Is is common for a motherboard to get damaged by static energy?

[drake717]

I will have to build my own PC for the first time, and i just herd about static damage to motherboard. How often does that happen? How careful do you have to be?

 

[karlsnooks]

drake,

Yes. It is very possible.

Google the topic and you find that the voltage of the static discharge can be unbelievably high.

Always, as a minimum, touch the metal chassis to discharge yourself into the metal chassis/frame.

 

[DeaconFrost]

The threat of damage has been way overblown, but there is still a small threat and some truth to it. If you put on wool socks, drug your feet across the carpet, and picked up a motherboard, there's a chance you could damage it. However, if you handle your components properly, there's very little to worry about. I always have my motherboards sit on the static bags they come in until i am ready to mount it in the case. I don't walk around the room while holding it.

I've built hundreds of computers in my days, often in weird places, like living rooms, garages, decks, etc. I've never had an issue.

 

[karlsnooks]

i disagree 100%.

I am an Electrical Engineer with a long career working with, testing, etc at all levels of responsibility electronic equipment.

Did you know that a chip can be "injured" by static discharge? In other words, you don't have immediate failure but the chip dies earlier than planned.

I heard of one incident where a receiving tester managed to destroy an entire shipment by not using grounding when testing the chips. The company where this took place was a 100% tester of incoming components. The company also enjoyed an excellent reputation for quality and reliablity.

 

[DeaconFrost]

i disagree 100%.

I am an Electrical Engineer with a long career working with, testing, etc at all levels of responsibility electronic equipment.

You don't know my background, though. I don't usually like to post such things because anyone can say anything on a forum board. Not that I'm accusing you of lying...I'm just pointing out that some people do.

I also have an engineering background, before moving into the IT field. I've been handling electronic equipment for nearly 20 years now. I am not disagreeing that the threat isn't there, but it is WAY overblown when you read what some people say. You don't need a climate controlled lab with bunny suits to build a computer. I wouldn't run around on shag carpeting in feety pajamas when handling any components, but even the idea of mats and wrist straps have fallen out of favor.

As you mentioned, touching the metal of your case is always a good idea. Aside from that, I like to rest my components on static bags whenever they are free from their computer or original packaging. I always work on a good stable platform, and I don't handle the components until I'm reading to do something with them.

 

[windude99]

There is a risk, but I have worked on computer systems in my bedroom with carpet and I always touch the side of the case before I start working on the components. since I do that, I don't have any issues.

 

[Layback Bear]

Do you have to be concerned with static electricity, absolutely. Different people can hold different amounts of static electricity. Different objects and materials can also hold charges.
Watch this video.
EXAIR: Manufacturing compressed air products since 1983
With DIY who know how many times it happens. They just RMA the parts when they don't work.
Static electricity can be many thousand of volts. Why take a chance. Ground yourself. A static wrist strap is around 5 bucks U.S.
Their are thousands of articles when Googled. Just one.
Static Electricity and People
It's you $300.00 motherboard or ram or video card, roll the dice or be static careful. I chose being careful.

 

[pparks1]

I agree with Deacon on this matter. I always touch something metal before I work on a computer, that that is pretty much the only precaution that I take before working on a computer. As to whether or not lifespan was ever decreased on a component, that's impossible for me to tell. I can say that I don't recall components which I would say suffered a very short or noticeably poor lifespan. For my home computers, I usually upgrade and retire the machine before it just quits working.

 

[karlsnooks]

I refer you disbelievers to:

http://literature.rockwellautomation.com/idc/groups/literature/documents/sb/8000-sb001_-en-p.pdf

A short excerpt from that document:

 

[pparks1]

^ I am not a disbeliever, per se....but in all of the years that I have been doing this, very little effort whatsoever has been put into protection against this problem. Like myself, I've had technicians ground themselves by touching a chassis, but I've never once seen one put on an anti-static wrist strap. This includes vendors such as Dell, IBM, HP, EMC, NetApp, Liebert, APC, etc.

These write-ups are all interesting, and technically I am sure they are sound and have very good justification. But my real world experience, as well as the real life experiences of everybody know that I know in the IT field also justifies the fact that very few of us have ever done anything more than touch something grounded and then proceed on our way without any undue hardships. And I feel comfortable saying to most people that given what I have seen and done, in my years in the industry, you probably aren't going to blow up your PC if you decide to work on it without using antistatic mats, wriststraps and special shoes.

 

[karlsnooks]

Yes. They are very sound.

Very correct.

Very true.

I have seen many things in my many years in electronics. I've also had the pleasure of working for a couple of companies who enjoyed the top-ratings in their respective fields. They followed sound ESD practices.

Quality comes at a price.

 

[pparks1]

Obsessive Compulsiveness and Overkill come at a price too

 

[writhziden]

Given the number of people who come to Crashes and Debugging asking for help with RAM that "suddenly" failed, I agree with Karl. That RAM did not suddenly fail but was likely damaged due to improper handling and disregard of static safe practices.

I also have a Master's in Electrical and Computer Engineering and have worked with NASA on the Mars rovers and in other robotics building facilities where many of the components are similar to what we put in our PCs. I had both industry experts and professors say that ESD is the number one killer of electronics that hold large quantities of miniature transistors as most computer components do these days. A person does not have to feel the static discharge for a component to be damaged and slowly fail. I use both an anti-static wrist strap and an anti-static mat when assembling PCs or replacing components.

Does that mean I think all people are required to? No. There are other methods that are mostly safe in a pinch (such as grounding oneself on metal in the PC tower, i.e. a hard disk bay), but I still highly recommend anti-static environments when it is possible to work in them.

 

[Layback Bear]

Well I'm not a engineer but to think ESD should just be snuffed off in my mind is not wise. It can cause great damage. Just Google ESD and you will get 52,400,000 sites to pick from so one can understand and get help.

 

[DeaconFrost]

I refer you disbelievers to:

That confirms you are missing my point greatly. I'm not trying to convince you that ESD doesn't exist. Nor am I trying to say that it shouldn't be considered when handling components. As I said above, the fear is greatly overblown. Again, as I said above, we don't need to build our computers in clean rooms with bunny suits. You just need to take some simple precautions and that's it. You are hellbent on convincing me that ESD is real...yet I'm not disagreeing with that. I agree completely. You just won't find system builders using mats, wrist straps, and dehumidifiers anymore.

As for the high level of memory related issues, I would be willing to bet many "issues" are caused by people improperly installing the memory, such as applying too much force to the stick while not having it exactly lined up in the slot. If you ever watch someone try to install memory and go through that...watch how much the PCB bends.

EDIT: I should clarify that I'm not taking a combative tone, and I apologize if it comes across that way. I'm not disgreeing with the existence of ESD at all. If I wanted to kill a motherboard with static, I could do it pretty easily. I'm just saying with some quick precautions, it isn't really something to fear, or a reason to scare someone away from building their own computer.

 

[HammerHead]

It Can Happen

Just a little caution will prevent it. For those that PParks refer to, here is some links.

Dual-Conductor Wrist Straps | All-Spec Industries

Single-Conductor Wrist Straps | All-Spec Industries

 

[AddRAM]

#1 If you just spent $200 to $400 for a motherboard would you not take precautions ?

#2 If you are a tech at a customers site you better be using a mat ( for Laptops ) or a wrist strap.

 

[Sbrideau]

Agreed with the above. I always use a wrist strap when building computers or doing maintenance (mainly clearing the dust), as well as a mat. I also saw what kind of voltage is needed to damage, to see, and to hear.

 

[King Arthur]

I think both sides are correct here. Yes, ESD is a legitimate threat to sensitive electronics and they can and will damage or destroy them if proper precautions aren't taken; however, depending on what you are doing, it isn't necessarily the end of the world if you fail to use things like anti-static wrist straps and mats if you at least properly ground yourself first.

 

[DeaconFrost]

#1 If you just spent $200 to $400 for a motherboard would you not take precautions ?

I rarely spend that much, but I do take more than enough precautions. I never take the mobo out of it's static bag until I am ready to install. When I do, it sits on top of the static bag, which is on top of the box, sitting on my workbench. My case is always sitting next to it, ready for the install, with the new I/O plate already snapped in. I add the proc, HSF, and memory, then immediately install the mobo to the case. My workbench is in my basement, which has a tile floor, so no carpet to worry about.

Those are the precautions I take, and I don't feel that there's anything more I need to do. I don't take components out and let them sit around. They are either in static bags, or installed in computers.