Static electricity is the enemy of electronic components in a computer. Here’s how to get rid of it.
If you are building your own PC, you will find that most of the different components (motherboard, memory, disks) are packaged in special plastic bags. These bags are intended to protect electronic components from static electricity that you may have collected by friction. This happens, for example, when you walk on a mat with rubber soles. Electrons pass from the mat to the soles and you are then negatively charged. And if you touch an object, it can cause an often unpleasant electric shock. To combat static electricity:
- Leave items in their protective bags until you need them.
- When mounting components on the motherboard, place it on its protective bag to insulate it electrically.
- Save protective pouches for storage of other components.
- Avoid rubber soles for your shoes. If you have the possibility, use leather soles because this material is not very conductive.
- Before working, touch an appliance or object that will discharge your static electricity, such as a radiator or a metal water inlet pipe. This is not very pleasant, but you will be guaranteed not to damage the components of your computer.
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