I have this routine I use to discharge my static electricity before turning on computer. I touch the ceiling fan metal pull chain, then I touch the metal chair leg of a card table. Then I turn on my PC.

That ceiling fan chain shocks pretty bad when I touch it. Am I causing any slow damage to the electric ceiling fan motor. Sorry, I am electrically illiterate.

 

If I were you, I'd touch the metallic side of the PC, which will then ground through the metal housing of the power supply instead, without conducting through any circuitry. You need to come into equilibrium with the computer, not the chair or the ceiling fan.

 

Hi blues,
Not to the motor itself, but any electronics that experiences a spike from that discharge could well be deteriorating. If you created a larger spark, we all have somewhere, and see the black spot, that is once. Keep doing that over and over and the damage increases. Same happens on a microscopic scale inside circuits when zapped. Ideally those circuits would have some protection designed in, sometimes yes and sometimes no.

But what happens when you forget and zap your computer? The message that jolt is delivering is to find a permanent solution. Most commercial carpeting is available in anti-static. When that is lacking, they make an anti-static spray, basically a mineral water that allows the carpet to conduct very slightly. The trick is to give it a place to conduct to. Many stories, which I will put on a web site some day, about the strange solutions that I have encountered.

Since the computer and related electronics is the primary collection to protect, use the spray on a hand cloth and wipe everything down, don't spray the electronics. Then wipe down the surfaces the electronics is sitting on. Follow this process along all electrical cords to the wall plates, unplug first and no water near the outlets. Everything electronic should have a clean path back to the earth ground. Wiping things down should be good enough, not wet.

If you have carpeting, there you can use the spray.

If you have a UPS or other surge protection, be sure to include those areas and the communication equipment. The other electrical shock that can do a lot more damage is mother nature and a bolt of lightning. This helps, but that is a bigger issue and another thread.

Bud

 

Thanks for the advice. I use a good quality surge protector for all my electronics. I'm not too comfortable bleeding off static by touching computer case, But others do it, so I guess it's ok. It's black painted. I'm a little uncertain about where to touch computer case........should I touch somewhere on metallic silver rear where connections are?

I have a couple small oriental rugs around my work station that I will relocate. This should give me a small concrete perimeter around the PC area.

One guy says he touches wall outlet plate screws to bleed off ESD.

 

The hanging chain of your fan, the unpainted parts of your computer case, and the screw on the plate of a grounded receptacle is all connected to the same ground of your home wiring. Any of those will work.