Static charge accumulation on your PC, what should you do next?
Static charge accumulation on your PC, what should you do next?
Yeah very possibly, I used laminated wood and had a desk carpet but ended up removing that to test for sure. So I agree with you about the PC possibly charging me. Although when I touch the side of the case I get discharged, but not when I touch the front. Not sure if it's just because the front panel is plastic while the rest is metal. Now the question is, how can I determine if the issue is with the PC itself and where the charge is coming from? Would it be limited to the PSU or are there other factors involved?
See my edit. I meant to say that it is almost certainly NOT the PC.
The reason why touching the from of the case is not discharging your static electricity buildup is because it is not grounded. All of the chassis that is grounded via the PSU will cause a discharge of static electricity. The contact between the CPU cooler block and the RAM could cause a small short but it would depend on what is touching more specifically. Either way a computer that is shorting out will not cause static electricity build up unless physical contact to build that electricity is made.
This seems to be a significant grounding problem with the electrical system. When the electrician was present, did he install any new outlets or simply replace existing ones? Are you certain that wiring was installed for any connections? There is a technique used in older systems where the ground can be isolated from a circuit by running one of the legs across the ground. This method, known as "bonding the ground," is extremely risky and can lead to appliances lacking a proper path to ground during small electrical discharges. Most major appliances and computers are also grounded to the frame or chassis for safety. If this issue occurred at the time the electrician worked, I believe this is what happened. You can purchase a tester from local stores like Lowes or Home Depot to check all three circuits on the same circuit.
An update on this. An electrician checked everything and confirmed it was properly grounded. Insulation tests also passed. Current levels on the PSU were normal. This time all my PC components were disconnected and showed no discharge when touched. I believe a buildup might have formed previously. Could it be related to my PC? Specifically, is there any possibility of the PSU leaking? It seems like repeated sudden shutdowns over the past year could have caused some damage. Any thoughts on this?
I wonder what has changed in that situation then, I can't think of anything that's causing me to get charged up. I got my chair replaced (herman miller x logitech embody) around the same time but that wouldn't charge me would it? Other than that, I have an M-Audio track solo that I bought recently too, but as far as I know, that can't cause static charge either. I'm more puzzled than before, lol.
EDIT: I've just stood up at my desk instead of using my chair, and I don't seem to be getting static shocks... I'm in disbelief it could be my chair, but searching online it seems like an issue... Who would've thought that it could be the chair all along?