electrical charge to do some real damage. If not to you then certainly to the power supply.

 

[Franky]

@Alejandro85:
Thanks for your opinions. So any part of the PC is pointless since it's unplugged and without any connection to some else thing. OK, it's logical.
I have a metal door and a metal water pipe in my workshop. Both are connected to the wall and the wall is of course grounded! If I touch them before touching internal components of the PC so I don't need to be worry, yes? If so, how many time I should touch those metal things?

 

[Franky]

@TVeblen:
Thanks for you.

 

[Lady Fitzgerald]

Hey guys, the power supply is off.

That doesn't matter; the capacitors inside can hold a fatal charge for quite a while, sometimes even for more than a day. Do NOT, I repeat, DO NOT poke anything inside the PSU. People have been known to have died from a getting into a turned off PSU.

I often ground my case through the PSU cord itself while plugged it is plugged into the PSU. I just make doubly sure the PSU has been switched off and, since I'm already close enough to the grave without rushing it, I put a piece of tape over the switch to help ensure it stays off.

 

[badcrc]

re : ESD wrist straps

If anyone is thinking of making a DIY equivalent, I'd like to point out that the commercial version has a 1 megohm resistor that limits any current that could accidently pass through the body. In the worst case scenario a person could touch a hot connection with one hand where the other hand is earthed to chassis via ESD strap. With a home made ESD strap this could result in a fatal current through the chest (ie heart). With a real ESD, the dude would get a (non fatal) shock due to the series resistor.

When I worked in industry, we often had to poke around inside live machines. The rule of thumb was to always have one hand in your pocket (so not to touch the chassis) and wear rubber soled shoes, to avoid death by electrocution. Trouble was, any visiting VIP's would see us technicians wearing trainers and apparently slouching around with hands in our pockets and think 'what a bunch of scruffs'.

 

[essenbe]

Would anyone seriously considering sticking a screwdriver inside a power supply, please make me beneficiary on their Life Insurance policy? Is the message clear?

 

[lehnerus2000]

The "Right Hand" Rule

When I worked in industry, we often had to poke around inside live machines. The rule of thumb was to always have one hand in your pocket (so not to touch the chassis) and wear rubber soled shoes, to avoid death by electrocution.

The "Right Hand" rule (keep your left hand in your pocket).

 

[Wandering one]

Grounding yourself is only good when what you are working on is also grounded, such as when the part is plugged into a properly grounded receptacle. If it is not connected to a true ground and on a non conductive work area, all you want to do is keep yourself at the same electrical potential as the case. If you are grounded and the case / components has a static charge there is a very good chance that you will fry something when you touch it. Art.

 

[Golden]

Hey guys, the power supply is off.

Thats the problem right there....you should turn it back on, power it up, wait for the fan to spin up, then jamb your finger into it.

 

[Franky]

@Jeannie:

> People have been known to have died from a getting into a turned off PSU.
WOW, so my work has been really risky! I wouldn't know it and I'm thankful of you for that. I'll never repeat that.

@badcrc:
Thank you.

@Wandering one:
Thanks. Have you read the post no 7 of this thread? I wrote some solution and asked you about judging it. Now the things are being complicated more and more. OK, I assume, in a work area, both of my body (ie, my hands) and the components (of the PC) should have the same electrical potential. For reaching this, For example, I touch that metal water pipe while my another hand is connected to the body of the case (of the computer). I repeat it and change my hands in turn.
Is it enough? If no, so what is best way of avoiding ESD without tools please?

 

[RoasterMen]

The best way to avoid ESD without gloves or any materials is to wait for the capacitors to loose electricity for 5-10mins and you can touch it. Believe me I do it every time and it was no hassle.

 

[Franky]

You say, when I opened the case I should just wait 10 min and do nothing (no need to turning switches on/off, etc for emptying the electricity). And then start to work?

 

[Yard Dog]

Hello.. I have always heard.. to unplug.. and then press the power button.. for 5 seconds.. to discharge.. and then to make sure i am grounded.. good luck in your endeavors .

 

[TVeblen]

There seems to be some confusion here....

The reason for a ESD wristband (or any other means of grounding yourself) is not to protect you from the PC (getting zapped by anything in the PC).
It is to protect the PC from you!

If you are dancing around a carpeted room in fuzzy socks you are going to charge yourself with static electricity. And whether you then go and touch your wife's ear or that RAM module the result is not going to be pretty.

The reason for touching the case, or the water pipe, is to discharge any static electricity you have built up on yourself so you do not damage any of your PC components by frying them with a static shock when you touch them.
Nothing more.

Protecting yourself from getting fried by the electrical potential in any of the PC parts is a separate story.
So yes, you can wait a day or two for all electrical potential to leak out of capacitors (the higher the quality of capacitor - the longer this will take), but you would be better off just following some simple rules and don't go poking around near electricity!

 

[Franky]

@TVeblen:
first of all, thanks.
You know what, you are great at introducing and familiarizing me/us with the exact thing but when conclusion you get yourself back.
Please read post no, 7. If that work is enough just say yes, the problem will be solved then.