Static safe building environment

[landoGai]

Hi all,

I'm about to start my new build but I really don't have many non-carpeted areas in my house.

I'm considering building on a plastic/metal folding table (with cardboard on top) and placing some particle board under my feet (while wearing rubber sandals) to separate myself from the carpeted floor.

Would this be enough or should I get a wrist strap as well? Maybe hold out for the non-carpeted areas to become less busy?

 

It feels like I'm fine but I'm not 100% sure.

 

(FYI the carpet isn't particularly fuzzy. It's one of those really short indoor/outdoor ones.)

 

Thanks!

[8tg]

If you can shuffle around on the carpet in socks and subsequently shock things with your finger, then it’s a concern.

Otherwise static depends on the environmental conditions at the time and low pile carpet would rarely create it, I’d be more concerned about a hollow plastic table because those are likely to create static for reasons similar to how balloons create static.

 

Ive built many PCs on the floor in high pile carpet, it comes down to if the weather allows for static to form easily.

[cacoe]

I think the danger from static when working on PC hardware is overstated, pretty much any guide will tell you to protect for static but in over 20 years of being a PC enthusiast, I've done absolutely nothing to mitigate static, and also haven't had any problems as a result either.

 

I'm not saying don't take steps to avoid it but I think the fact that it comes up at all is something that can worry people more than it should.

[AlwaysFSX]

1 minute ago, cacoe said:

I think the danger from static when working on PC hardware is overstated, pretty much any guide will tell you to protect for static but in over 20 years of being a PC enthusiast, I've done absolutely nothing to mitigate static, and also haven't had any problems as a result either.

 

I'm not saying don't take steps to avoid it but I think the fact that it comes up at all is something that can worry people more than it should.

It very much is, you sometimes have to be pretty blatant with static to damage something and even then, not a huge deal most of the time. This is from someone who has yet to kill hardware being in high static environments, on carpet.

 

@OP, touch your power supply / case with the power supply installed every once in a while and you should be perfectly fine. Hardware is grounded for a reason.

[Somerandomtechyboi]

Lmao ive put mobos on my freaking bed for testing or just fixing them up cause i have no better spot

 

Guess what, they didnt die or even suffer any damage

[Chris Pratt]

Linus did a fun video testing just how much static discharge actually affects modern components. Must watch if you want to see Linus shocked repeatedly

 

The TL;DR is that it takes quite a shock and just the right kind of shock in the right place to cause damage. So, it is possible, but you virtually have to try to do it.

 

If you're concerned, use an anti-static bracelet and ground it to something metal. You'll be fine.

[landoGai]

1 minute ago, Chris Pratt said:

Linus did a fun video testing just how much static discharge actually affects modern components. Must watch if you want to see Linus shocked repeatedly

 

The TL;DR is that it takes quite a shock and just the right kind of shock in the right place to cause damage. So, it is possible, but you virtually have to try to do it.

 

If you're concerned, use an anti-static bracelet and ground it to something metal. You'll be fine.

 

6 minutes ago, Somerandomtechyboi said:

Lmao ive put mobos on my freaking bed for testing or just fixing them up cause i have no better spot

 

Guess what, they didnt die or even suffer any damage

 

28 minutes ago, AlwaysFSX said:

It very much is, you sometimes have to be pretty blatant with static to damage something and even then, not a huge deal most of the time. This is from someone who has yet to kill hardware being in high static environments, on carpet.

 

@OP, touch your power supply / case with the power supply installed every once in a while and you should be perfectly fine. Hardware is grounded for a reason.

 

31 minutes ago, cacoe said:

I think the danger from static when working on PC hardware is overstated, pretty much any guide will tell you to protect for static but in over 20 years of being a PC enthusiast, I've done absolutely nothing to mitigate static, and also haven't had any problems as a result either.

 

I'm not saying don't take steps to avoid it but I think the fact that it comes up at all is something that can worry people more than it should.

 

37 minutes ago, 8tg said:

If you can shuffle around on the carpet in socks and subsequently shock things with your finger, then it’s a concern.

Otherwise static depends on the environmental conditions at the time and low pile carpet would rarely create it, I’d be more concerned about a hollow plastic table because those are likely to create static for reasons similar to how balloons create static.

 

Ive built many PCs on the floor in high pile carpet, it comes down to if the weather allows for static to form easily.

Yeah, I'm not exactly sure what the table is made of. I know it's covered in plastic but it might be wood at it's core? All I know for sure is that the frame and legs are metal.

 

I did see that video. Was a very funny and informative watch lol.

 

Thinking of putting the bracelet in my ankle and connecting it to the case (or plugged in but off psu) just to be doubly sure. Heck, probably even the wood too because why not.

 

Thanks for the responses everyone. I have much more confidence in attempting this now.

[cacoe]

3 minutes ago, landoGai said:

 

 

 

 

Yeah, I'm not exactly sure what the table is made of. I know it's covered in plastic but it might be wood at it's core? All I know for sure is that the frame and legs are metal.

 

I did see that video. Was a very funny and informative watch lol.

 

Thinking of putting the bracelet in my ankle and connecting it to the case (or plugged in but off psu) just to be doubly sure. Heck, probably even the wood too because why not.

 

Thanks for the responses everyone. I have much more confidence in attempting this now.

In terms of the surface you're putting it all together on, just use the classic mobo box method with the anti-static bag the mobo came in on top. Although even that's more careful than I usually am