Will static actually hurt my parts?

[Vod]

Hello! 

 

So I'm going to build a new pc very soon, and when I ussualy look at pc building guides I ussualy see them telling you to take and anti static wrist band or and some kind of a base where you build your pc. 

 

I don't have any of those items, so will it somehow hurt my parts or me if I don't use an anti static thing? 

[Fasauceome]

I zapped a graphics card once and had a heart attack that I ruined it. I got lucky and didn't, but static can damage components that are more sensitive. An easy way to reduce static build up is to work away from carpet, and you can also touch a large metal object like a shelf or a sink every couple minutes to release buildup.

[Adorable Cat]

Nah, you can if you really want to but you'll be alright. If you wanna be careful about ESD, plug in your PSU while you work and touch it occasionally (to ground yourself) or just touch something metal (that isn't a pc part)

[jeffmeyer5295]

I personally don't use those items, but use some common sense, do not build in your socks standing on carpet while rubbing your feet around. Ground yourself out as often as you can(touching conductive materials, most metals). 

 

Static WILL fry parts if it jumps to them. But in my experience is not extremely common as long as you don't doing dumb things. 

[Klemmbrett]

Short answer YES they can harm your parts. 

You don`t need an anti static thing attached to your body just touch some large grounded object like your room heater. 

[Mira Yurizaki]

You don't need to take all of those precautions. Just touch something metal that's grounded (plugging in a PSU with a ground pin and touching the metal chassis will do this) and any static build up you have will dissipate.

 

If you are paranoid about static, then sure.

[BrinkGG]

3 minutes ago, Vod said:

Hello! 

 

So I'm going to build a new pc very soon, and when I ussualy look at pc building guides I ussualy see them telling you to take and anti static wrist band or and some kind of a base where you build your pc. 

 

I don't have any of those items, so will it somehow hurt my parts or me if I don't use an anti static thing? 

You don't NEED an anti-static wristband, you just need to be careful. 

Yes, static electricity can kill parts, but the chances of that happening are incredibly slim. 

If you're concerned, unbox your power supply and plug it in, then regularly touch the outside of the PSU casing (NOT THE CONNECTORS) to discharge static electricity. 

[BrinkGG]

1 minute ago, Adorable Cat said:

Nah, you can if you really want to but you'll be alright. If you wanna be careful about ESD, plug in your PSU while you work and touch it occasionally (to ground yourself) or just touch something metal (that isn't a pc part)

Great minds think alike. 

[Klemmbrett]

1 minute ago, Brink2Three said:

If you're concerned, unbox your power supply and plug it in, then regularly touch the outside of the PSU casing (NOT THE CONNECTORS) to discharge static electricity.

Love that: "Ok just to be sure he does not fry himself"  

[Wh0_Am_1]

Here is a video from Jay on the topic. 

 

[Dissitesuxba11s]

This video might be helpful:

 

[BrinkGG]

1 minute ago, Klemmbrett said:

Love that: "Ok just to be sure he does not fry himself"  

Some people understand electricity better then others. I don't want to assume and give someone generic information that they can misinterpret. 

[RollinLower]

for everyone commenting that static will kill your pc, watch this video please.

[BrinkGG]

5 minutes ago, RollinLower said:

for everyone commenting that static will kill your pc, watch this video please.

I see you meme video, and I raise you a 30Kv tesla coil!

 

[Klemmbrett]

6 minutes ago, RollinLower said:

for everyone commenting that static will kill your pc, watch this video please.

And abusing pc Components by throwing them gentle and rubbing them at each other, tells you what about anti static will not kill your components?

 

5 minutes ago, Brink2Three said:

I see you meme video, and I raise you a 30Kv tesla coil!

I bet i can kill parts from just ESD from my body. You can charge yourself enough to do damage to sensitive components.  

[LogicalDrm]

CPU socket is only part which you can cause some damage, but even that is unlikely. Don't build on carpet and ground yourself before installing CPU. But overall static is least problematic part of building process.

[Norseman4]

I build my own in various different conditions, including in socks on carpet. One of the things that I made sure to do on my first several builds is to have the power supply unboxed and plugged in, but not turned on. The PSU is now a grounding point. Before I went and touched any part, I'd touch the PSU first to discharge any static that may have built up.

 

Now, I know what I do that can generate a spark-able charge and generally don't do those things any more. Haven't had a discharge when building for a long time. (Static, that is.)

 

Or you could do like the Verge and put a rubber band around your wrist and say you are safe. </sarc>

[Wh0_Am_1]

11 minutes ago, Klemmbrett said:

I bet i can kill parts from just ESD from my body. You can charge yourself enough to do damage to sensitive components.  

Well if you do then you have 1 upped Jay, and Tech YES City.

 

[Tristerin]

31 minutes ago, Vod said:

Hello! 

 

So I'm going to build a new pc very soon, and when I ussualy look at pc building guides I ussualy see them telling you to take and anti static wrist band or and some kind of a base where you build your pc. 

 

I don't have any of those items, so will it somehow hurt my parts or me if I don't use an anti static thing? 

My testimony - I build computers on carpets wearing wool socks while shuffling around like M.J. doing the Moonwalk.  In my 20 years + of doing this Ive never had issues with static.  I still ground myself before touching parts though out of habit.  They also say you shouldn't use a vacuum - because it creates static.  I use a vacuum to clean my PC's all the time.  Again, just ground myself prior.

 

Should you use an Anti Static Mat and Wrist cable?

 

Yes.  Especially if you feel like you should.  Me?  Im cheap AF and tbh would RMA something that didn't boot up correctly anyhow.  But again, never fried a thing before.

[RollinLower]

2 minutes ago, Klemmbrett said:

And abusing pc Components by throwing them gentle and rubbing them at each other, tells you what about anti static will not kill your components?

 

I bet i can kill parts from just ESD from my body. You can charge yourself enough to do damage to sensitive components.  

where do you get this experience tough? yes, what you say holds some truth, tough these days literally every board is secured for things like this. i repair PCB's for a living (granted, they're PCB's from welding machines, tough the same priciples apply here. a PCB with a microcontroller or CPU and the surrounding components) and even the cheapest board from the cheapest china-made welder has some diodes to protect the sensitive components. 

the chance of the static your body releases actually getting to the sensitive components is minimal at best.

 

[Tristerin]

4 minutes ago, RollinLower said:

where do you get this experience tough? yes, what you say holds some truth, tough these days literally every board is secured for things like this. i repair PCB's for a living (granted, they're PCB's from welding machines, tough the same priciples apply here. a PCB with a microcontroller or CPU and the surrounding components) and even the cheapest board from the cheapest china-made welder has some diodes to protect the sensitive components. 

the chance of the static your body releases actually getting to the sensitive components is minimal at best.

 

100%

 

I mean I literally moonwalk in wool socks on carpet while building PCs for 20+ years.  Until you can SHOW me this will hurt components, I consider it an old wives tale that carries SOME weight, and that I should ground myself at minimum, and that's enough.  Has been for me, for a LONG time.

[Mira Yurizaki]

10 minutes ago, RollinLower said:

where do you get this experience tough? yes, what you say holds some truth, tough these days literally every board is secured for things like this. i repair PCB's for a living (granted, they're PCB's from welding machines, tough the same priciples apply here. a PCB with a microcontroller or CPU and the surrounding components) and even the cheapest board from the cheapest china-made welder has some diodes to protect the sensitive components. 

the chance of the static your body releases actually getting to the sensitive components is minimal at best.

 

Yes but a blown diode is still a blown diode, which means the entire part is broken as far as the end user is concerned.

[RollinLower]

1 minute ago, Mira Yurizaki said:

Yes but a blown diode is still a blown diode, which means the entire part is broken as far as the end user is concerned.

true, tough i have yet to meet the person who can build up enough static to blow a diode.

i'm sure it is possible somehow, somewhere. tough 99% of the time it won't happen. especially if you just touch a grounded object before touching a part.

[Mira Yurizaki]

6 minutes ago, RollinLower said:

true, tough i have yet to meet the person who can build up enough static to blow a diode.

i'm sure it is possible somehow, somewhere. tough 99% of the time it won't happen. especially if you just touch a grounded object before touching a part.

Actually now that I think about it since I've been brushing up on the subject, I'm curious how much current is in a typical static discharge and if that's enough to break down a part.

 

All voltage does is it makes an insulator a conductor if high enough.

[BrinkGG]

2 minutes ago, Mira Yurizaki said:

Actually now that I think about it since I've been brushing up on the subject, I'm curious how much current is in a typical static discharge and if that's enough to break down a part.

 

All voltage does is it makes an insulator a conductor if high enough.

Scroll down to "energies involved" 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Static_electricity

Stack overflow as well: 

https://physics.stackexchange.com/questions/177961/what-is-the-voltage-of-an-average-carpet-static-shock-can-you-make-it-lethal

 

TL;DR, largest shock recorded by a human was 35KV at 100 mJoules from a car seat. 

That stack overflow thread is a fun read.