I'm building a new computer soon, but I'm not too sure about how to ground myself. I'll most likely be working in a room with a completely wooden floor, would sitting on the floor in there with an arm against a radiator be sufficient to keep me grounded? I'd rather not wear a grounding bracelet, and I'd rather not have the PSU plugged in. Can somebody tell me another good way to ground myself?
Grounding advice?
- Thread starter Ningamer
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Soldato
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Don't worry about it. Unless you're stupid you won't harm the components. Some general pointers for when you build a pc:
1) The outside of an antistatic bag is conductive so it can cause static damage if you're unlucky so don't place components ontop of antistatic bags
2) Plug the psu powercable in to a socket and it will ground your case if the psu is installed in it.
3) Don't touch the connectors in the socket of the mobo or touch the top of the cpu or the contact area on your heatsink.
4) Provided you don't shuffle about all over the place your body won't create enough static charge to damage anything but you can discharge any static on you by touching a radiator.
5) It'd reccomend putting the heatsink/ram on the mobo before putting it in your case. Unless the case has a removerble motherboard tray or is tiny and has a cutout so that you can acess the back of the motherboard around the socket area to put a heatsink on when it's in the case. If its a tiny case you may not be able to plug the 4/8pin mobo connector in at the top left otherwise once the heat sink is on.
6) Don't forget the 4/8pin mobo power at the top left. So many people do it and get them selves worked up. Also remember that psu's come defaulted to turned off at the back so if your pc doesn't turn on try flicking the switch at the back.
That should get you going
1) The outside of an antistatic bag is conductive so it can cause static damage if you're unlucky so don't place components ontop of antistatic bags
2) Plug the psu powercable in to a socket and it will ground your case if the psu is installed in it.
3) Don't touch the connectors in the socket of the mobo or touch the top of the cpu or the contact area on your heatsink.
4) Provided you don't shuffle about all over the place your body won't create enough static charge to damage anything but you can discharge any static on you by touching a radiator.
5) It'd reccomend putting the heatsink/ram on the mobo before putting it in your case. Unless the case has a removerble motherboard tray or is tiny and has a cutout so that you can acess the back of the motherboard around the socket area to put a heatsink on when it's in the case. If its a tiny case you may not be able to plug the 4/8pin mobo connector in at the top left otherwise once the heat sink is on.
6) Don't forget the 4/8pin mobo power at the top left. So many people do it and get them selves worked up. Also remember that psu's come defaulted to turned off at the back so if your pc doesn't turn on try flicking the switch at the back.
That should get you going
Last edited:
It's 4 or 8 pin to avoid confusion.
6 pin power connectors will be for graphics cards.
Soldato
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Eurgh, stupid error that. I'll edit it. I always forget if the second mobo power cable is 4/6 or 4/8. Spose never really bother trying to remember it as I always work it out anyway the moment I see the psu cables. Be there all day trying to get the PCIE cable into it 
Don't worry about it. Unless you're stupid you won't harm the components. Some general pointers for when you build a pc:
1) The outside of an antistatic bag is conductive so it can cause static damage if you're unlucky so don't place components ontop of antistatic bags
2) Plug the psu powercable in to a socket and it will ground your case if the psu is installed in it.
3) Don't touch the connectors in the socket of the mobo or touch the top of the cpu or the contact area on your heatsink.
4) Provided you don't shuffle about all over the place your body won't create enough static charge to damage anything but you can discharge any static on you by touching a radiator.
5) It'd reccomend putting the heatsink/ram on the mobo before putting it in your case. Unless the case has a removerble motherboard tray or is tiny and has a cutout so that you can acess the back of the motherboard around the socket area to put a heatsink on when it's in the case. If its a tiny case you may not be able to plug the 4/6pin mobo connector in at the top left otherwise once the heat sink is on.
6) Don't forget the 4/6pin mobo power at the top left. So many people do it and get them selves worked up. Also remember that psu's come defaulted to turned off at the back so if your pc doesn't turn on try flicking the switch at the back.
That should get you going
solid advice there - go by these and youll never have to worry about static
Soldato
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Apart from me putting 6 instead of 8
Soldato
- Joined
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Doesn't matter. It's grounded no matter what.
Awesome, thanks for the help! Hopefully I'll have this thing up and running by tomorrow
EDIT: One more thing, if I have the PSU plugged into the wall, does the wall socket have to be off or on?
It's still earthed if the wall socket is off.
The switch controls the live feed.
Soldato
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Sound advice being given here.
Just one tip I can give. Ground yourself however you choose (i just touch a rad or the case). I would advise putting the cpu, heatsink and ram on the mobo before you screw it in. It's not essential to do this but there is more room to work outside of the case and there maybe a bit of flex as you push the parts in on the mobo when it's on the chassis standoffs.
However before you do any of this, just take the mobo and hold it in the case so you can line up the holes on the case to the mobo's. You then add or move the standoffs accordingly. You also want to put the metal I/O plate in the back of the case before you mount the mobo to the chassis.
Good luck with the build. Any questions or problems come back to us.
Just one tip I can give. Ground yourself however you choose (i just touch a rad or the case). I would advise putting the cpu, heatsink and ram on the mobo before you screw it in. It's not essential to do this but there is more room to work outside of the case and there maybe a bit of flex as you push the parts in on the mobo when it's on the chassis standoffs.
However before you do any of this, just take the mobo and hold it in the case so you can line up the holes on the case to the mobo's. You then add or move the standoffs accordingly. You also want to put the metal I/O plate in the back of the case before you mount the mobo to the chassis.
Good luck with the build. Any questions or problems come back to us.