Where can I find a grounded electrical appliance in my room?

[Juha Kettunen]

Hi

I live in England, and I just got all the parts to assemble my own
computer. This is the day I have been waiting for a long time! This is my
first REAL (I mean real ) computer and I am allready 33 y old. So you can
only imagine, how happy I am to get it! And the comp is also powerfull: 2500
barton+500mb mem + 120 g hdd ... that is surely powerfull - I cant wait to
see how fast it is! But first I need to assemble it.

So, the instractions says that I need to use anti-static wrist strap (I have
one). I need to clipp it to a grounded electrical appliance. The only
problem is, that I don't know where can I found one. OR some other grounded
thing (radiator?). Does somebody know how these things are in England? How
about my (medal) stereos?

 

[Proto]

Hi

I live in England, and I just got all the parts to assemble my own
computer. This is the day I have been waiting for a long time! This is my
first REAL (I mean real ) computer and I am allready 33 y old. So you can
only imagine, how happy I am to get it! And the comp is also powerfull: 2500
barton+500mb mem + 120 g hdd ... that is surely powerfull - I cant wait to
see how fast it is! But first I need to assemble it.

So, the instractions says that I need to use anti-static wrist strap (I have
one). I need to clipp it to a grounded electrical appliance. The only
problem is, that I don't know where can I found one. OR some other grounded
thing (radiator?). Does somebody know how these things are in England? How
about my (medal) stereos?

Is there a screw that holds a plastic faceplace an AC outlet? That would
be a ground. Any device that has connection to any ground wire of the
electric current or a water pipe or you could drive a six foot length of
copper into the ground or you could attach youself to a lightning rod. THAT
would be grounded for sure

Proto

 

[Juha Kettunen]

Is there a screw that holds a plastic faceplace an AC outlet? That would
be a ground.

Yes, every outlets have 2 screws on it (I have normal English AC outlets).
ok, so your advice is the same as they gave on a website: "A very good
alternative is to plug your wrist strap right into the ground receptacle of
a wall socket ..".

 

[Juha Kettunen]

Then only problem is that my anti-static wrist strap is not very easy to
attach to a screws ... maybe using tape...

 

[Juha Kettunen]

Many articles seem to advice that : "It has a wire attached to it with an
alligator clip on the end to connect to your (PC-) case ". (Means to a metal
part of PC).

So is this adequate? It would be easiest for me.

 

[Graham]

I'd just attach it to the case of the PC I was building. Plug the
cable from the mains into the PSU but leave it switched off at the
wall socket. You have then got a very effective earth (usually less
than 0.5 Ohm in the UK)
Although I must admit I never use a strap myself as usually I touch
the case as I handle the pieces and then only by the edges.

regards
Graham

 

[kony]

Many articles seem to advice that : "It has a wire attached to it with an
alligator clip on the end to connect to your (PC-) case ". (Means to a metal
part of PC).

So is this adequate? It would be easiest for me.

It is adequate only if the power supply is installed in the case and
it's plugged into the outlet. If the power supply isn't installed in
the case yet you might still plug it into the AC outlet and attach the
alligator clip to an exterior metal part on the power supply, like the
fan grill or mounting bracket, whatever.


Dave

 

[Juha Kettunen]

ok thanks. I undestand ... I think I will use this method. Just starding to
assemble - hope all best for me , please (I have never done this before
and I am not a kind of professional - far from that..).

 

[Juha Kettunen]

It is adequate only if the power supply is installed in the case and
it's plugged into the outlet. If the power supply isn't installed in
the case yet you might still plug it into the AC outlet and attach the
alligator clip to an exterior metal part on the power supply, like the
fan grill or mounting bracket, whatever.

PSU is allready in the case ...

 

[kony]

OD NOT PLUG PS INTO THE WALL!!!!!!!!!! IF ITS atx IT WILL FRY EVERYTHING
YOU PUT IN. UNSCREW THE SCREW ON THE OUTLET A LITTLE SO THAT THE CLIP CAN
ATTACH TO IT SAFEST WAY

No, it won't fry everything.
I didn't tell him to plug it into the motherboard, and THAT he should
not do. I should've made that more clear perhaps...

The power supply can be plugged into the wall AC outlet to provide
ground, but it should not be plugged into the motherboard until after
the assembly is finished and the power supply is unplugged from AC.



Dave

 

[Pen]

He's in England, where the outlets have on/off switches.

 

[Pen]

Yes. That's the point the ground is connected, but the power is
removed from the computer. Modern power supplies are not
totally turned off by the front of the computer on off switch as
there is a standby voltage being generated.

 

[V W Wall]

yes. I am still a little bit confused about all of this ... Now there is
1) on/off swich on the wall
2) on/off power swich on the computer (PSU).
3) and then I can unplug the power cord from the wall socket

So do I get the same result is I do anyone of those: 1)-3) - if the effect
the same?

The on/off switches do not interrupt the ground wire, as does, (obviously),
unplugging the power cord.

I know one tech who made up a power cord with only the ground conductor.
(opened circuited the other two wires) This provides a ground to the
computer case, with no chance of power being inadvertly applied.

May be too much effort for one-time use. Connecting the anti-static
strap to an ungrouded case is probably OK.

Virg Wall