jayme

I was at work, doing my thing, building and testing computers. I just finished building a computer so i moved it to the "to be tested" group. I went over to fix a problem in one of the computers currently being tested. The case on the computer was a desktop case so in order to see inside the case the top panel and both side panels come off, they were already off though. So I leaned over and put my hand down on the case to get a better look at the inside of the computer to check out what was wrong with the computer and got this really strong shock, with blue static and everything. I was told that you shouldn't move a computer around on the carpet because it will generate static on the case but wouldn't what happened be even worse considering the machine was on and the whole case was connected since it was a metal case. I was expecting the machine to turn off or die but nothing happend other than me getting raped by the shock. Wierd..

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Navid

I know I shouldn't leave a computer opened on carpet to prevent any damage, but has it EVER happened?

Dameon

I jumped a little the other day when a wire for a rather large battery came loose and hit a ground. Giant spark. Audible and everything. Ah...adrenaline.

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Nebula

I've never had an experiance with getting shocked from inside the computer. I have blown devices from not grounding myself before i touch a component but thats about it. The most i've ever gotten hurt was when i was trying to get a CD drive into its slot and it didn't want to go so i jammed it in, it slipped and i cut my hand on the metal part.

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Infinite Recursion

ever have a processor start smoking when you put it in backwards? (ahh the good ole days)... live and learn

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nnxion

I'm glad I never had anything such as this. My younger brother has gotten electricity through his body -which was 110V, in the US- twice when he was 11, and recently he has gotten 220V twice in The Netherlands, he's 20 now and 1.97 meters tall (6.5 feet), so he just got a big shock and nothing bad happened. I told him to never do something like that again. I just hopes he listens to me.

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Pizentios

heh, i put a fan on backwards once (a cpu fan), fried the motherboard and everything attached to it.

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Dizzutch

shit, i have 6 machines under my desk at work, all on carpet, all open..../me grabs an ESD bracelet!

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Pizentios

meh, usally as long as they are grounded well (like from the power coard), you should be generally ok, unless you give it a really big jolt.

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DaWei

Components which are plugged in or soldered in have a lower impedance to ground so that shocks are less likely to cause damage. Many devices also have back-biased diodes or zeners that are there to short-circuit the effects of static electricity surges. There are other devices which may be externally attached and are designed to break down and conduct at potentials of various magnitudes. The time it takes them to conduct and the time it takes them to fail catastrophically (as a protective mechanism) vary widely. Their selection is part of the design process. Devices which are not in-circuit are much more susceptible to destruction by static discharges. If you don't have an ESD bracelet and mats, be sure and discharge your hands do the case before handling the device you are installing.

As an ex-Navy technician working with voltages of all kinds and magnitudes, I have been throughly shocked in many different ways. Voltages at RF frequencies tend to burn or cook the path of current flow. AC at line frequencies tends to cause the muscles to contract -- if you have hold of a wire, you're going to have trouble letting go. Better hope you just touch it. DC tends to kick like a mule. The worst I ever got was 300 VDC between the chin (resting on a radar display bezel) and my right hand (holding the screwdriver that slipped). This kicked me 10 feet backwards, where I fetched up against the bulkhead. This kind of shock leaves a little hole at the entry and exit points.

More professionals are killed by line voltage (110-120 in the US) than any other voltage, because of blase' carelessness. Hardly anyone is careless around 20,000 volts. Watch your step.

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