Is this safe?

daftVader · 14 Apr 2006 at 16:04

Ok so I'm in the process of setting up watercooling. I've installed the water block on the gpu, and reinstalled my X-Fi card in the pci slot underneath the graphics card. The thing is, there is a big capacitor on top of the X-Fi card and it just touches the metal support brace on the underside of the graphics card.

Am i right in thinking this is bad?

RobH · 14 Apr 2006 at 16:16

Not really, unless it's actually putting pressure on it. As long as it's only the bracket touching it and it is "touching" it and not forced againt it there shouldn't be too much cause for concern. There is no current going through the casing of the capacitor to cause a short.

daftVader · 14 Apr 2006 at 16:22

There's no pressure on it as such, but it is definitely touching.

I thought it was possible to get a shock from touching a capacitor? That would imply that it is capable of discharging its stored energy through it's casing, or am I way off the mark on that one?

RobH · 14 Apr 2006 at 16:40

You shouldn't get a shock from touching it's casing, or dischare it. The warning you hear about when opeing power supplies, TV's etc with big capacitors in them is not that you will get shocked from the casing, it's because if you touch the tracks on the PCB there is a high chance you'll touch one connected to the capacitor and discharge it.

If your really concerned, put a piece of insulating tape (or sellotape if you have none) on the metal part touching the capacitor.