PC Processors

[peterq94]

Dear AMD team,

I read your article how can I protect components from ESD (here is link: Processor Handling Guidance | AMD ) but I have some questions.

I will build my PC at home and I have not wrist strap and anti-static mat so how huge is risk to damage components? Do you advise me some tricks and tips?

Secondly I can buy wrist strap without anti-static mat because wrist strap is cheap but anti-static mat is expensive in my country (I am from Poland) so how I can grounding myself and components? I know that I can do this by case but my case is painted so I have no idea how can I grounding? If I attach crocodile clip from wrist strap to wall outlet without any device it is risky?

I don't want damage new components so can you tell me what I must buy to build my pc at home?

Thanks for your time and sorry for my english. This is my first post so if I did some wrong I am sorry.

[elstaci]

If you don't have a Anti-Static wrist band, then while building your PC, you can touch something that is grounded as you build the PC. This will discharge any static electricity in your body and can build your PC safely.

Also when handling PCIe  or any card that you will be installing avoid touching the contacts.

Here is an excellent article with photos of how to ground yourself to avoid ESD:  How to Ground Yourself to Avoid Destroying a Computer with Electrostatic Discharge 

[peterq94]

This article is strange because is written that I can grounding myself by the case but case is not grounding when I have not installed PSU. PSU is grounding but must be plugged to wall outlet. In this article doesn't written about it. Am I right?

I can't grounding myself by the case because all parts of my gaming case are painted so I must grounding myself in different way.

Thank you for help. Any other advices?

[elstaci]

Yes, you are correct about the PSU.

According to this Reddit concerning ESD, You should install the PSU and plug it in without turning it on. This will ground the Computer case. https://www.reddit.com/r/buildapc/comments/7balpv/a_guide_to_electrostatic_discharge_in_building_a/ 

If your Computer case is totally painted. You can always scratch a small patch off some of the painting exposing the metal case in a spot that is not too noticeable too much. Maybe behind where the PSU will be installed or underneath the computer case the part that will be facing the floor.

Or you can touch some exposed metal pipes like water pipes before building your PC. just keep touching the metal pipes every once in awhile to get rid of any ESD in your body from the last time your touched the metal pipe.

You can run a grounding wire from a grounded metal pipe to the exposed metal of your computer case thus grounding  the case if you don't want to install the PSU first. Or you can use the grounded wire itself to get rid of any ESD in your body.

[peterq94]

If I had non painted case this will be helpful but my PSU (Seasonic Focus Plus Gold 550W) is also painted and if I scratch a small patch off of PSU I lose my warranty so I can't do this. This PSU has 10-years warranty so I can't do this for 9 years

I wanted buy antistatic wrist strap and grounding myself with screw which mounted PSU to the case (I have steel screw from my old case) but if I do this I grounding myself but computer components will be not grounding (case and PSU are painted so they don't be conductive and motherboard standoffs will be not grounded). I don't know what to do.

Sorry for my english I hope that you understand

[elstaci]

That is strange about your computer case. But if you install the PSU. The screws you use to tighten down the PSU should be making contact with the Computer metal case thus you can use a wrist band to any PSU screw or computer case to ground yourself.

besides, I was talking about scratching a small patch on your COMPUTER CASE not the PSU.

I wouldn't worry too much about ESD. I have built several computers and repaired them myself without using a wrist band. I just touch something that was grounded and continued working on my computer. Never had a episode where a electronic part was damaged.

Unless you live in a environment the produces a lot of ESD in your house, it not a huge concern.

Put your computer case on a table close to the kitchen or any part of your house where you can touch grounded metal like water pipes (beneath the kitchen sink) or grounded electrical outlet ( bare screw) or electrical conduit (metal pipe).

Then simply touch the bare metal for a couple of seconds and start working on building your computer.

[elstaci]

once you install the PSU and plug it in to a grounded wall outlet. You can scratch a very small patch on the COMPUTER CASE and use a Ohm/Multi Meter to see if the computer case is grounded.

If it is and should be if the PSU is plugged into a grounded Wall outlet. Then you can use the wrist band by connecting it to the small patch your scratched off on the computer case.

Otherwise you just going to need to be close to a grounded metal in your house to touch before working on your computer.

[peterq94]

What is strange about my computer case? I have SilentiumPC Aquarius X70W (you can use google to look) and all parts are painted so I must scratch off some paint or build without grounding.

If i would like to build my PC with professional ESD precautions I must buy ESD mat and ESD wrist strap and grounding to the wall outlet but I don't know how I can grounding to wall outlet? Should I buy earth bonding point adapter? Can I plug directly to wall outlet without any devices (adapters)?

[elstaci]

I don't really believe you need take professional ESD precautions. Just a Grounding Wrist Band is perfectly good or touching a grounded metal source.

I see the entire computer case is coated black including the screws.  By the way, very nice Computer case.

I would suggest to open a SilentiumPC Support ticket via email and find out if the black coating conducts electricity or it is Non-conductive. If not ask them how you can ground yourself to the computer case. Manuals : SilentiumPC 

I believe you are overstating the hazards of ESD. It is a problem, especially if you live in an environment where you build up lots of Static Electricity on your body. But once you touch a grounded metal source, all the Static Electricity will discharge from your body into ground.

Plus avoid touching any contacts on the electronic hardware and hold everything by the edges. You should have no problems. Simply touch the water or electric pipe to get rid of any static electricity before building your computer.

But first I would email SilentiumPC Support and see what they suggest to alleviate your fears of ESD.

NOTE: Try this. Install your PSU in the computer case and plug it in to a grounded wall outlet (turned off of course). Then take a cheap Ohmmeter and check to see if the computer case is grounded anywhere. If not make a tiny scratch on the edge or lip where the side panel goes and see if it shows it is grounded.

[elstaci]

This Thread explains about a similar problem where the computer case and screws are all coated. They recommend the same suggestion I gave you. Scratch a tiny area to expose metal and check with a cheap tester (ohmmeter or multimeter) for proper ground with the PSU installed and plugged in a grounded Wall Outlet (Three prongs on electrical cable. The third prong is Ground). Case grounding problem? - Ars Technica OpenForum 

[peterq94]

I wrote to SilentiumPC and they answered that if I try grounded by painted case this is can be worse. Electrostatic can grow up. They wrote more but my english is not good so I can't write more in this post (they answered in my family language - polish).

[elstaci]

great, then follow whatever suggestion they gave you.

[peterq94]

My problem is still current because they explained me why I can't grounding by painted case but they didn't explain how I can grounding so this topic is open

I think that I will not trying grounding by the case...

[elstaci]

Did you mention if the PSU would ground the case if installed and plugged in a grounded wall outlet?

Look, the easiest thing to do is touch a water pipe or something metallic that is grounded for a couple of seconds then install the motherboard in your computer. Then again touch the grounded metallic part (water pipe, electrical conduit, etc) and keep on building your PC.

You shouldn't build up any type of ES in your body from the time you grounded yourself to the time you came to your PC and started building it. Unless it is a long distance walking on carpet or some other ES producing surface.

Or go to the Hardware store and purchase about 10-20 feet of 12 gauge copper wire. Remove the rubber coating for about 12-15 inches at one end and wrap it around a water pipe (Kitchen faucet cold water intake pipe) making good contact with the metal pipe. Then take the other end and remove about 6 inches of rubber coating and hold the exposed copper end for a couple of seconds and then start building your PC.

Here is an even better and simple way to use a old PSU power cable to ground yourself while working on the PC: How to Make a Grounding Cable to Prevent ESD | GamersNexus - Gaming PC Builds & Hardware Benchmarks 

Take the plug end of the power cable and remove or bend it completely sideways the two hot prongs (square end prongs and might have a hole in each) and then use electrical tape over the broken prongs (if they broke while bending sideways)  to prevent power being sent through the cable when the modified plug is plugged into a grounded wall outlet. At the other end, cut off the part that plugs in to the PSU and remove about 3 inches of rubber coating. Snip off the Black and White wires and leave the green wire (ground wire) extended out. Remove about an inch of rubber coating from the green wire and use that to remove static electricity from your body by holding the expose green copper end for a couple of seconds.

The link gives visual aids and more specific instructions on how to do the above.

That is the simplest and cheapest way to avoid ES Discharge.

In POLISH:

Czy wspomniałeś, czy zasilacz uziemia obudowę, jeśli jest zainstalowany i podłączony do uziemionego gniazda ściennego?

Spójrz, najłatwiejszą rzeczą jest dotknięcie fajki wodnej lub czegoś metalicznego, które jest uziemione przez kilka sekund, a następnie zainstalowanie płyty głównej w komputerze. Następnie ponownie dotknij uziemionej części metalowej (rury wodnej, przewodu elektrycznego itp.) I kontynuuj budowę komputera.

Nie powinieneś budować żadnego typu ES w swoim ciele od momentu, w którym uznałeś, że dotarłeś do komputera i zacząłeś go budować. Chyba, że chodzi o długodystansowe chodzenie po dywanie lub na innej powierzchni produkującej ES.

Lub przejdź do sklepu ze sprzętem i kup około 10-20 stóp przewodu miedzianego o rozmiarze 12 metrów. Usuń gumową powłokę na około 12-15 cali na jednym końcu i owinąć ją wokół rury wodnej (rura wlotowa zimnej wody z kranu kuchennego), co ma dobry kontakt z metalową rurą. Następnie weź drugi koniec i zdejmij około 6 cali gumowej powłoki i przytrzymaj odsłonięty koniec miedzi na kilka sekund, a następnie zacznij budować komputer.

Oto jeszcze lepszy i łatwiejszy sposób użycia starego kabla zasilającego zasilacza do uziemienia podczas pracy na komputerze: Jak wykonać przewód uziemiający, aby zapobiec wyładowaniom elektrostatycznym | GamersNexus - Kompilacja komputerów PC i testy sprzętu

Weź wtyczkę kabla zasilającego i wyjmij lub zgnij go całkowicie na boki z dwoma gorącymi bolcami (kwadratowymi końcówkami i może mieć otwór w każdym), a następnie użyj taśmy elektrycznej na złamanych zębach (jeśli pękły podczas zginania w bok), aby zapobiec zasilanie przesyłane przez kabel, gdy zmodyfikowana wtyczka jest podłączona do uziemionego gniazdka ściennego. Na drugim końcu odetnij część podłączoną do zasilacza i usuń gumową powłokę o grubości około 3 cali. Odetnij czarno-białe przewody i pozostaw zielony przewód (przewód uziemiający) wyciągnięty. Usuń około 2 cm gumowej powłoki z zielonego drutu i użyj go, aby usunąć elektryczność statyczną z ciała, trzymając zielony koniec miedzianej ekspozycji przez kilka sekund.

Link daje wizualne pomoce i bardziej szczegółowe instrukcje, jak to zrobić powyżej.

To najprostszy i najtańszy sposób na uniknięcie ES Discharge.

[peterq94]

Yes, I asked SilentiumPC and I informed that I will use PSU. My english is not the best but I try translate my question: "I would like to ground myself  by the case and using Power Supply (PSU) and avoid electrostatic discharge. I think that problem is paint of this case which can isolate and doesn't support grounding . I would to ask you something about paint. Is it conductive or non-conductive?"

They answered but I don't know how I can translate this. They said about electrical breakdown and that electrostatic can grow up .

[peterq94]

Dear AMD Community,

My question is back because in next year i will build new PC. I know that the best option is to have ESD mat and anti-static wrist strap but we can't test ESD mat without recommended devices but this devices are too expensive. I can buy ESD wrist strap and I want to grounding by PSU but I don't know anything about personal safety. Is this safe? Can I die if i attach crocodile clip from wrist strap to the case of PSU? I have wall outlet with three cables (European Union wall oultlet).

Thanks for your help. Maybe some user from AMD official team can help me?

[peterq94]

I wrote to PSU manufacturers and now I know that paint of PSU is non conductive so we can't grounding by this.