ways to ground myself while installing RAM

Besides Rubber Gloves and those wrist things, what are other ways i can ground myself while installing RAM on my 1520? I read about touching unpainted metal parts, but where would such things on my mostly plastic 1520? Also will Latex gloves work? thanks!

 

Don't do it on carpet, and *you* touch a piece of grounded metal before you start.

 

so hardwood floor would be ok? what about latex gloves? will they work?

 

I've installed hundreds of sticks of RAM, and never have I once fried anything. You don't need latex gloves, you don't even need a ground strip.

 

Just touch a Radiator pipe in your house if your that worried, but honestly you'll be fine, just dont rub it up and down a carpet or something

 

Dam, I really should follow some of that advice. I do everything either on the floor or the table (carpet under both), at least I ground myself before doing it. Meh, I haven't fried a part yet.

 

I am an anti-ESD (Electro Static Discharge) fanatic!

I use a grounding pad on a wooden table to lay the computer on, and split the ground from the pad terminal to the computer ground and to my grounding wrist strap, all while standing on an anti-static surface.

No ESD here my friends!

 

yeah, just touch something metal and you are good to go. If you do manage to rub your feet up and down the carpet, touch the doorknob b4 you touch your RAM

 

Let me clarify for Blitz, the grounded metal you touch is not on your notebook. It's done to remove (discharge) any electrical charge your body may have. The idea, and it does work, is you will not build up enough new charge fast enough to discharge again. I would not hesitate to do on carpet I would just touch the metal more frequently say every new time I handle. Oh and don't rub you feet on the carpet to build up charge (frictional charging) like kids do when they play "shock wars" with static electricity. Winter is the most favorable time of the year for static build up, low humidity.

 

As long as you get rid of any built up static before you start working you will be fine. I usually touch my kitchen sink and have never had any problems.

If your working on a PC touching the metal frame of the case first works.

 

I dip myself in liquid latex rubber just to be safe! Make sure to remove your battery and power supply too!

 

You could run a copper grounding rod through your foot, and drive it a good 15 feet into the ground, that should do it!

 

lol, just discharge yourself on something, I have installed RAM numerous times and never had ill incident

 

http://forum.notebookreview.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=14156&stc=1&d=1200380323
DON'T BE LIKE THIS GUY! GROUND YOURSELF!!!!

 

If you have a desktop you could open that up and ground yourself to the frame. That's what I do, kind of the only thing I've used my old desktop for in the past few months.

 

Dude, its not HE Grenade ...so dont worry about spark n all....

& ...i ve changed RAM on System Hibernation also...just for the fun of it...no shocks or blasts for me.

 

Battery out, power plug removed, discharge electrical/static by touching metal before beginning. I take no chances and I do this on the basement floor or hardwood/ lenolium. Also, remember, the colder and dryer it is the better the chances for static....just don't rush it and follow those procedures and you'll be fine.I've done this a "million" times...especially with desktops. Also, make sure the ram is seated nice and tight. Whatever you do, don't do what's listed below:

 

I've never grounded myself before removing or installing RAM and I've been absolutely fine. Just make sure there isn't any residual charge left in the notebook and you'll be ok. Unplug mains, remove the battery and try to power on the notebook a few times and you should be fine. Just don't go wear a lot of nylon when messing around with computers ^^

 

I use a Faraday cage myself, can't be too careful.

 

I use lineman's boots and glooves with a maximum capacity of 24,000volts to make sure. Just kidding. The truth is, first discharge yourself to any earthed ground surface, second,make sure all posible source of power must be disconnected like ac adaptor and battery are out, and thirdly, always think that you are working on a live environment and as much as possible use only one hand at a time.

 

Hey actually i removed the power cord...but the computer was in hibernation mode... i did this on a Sony VAIO SZ

Dont scare off the kid!

 

I grounded myself by having my bare feet touch the metal frame of my bed before installing a gig of ram in my laptop and that worked fine. >.>

 

ESD is a subject which is very poorly understood, even in the electronics industry where people should know better. Spare me a few minutes and I'll clear up a few misunderstandings that'll hopefully save you an expensive repair bill one day.

First off, a few things you may already know about ESD:

- Your DRAM is designed to work off 2.5V or less. Walking across a carpet can generate voltages in the order of 5,000V or more.

- Rubbing two insulators together (eg. two layers of clothing) causes static electricity to be generated, by transferring electrons from the surface of one to the surface of the other

- Static electricity that's just sitting there on the surface of an insulator isn't doing any harm. What causes damage is when that electricity is suddenly allowed to flow from one place to another via a conductive path. At the moment the conductive path is formed, the instantaneous current can be huge, and if your SSD (Static Sensitive Device - could be a DRAM module, CPU, motherboard - anything with exposed electronic components) is in that path, it can be damaged.

- The discharge current causes a heating effect, just like when you connect the mains to an electric fire. Too much heat in a small device burns it out, it's that simple. The smaller the device - a transistor, for example - the more sensitive it will be to ESD damage.

And a few things you probably DIDN'T know:

- You DO NOT have to actually touch a Static Sensitive Device (SSD) such as a DRAM module in order to damage it. Merely passing your hand near it can be enough.

- An ESD event can be strong enough to cause damage well below the threshold where you'll feel it - so you can destroy a device without even knowing it.

- A device damaged by ESD DOES NOT necessarily stop working straight away, but its performance and lifetime can be drastically reduced. So, just because you put a machine together and it seems to work DOESN'T mean you've got away with it.

- An SSD enclosed within a conductive anti-static bag is NOT completely immune to ESD damage, because although it's protected from electric fields, it's not protected at all from magnetic fields. A spark outside the bag causes a rapidly changing magnetic field, which can induce a current in any conductor inside the bag. (Think: that's how a generator works!)

- the correct way to package an SSD is to put it within a conductive bag, and then to package that bag in a reasonable thickness of 'pink' bubble wrap or other packaging. The bag protects against electric fields, and the pink material provides enough physical space around the SSD that large magnetic fields (from sparks) can't be generated physically close enough to cause damage.

- 'pink' packaging material is coloured that way by the manufacturer to indicate that it's made so that rubbing against it doesn't produce a charge. It is NOT conductive and it does NOT protect equipment from electric or magnetic fields. It is, however, the correct material to use to package SSDs that are already enclosed in conductive bags.

- the pink colour is just an identifier. Retail boxed CPUs, for example, come in clear plastic because it looks nice, but that's OK - Intel & co know what they're doing.

Be aware, though: an awful lot of PC component vendors DO NOT know the correct way to package an SSD. If you order a component, such as a CPU or memory module, and it's not correctly packaged, you'd be within your rights to send it back - IMHO, of course

So, with all that in mind, what can you do to protect your equipment?

In order to damage a component, you need a potential difference between the component itself and the thing you're going to touch it with. No PD = no current = no damage.

So, normal practise in an electronic assembly plant is to ensure that everything is at the same potential all the time, and that means:

- everything is conductive: bench, floor, tools, lab coat, even the waste paper bin. Unnecessary insulating materials (crisp packets, coffee cups etc) are banned from assembly areas.

- everything conductive is grounded - NOT because there's anything 'magic' about ground, but that it ensures everything in the plant is at the SAME potential as everything else.

- conductive materials used still have some resistance - they're not made of good conductors like copper and aluminium, but instead they use carbon loaded rubber or plastics. This ensures that when a potential difference does exist, the current involved is small and safe. Charge leaks away relatively slowly rather than suddenly.

These basic precautions mean that everything the SSD's are likely to touch are at the same potential; no difference in potential = no current = no damage.

So, assuming you don't have all that kit, what can you do to protect your equipment?

- borrow the correct equipment! There really is no substitute for a dissipative bench mat and a wrist strap. Really! If your PC packs up in 6 months' time and you didn't use the proper equipment, you only have yourself to blame.

...but if that's simply not possible...

- on a desktop PC, DO plug it into the mains, but turn off the power at the wall - you only want the earth connection. (Disclaimer: safety, safety, safety!!! If you're not absolutely 100% sure about the implications of this, get someone else to upgrade your PC for you! I am NOT RESPONSIBLE for anything YOU CHOOSE to do with your PC, REGARDLESS of whether YOU CHOOSE to treat my comments as advice or instructions!).

- don't wear nylon or other synthetic fabrics - wear cotton instead. Or do the upgrade naked if that's your thing! But whatever you do, don't pull a sweater off over your head and THEN grab your shiny new DRAM module. All those little clicks you heard when you pulled the sweater off were ESD events - you're now charged up to 10,000 volts and your DRAM is doomed/

- touch the EARTHED bare metal case of your PC.

- touch the silver or black bag that your DRAM comes in to the bare metal case of your PC as well. There's no point in you being earthed if the SSD is charged up to 10,000V when you get it.

- The moment you first touch the SSD after opening the conductive bag is the moment at which you're most likely to damage it, because you don't know what potential it's at. Get this into your head! A proper wrist strap contains a 1MOhm resistor to limit the current that'll inevitably flow through your shiny new DRAM when you first touch it. If you had a proper wrist strap on now, you wouldn't be about to risk blowing it up. Now is the time to decide NOT to open the bag today, and to pick up a wrist strap for a few quid off Ebay.

- Remove the module from its bag and install into your PC. Try to maintain a finger or elbow in contact with the chassis of your PC at all times, it only takes a moment to 'recharge' once you let go!

- Reassemble your PC and test.

Finally, be aware that there's some scarily bad misinformation around about ESD. From this very thread:

- "It doesn't matter, I've never had a problem" - see above. You can damage a module without realising it, and the damage may not show up for months. Now you know that this 'latent damage' can occur, you'll be in a better position to put 2+2 together when your PC 'inexplicably' packs up next year.

- "Touch a metal object" - pointless. You need to ensure that you, your PC and the component you're installing are all at the same potential. If it's plugged in then your PC is at earth potential, so if you touch a metal water pipe (something which is connected to earth and, therefore, at the same potential), then that's good. But touching a door handle just makes you look stupid.

- "Latex gloves" / "rubber" - WTF?! You're not trying to protect it from some biological infection - latex is an insulator and can therefore hold a charge. It's probably the worst thing you could possibly do from an ESD point of view. (Sometimes workers in a clean room use them to avoid contamination, but that's not the problem in this case).

- "One hand in the back pocket" - is a good rule for personal safety if you're working on live equipment, because if you touch a live conductor it helps prevent current from passing through your chest. But your PC is switched off at the wall. Right answer to the wrong question. Ditto for insulating boots - workers in ESD protected areas wear conductive heel straps, and NEVER work directly on live equipment.

- "Switch on after removing the battery to discharge the equipment" - wrong again. This has nothing to do with ESD, it's to ensure that the power supply caps in the PC have drained. All you need do is wait 10 seconds after switching off and you'll be fine. This has nothing to do with static.

Hope that helps!!

Andy.

 

You sound like you have an idea of what you're talking about Andy, so I have a quick question for you: how would I ground myself properly while working on a laptop?

 

I ought to - I have a degree in electronics and work as senior hardware designer for a communications company!

You should have a dissipative bench mat and a wrist strap, both connected to earth. This kit, for example, would be fine, and a few quid very well spent IMHO.

Clip the earth lead to a convenient earthing point, such as a water pipe, and put the laptop and the part you're installing or removing on the bench mat. Clear away anything you don't need for the job, and wear the wrist strap whilst working. Don't remove new parts from their protective bags, or open the computer's case, until you've set up your ESD-safe bench and got the wrist strap on. When you're finished, put any parts you've removed in the packaging that came with the new ones, and fully reassemble the computer before removing your wrist strap.

For 'commercial grade' protection you'd need a lot more equipment - conductive chair and flooring, ioniser, conductive tools and lab coat - but with just a mat and wrist strap you're about 80% of the way there, which is the best you'll do outside of a commercial assembly plant.

 

Well I'm kinda working on a budget (aka broke student) but I have a wrist strap. Would that be enough or is the bench mat necessary?

 

It's your PC, so your call.

Many enthusiasts would say there's no need to bother, and will brag about how many times they've opened up their PCs and changed components with no apparent ill effects. In fact I'd almost be disappointed if they don't come along later to tell me how I'm wrong, and how the proper equipment is really just a luxury that's not really needed.

It's par for the course; it's not immediately obvious why ESD precautions are important. That comes with experience.

 

just touch anything metal a door knob etc.
i dont recommend wearing gloves or jumpers (friction causes electrons to transfer to your skin- when an electron discharges this is known as a spark and this is what manufacturers warn u about as it cud damage ram).

 

Jesus Christ, this is a RAM upgrade, not a surgical procedure. Open the computer, stick the RAM in, and close it. Done. If it takes you more than 5 minutes, you're doing something wrong.

 

AndyC that post just made my brain go into meltdown. But I guess that's alright.

 

I'm with you Blondie, sometimes there's such a thing as too much info, and this is one of those times for sure!

 

andy has some very good information which is highly appriciated but too much for a simple task as installing RAM.

lol lithus is right just stop worrying and start doing lol

 

Hey Blondie! If I put your brain in a meltdown do I have a shot?
All I can say is thank God I did not know all that when I changed my RAM! Good input though, Andy did take the time and effort to teach us all more than we knew (Lithus) before. I repped him, I think he deserves to be green!

 

Thanks If it saves one person the cost of a new RAM module, it'll have been worth the effort IMHO.

 

If i had read Andy's post before upgrading my RAM..the upgrade would never have taken place ...haha... Too much knowledge creates a fear greater than death. ... the reason why people would rather die than speak on stage.

 

I don't care what anybody says, I like klutchrider's advice the best:

" just discharge yourself on something"

 

When i'm upgrading the CPU I just rest my foot on the radiator.

Also when you're cleaning the laptop with the vacuum cleaner bear in mind that it can cause static as well.

 

By the time you guys get done scaring me, I won't even dare to touch my laptop anymore.

 

I must agree with you on this one, my son.

Though these folks are correct with their advice on taking precautions, of course, this is just a RAM upgrade being discussed here.

 

If it's just a RAM upgrade then I'd agree, you're probably fine.

After all, RAM isn't really necessary for the PC to work reliably anyway. There's billions of transistors in a modern RAM module, so if a few get fried chances are you'll never notice.

Even if the machine does occasionally crash, you can always blame some incompatibility or driver issue instead.

 

That's right!

 

How about ways to ground myself before a cpu upgrade, so we can have 10 more pages

 

You probably 6' bellow the ground.

 

This thread rose from the dead, I think it is time for it to ascend to heaven and sit by it's Father!

 

this question kinda made me laugh because the one time I actually used my anti-static strap, connected to the case chassis, I fried the RAM DIMM. ever since then I do what I always did, before I got the strap...lean my elbows on the chassis while installing anything, or holding the chassis with one hand while installing something. :laugh: