Why do you need to earth yourself or put on whatever gadgets when you install a hardware on the PC?

Question

I did a few installations on my PC such as graphic cards, TV tuner, etc and nothing happened to me. Of course, I switched everything off and plug out the main switch. I notice you also need to do this when repairing handphones.

Let me try to rephrase in another way, what are the consequences of not having to ground yourself. Electrocution? Electric shock? Damage to equipments?

Answer 1

ohhhh, ground yourself. Took me a minute to understand the question. Anyways, do enough pc repairs without grounding yourself and you will see it is very necessary. Static charges build up on you and can discharge on sensitive equipment.

Answer 2

YOu did good. Turn off, unplug - Standard Operating Procedure. However, If you want to take added measures, you can get a wrist strap which attaches to a ground spot will ground you.

"ground" in this instance means a connection between an electrical device and a large conducting body, such as the earth (which is taken to be at zero voltage) You "connect to a ground" or "ground the electrical connections for safety reasons". You can ground your body by connecting a conductive strip from your body to the 'ground' point (such as a metal pipe or plumbing which goes into the earth.)

Answer 3

The grounding or earthing is required to protect delicate electronics. Most digital circuits run at less than 20 volts and you don't even feel a static discharge until it is thousands of volts. This is easily enough to fry the electronics. The grounding strap protects the circuits from that discharge. It does not always happen and many times when it does you don't even know it since you couldn't feel it.

Answer 4

I would leave it plugged in but turned off and touch the case before touching anything else or after I had walked away and come back, to discharge any electric charge that might hurt the computer parts I am installing.

a teacher told me that if you dont do this:
even if it doesnt ruin the parts immediately, it might shorten their life alot.
so it is definitely worth doing
especially if touching the CPU

Answer 5

When you move you generate static electricity. Modern computer and electronic components are very sensitive to static discharge and if you send this charge from your body you damage the components. The earth strap akes the charge from ur body so that it cannot harm the component!!!

Answer 6

You need to "Ground" yourself with a wrist strap to discharge the static electricity that can build up on your body. The static can cause a short in your computer and ruin it.