Idea for an episode

[Uselessmidget]

LTT has touched on it before but how about purposfully trying to destroy computer hardware with static electricity to prove once and for all if static electricity can completly kill hardware.

[VinZie]

Lmao ballons, carpet, and cats.

[Anghammarad]

Static can kill hardware... 

 

Around here in germany, some years ago, gas stations sold little keychains with a small lamp which you used to touch your car with, to dissipate the static electricity and don't get shocked touching your car. Well what to tell... I blew the lamp in those things using it as intended.

 

Static electricity builds up... it can be small that it won't matter on discharge, or it can build up to light up New York for a few minutes (slight exaggeration) then it will fry components.

[Alexcalibur]

I build all of my computers on a carpet, sitting on a fleece bean bag chair. Let me tell you that builds up some hella static, but I have never once killed a part. Is it luck or is it that static electricity just isn't as big of a scare as they make it out to be?  

[LogicalDrm]

There are very few parts on desktop which are really, really sensitive to static. Pretty much only CPU socket on mobo actually. Besides that, any contact surface too, but those will get mainly grease on from touch which is worse for them. ESD becomes bigger issue in factories where they handle more sensitive electronics constantly.

[Uselessmidget]

Good points guys but don't you agree it would be a cool video? TRYING to kill parts with static electricity. How extreme does it have to be to kill such and such parts!

[MadModder]

After working in electronics for 20yrs. I can absolutely guarantee you that static electricity can destroy electrical components. I've seen entire control panels die from a single arc from a screwdriver to a screw it never actually touched. I have seen this many times. It's less of a concern now, because most components now have armor, either for cooling, or purely for cosmetics. It used to be a larger problem with computer builders when things like ram where "bare boards". But it can, and does happen every day in the electronics field. Two bits of advice here:

#1. An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.

#2. Once you let the magic smoke out, it's really hard to put it back in.

[Uselessmidget]

On 7/20/2017 at 9:06 PM, MadModder said:

After working in electronics for 20yrs. I can absolutely guarantee you that static electricity can destroy electrical components. I've seen entire control panels die from a single arc from a screwdriver to a screw it never actually touched. I have seen this many times. It's less of a concern now, because most components now have armor, either for cooling, or purely for cosmetics. It used to be a larger problem with computer builders when things like ram where "bare boards". But it can, and does happen every day in the electronics field. Two bits of advice here:

#1. An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.

#2. Once you let the magic smoke out, it's really hard to put it back in.

Everyone again, please note: This is not a discussion of whether or not static electricity WILL OR WILL NOT kill devices. Its a discussion about getting a video made where they see how hard it is TO KILL devices with static electricity. Sigh...