Hardware static electricity question
Rufus Coppertop
Posts: 174
Forgive my naivete.
I'm assembling a new, way better computer using an older case which has a standoff screw for the motherboard broken and the screwy bit is still in the hole.
My question is - if I use a drill or a dremel to dig out the Bad Screw, will that create static electricity that might ruin the power unit and/or fans that are already in situ?
Or - given that every other standoff is fine - that's 8 out of 9 and given that the Bad Screw is top right, should I just install the motherboard and not worry about trying to replace the broken standoff?
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Comments
It looks like the broken screww/standoff is at a corner.
I would not worry to much about getting the old broken screw out.
But I would think about moving the standoff to a mid point on the case.
you could try changing the stand off screw. if you dont have one ask at computer shop, they may give you one or sell you a pack, they are cheap.
There's no easy way to get the remains of the old standoff screw out. It's flush with the edges of its hole on both sides.
The other eight standoff screws are fine. I think I'll just put the motherboard in with eight.
Yeah, I'd be upset if I broke a screw, but on a motherboard, it's not a show stopper. If there is another possible mounting hole and you have a proper length standoff, then that would work. However, only use motherboard holes properly designed for supports, don't make any new ones! Also, make sure that the broken screw doesn't present any possiblility of shorting anything on the motherboard.
But losing one support is OK if you don't have super heavy cards, or a lot of tension on power & data cables, or use your computer case to beat rugs with, or use it as a wreaking ball.
Regarding super heavy cards. Some of these super big modern graphic cards pull down on the motherboard's socket, so a simple support stick or mounting bracket keeps them from drooping.
Have fun building.
If you were thinking of drilling/dremelling with the parts in place (which I assume you were, given your concern about static) my concern would be bits of swarf getting somewhere they could cause a short.
Different mounting holes are used for different motherboards, check which ones your new motherboard is meant to use.
I'd definitely be concerned about grinding particles getting all over the place... I'm not sure what I'm looking at in the photo, I'm guessing the photo is looking through the open case (or there's a tiny fancy dining room inside the computer)... but if it's got eight good standoffs it's probably good enough.
Is it the kind of standoff that is two pieces?... like the main standoff part has a screw that comes through from the other side of the mounting surface and threads into it like a nut?... or is the remaining part of the screw going through the housing press fit?
I'm asking because usually if a nut type standoff breaks, there is usually nothing preventing the screw part from falling out... like if the threaded part snaps off in the stand-off, both parts become free... so what is holding the screw in place? (It's not clear in the photo)
If whatever is holding the screw there is made of brass, you could probably nibble it away with a small robustly made pair of wire cutters/dikes... if there is room... but that's probably problematic in its own way.
I'd be obsessed with removing that damn screw, but I'm easily obsessed by stuff and tend to go to extraordinary lengths over non-critical issues... like I could seriously see me taking a tungsten point and making compass scribe to slowly scribe away a hole from the outside, slightly larger than the screw until it could be pushed out, then deburring the hole and replacing the stand-off with one of the millions I've cannibalized from other equipment, only to find nothing I have is actually the right size (because it never is) and then basically reshaping and or rethreading something "close" to the appropriate dimensions... in a totally not OCD manner.
I'd leave the broken screw alone and installl using the eight remaining ones.
Assemble as many components onto the board as you can while the board is outside the case.
That way you won't have to put undue pressure on the unsupported part of the board while pushing in ram or attaching a cpu cooler.
It can be easier to attach cables to the board before screwing it down as well, especially the cpu power cable, top left usually.
Personally, I would not put a Dremel anywhere near my computer. ESD is usually caused by triboelectric charge between dissimilar materials, but at the RPMs that a Dremel operates at, who knows.
The risk you are taking is probably not worth the cost of a new case. And if you are going to be messing with components, please use an ESD wrist strap connected to ground that you have ensured is properly wired with a ground tester.
As components get smaller, denser, and operate at lower voltages, they become increasingly sensitive to ESD. The voltage that can destroy a component outright (if you are lucky) can be as low as 100V, but humans do not feel or perceive in any way shocks less than 2000-4000V. You could fry a component and not even know it.
And I say "if you are lucky" because what usally happens is called the "walking dead" because the component will continue to function for the time being, but it will have a reduced service life before it fails outright, or it will behave flakily, and fail in intermitent and extremely difficult to diagnose ways.
If you haven't experienced frying a component, lucky you. I once fried a Jetson TK-1 board that I waited for on a waiting list for 6 months. For a nerd, that is about the worst feeling one can feel.
Friend, just get a new case.
why doesn't this work? Static can casue devestation to components. I've seen microscope photos where it looks like a bomb went off inside those IC chips and stuff.
I should have shown more..........not only is there a tiny, fancy dining room inside the computer but there's a harpsichord and an abrams tank.
Thanks to everyone for thoughtful replies.
I'm going to install carefully and accept one missing standoff.
superglue
or 2 part expoxy resin
McGyver loves those who use it to mount their powerboards to the wall
Remove the PSU and Dremmel away. This is assuming no motherboard, CPU or other accessories are installed. If they are, then pull them. When you are done > ground the panel to be sure there is no static, clean up everything good with compressed air and then install your components. If you have an open water loop going or something crazy we can't see, then anchor something non-conductive between the motherboard and panel (securely) to keep the space between.
I would not install a motherboard with a broken standoff absent a good workaround.
Well, yes I could. Easily. The only thing installed in the case right now is the PSU and some fans. I can take out the PSU easily. And I have one of those electric hurricanes for blowing dust and such away.
You should be ok then. Don't worry about the static - just ground yourself and the panel before putting the mainboard in. If you want to take more precautions vs static while you build, ground yourself each time before touching the primary components. And avoid pacing accross carpet between components.
What type of upgrade are you doing?
I've got an old Antec case here that only has 6 standoffs that fit an ATX board, the right side is unsupported. Used it for years without issue with various parts in, just have to mindful of bending the board doing upgrades.
I'll also cheerfully take a dremel or power tools to a case if things don't quite fit or if I need holes for watercooling stuff or want to open up the fan mounts. Just use some common sense and give it a good blast out with the air duster afterwards.
Depending on the age and design of your case it could be a good idea to upgrade to something with a more modern approach to cooling. Newer parts run hotter and a case where you can get air in and out can make a big difference to temps.
Disclaimer: TMI/TLDR (D="Don't)
It's actually Hot Glue that I'm traumatized by... Epoxy and CA are two of my favorite adhesives, Superglue (AKA cyanoacrylate or "CA") is a great material to bond and repair stuff with if you have the right formula for the job... the one most people are familiar with is way too thin (viscosity-wise) and often makes more of a mess and glues people to their projects more often than not...
There is a medium viscosity formula from Pacer Technologies called Zap-A-Gap CA+ that I'm most fond of... it's about the viscosity of warm corn syrup and is good for the most diverse situations... there are also CA "gels", which are great for situations where there is a small broken part with shards or bits missing or where you might intentionally want to create a fillet around something like a mounting boss that's snapped off a housing (though in most situations, the housing is probably something that can be glued with a solvent based glue more effectively, on materials like ABS or Polycarbonate)... There are even CAs that can glue sensitive plastics, ones designed for human tissue (specifically nontoxic) and flexible materials like Lexan... there are also "accelerators" or "kickers" to create instant catalyzation of CAs, but they often change the properties of the CA and make it brittle... which is one of minuses of CAs- most formulas are ridged when cured, so if it's glued to something like acrylic, the bond is brilliant, but not so much if it's gluing a thin wall section of Styrene that gets a lot of stress.
Epoxies are also great because there are literally hundreds of formulas and viscosities... from regular (honey-like viscosity) to pastes, putties and clays that can cure underwater, be exposed to high heat, seal steel pipes, ones that can be used in zero gravity, bond PVC under reasonable pressure, ones that are reinforced with steel, are for encapsulation, are medical grade, contain cooper or aluminum particles, that are "optically clear", are specifically for different woods... etc... the list is insanely long... I love the material because if you make stuff, you can probably find an epoxy that'll fit the oddest requirements.
Hot glue on the other hand is criminally abused by the general public... I can't begin to tell how many things people have brought me to fix that are befouled by that stuff... half the time it'll just peel off, but the rest it's a nightmare to remove... and for some reason Hot Glue doesn't have to be so crappy... for ordinary consumers there appears to be only one formula available... those translucent whitish ones intended for paper and crafts... but from an industrial standpoint there are dozens of types... there are formulas you can even repair aircraft with (not like glue a wing or an engine nacelle back on... I'm sure a few "budget" airlines may have tried, but stuff more like rivet patches or gaskets)... lots of stuff like trim panels and rub strips on cars is actually hot glued on... there are formulas for dozens of specific bonding situations like wood to metal, metal to metal, plastic to wood, plastic to metal, waterproof formulas, weatherproof formulas... but no, the general population only gets one craptastic formula... that crud they sell everywhere... ugh... it should have a warning on the package saying "For paper and cardboard only! If you intend to use this for any other application- Back The Hell Off!"
You can thoughtfully use it for other purposes/repairs... but most people just chose it to defile stuff with.