Whenever we poll people who want to build a PC for the reasons why they haven’t gone ahead and researched the topic more or even taken the plunge and actually built a PC, the top response is always “Safety.”
This is not without good reason. PCs run on electricity, and most of us learn from an early age that electricity is dangerous. Carelessness with electricity can kill, maim, injure, and cause a great deal of property damage. That alone might seem like a good reason why PC building should be left to the professionals. Truth is, though, that it is possible to make building a PC as safe as, if not safer than, changing a light bulb or using an extension cord.
Before looking at the tools and techniques involved in building your own PC, it is important to spend a little time looking at safety. Building your own PC is fun, and a big part of having fun is being able to carry out the build knowing that your working practices are safe.
Please read through this chapter before attempting to build a PC of your own. Okay, you’re eager to get going and a chapter all about safety doesn’t sound all that compelling, but your safety—and the safety of those around you—are of paramount importance. We don’t want to lose any of you in mid-build! Also of great importance is the safety of the PC components you have bought. A millisecond’s carelessness can cost you hundreds of dollars.
In this chapter, you will look at the dangers that face you and the PC components you will be handling. Also, you will learn how you can avoid the dangers and build a PC safely.
A Breakdown of the Dangers
The key to safety is knowledge. Knowing what the dangers are in the first place. It’s easy to understand why some people are really jazzed about the idea of building a PC but worry about the dangers (maybe you reading this right now are one of these people).
Choosing Components for Your PC
If you already are a PC owner, you probably have noticed that the back of the unit came with a few warning stickers that make proclamations of death and destruction. If you’ve ever gone as far as cracking open the case on your PC and taken a look inside (perhaps to carry out some repairs or maybe an upgrade), then you will more than likely have noticed a few more warnings with a similar theme.
You will typically find warning stickers on the PC’s power supply unit, the most dangerous part inside a PC. These warnings are there for good reason. A PC that’s plugged into the electrical supply can, without doubt, be a dangerous environment. But the main thing to realize when building a PC is that for 95% of the time, the PC being built won’t be plugged into the power supply anyway, making it safe to work inside.
But what about the other 5% of the time?
Don’t worry! This book shows you how, with care, you can make it safe to have the system plugged in and running while the case isn’t all buttoned up.
You can break down the dangers associated with building a PC into two categories:
The dangers to you and those around you
The dangers to the components that you are assembling into a PC Let’s begin by looking at the most important of these—the dangers to you!
Personal Safety
Inside a PC is a whole host of dangers awaiting you. The four big, most serious dangers are: High-voltage things Hot things Sharp things Spinning things
There are also some other miscellaneous dangers that face you too, but before we come to them let’s take a closer look at the big four.
High-Voltage Things
Without a doubt the biggest danger that you face when inside a PC is from high voltage. PCs are designed to take in voltage ranging from 110 volts to 250 volts, which is then converted into lower voltages that will be used by the motherboard, hard drives, optical drives (CD or DVD drives), and other devices, such as fans, that all live and work inside the PC.
It’s no joke or exaggeration to say that high voltage can kill. An electric shock in real life isn’t like it’s depicted in the movies where someone touches a live wire, is thrown 30 feet away and then gets up, face black, clothes smoldering but otherwise OK. According to the National Institutes of Health, some 1,000 people die in the United States each year because of electrocution. Electricity kills by stopping the heart and breathing, and it can kill instantly. If you are lucky enough to survive contact with electricity, then you are likely to suffer from burns and nerve, muscle, and tissue damage.
We’re not telling you this to scare you; on the contrary, we’re giving you the dangers straight so that you understand them and are able to know what is safe to do and what is not. Everything that we show or tell you in this book is 100% tried, tested, and safe. Follow the instructions and you’ll be OK.
If you are ever in any doubt, pause and reread the instructions. The best way to protect yourself from electrocution is to limit your exposure to electricity. Most of the time when you are working on your PC you don’t need it plugged into the electrical supply. That way, no power is going into the PC and the dangers of electrocution are eliminated. There may be times when you will want to run your PC without having the case all buttoned up. For example, you might want to check out whether all the fans inside the case are spinning properly. The best advice here is to keep your hands, head, and all hand tools out of the case. If you want to look at something, do so from a distance and use a flashlight to get a better view. Whenever a PC is plugged into the electrical supply without having the case buttoned up, remember the old adage of “look but don’t touch.”
The biggest danger from electrocution comes after a PC has been plugged into the electrical supply and is then switched off. It’s very easy to forget that it’s been on and still connected and then set about to work inside. A visual marker that the PC is connected to the power outlet can be very handy. Here are two good techniques: Tape a fluorescent bit of plastic, paper, or fabric to the power connector. You’ll find the power connector at the back of the PC. By taping something to the power connector, you have a handy visual reminder that your PC is still plugged in and live. Unplug the power socket from the back of the PC, and you make it safe again.
Equip your workplace with a hanger for the PC power cable. For this, a bent over bit of wire will do just fine. Make this a visible spot, and remember to hang the power cord on the hanger when working inside the PC (the fluorescent plastic, paper, or fabric tag makes it even easier to spot when the PC is safe!).
The following list includes additional safety tips: Let others know what you are doing. It always helps if everyone else is clear about what you are doing. This way those around you will be appreciative of the risks that you are taking and hopefully ease off any practical jokes (those “pretend” electric shock gags get real old, real fast, anyway). Also, this way you get other people to keep an eye on you while you are working just in case anything does go wrong.
Keep liquids away from the PC work area. Spilling water or other liquids into a PC can cause short circuits and electrocution, as can working in a wet or damp environment. Wet rags, tools, and work surfaces can also conduct electricity. Keep liquids away from the work area, and keep the area clean and dry.
Use insulated electrical tools. These tools are the types that have a rubber or plastic handle that can’t conduct electricity. No matter how careful you are, accidents can happen. These tools can offer you protection against accidents but shouldn’t be used as a substitute for taking the proper safety steps.
Not all plastic or rubber handled tools offer protection from electricity. If you want to buy safety tools then make sure that the handle clearly states that the tool is insulated and also what the rating is (usually “electricians” tools protect the user from up to 1,000 or 10,000 volts, depending on the quality of the tool). Chapter 2, “Choosing the Tools You Need,” takes a more detailed look at the tools you should be using to build your PC.
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