View Single Post
  #4  
Old December 26th 17, 06:29 PM posted to microsoft.public.windowsxp.general
VanguardLH[_2_]
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 10,881
Default Vacuum cleaners and computers

KenK wrote:

No, not cleaning the computer, but on the floor near the desk the computer
sits on. How far? About three or four feet to avoid damage to the HD
contents?


The case is grounded using a 3-wire cord to a properly grounded outlet,
right? Is the case (the outside shield) made of plastic or metal (so it
can actually be grounded)?

Unless you are using a handheld vacuum where the motor and pickup are
very close (although the motor size is tiny), the motor for a
push-around or canister vacuum isn't near the computer. If the case is
metal then no worries about the motor's magnetic field (which should be
mostly contained inside its metal housing) plus the metal case for the
HDD is also ground through the PSU to the cord to the outlet.

It's the pickup end of the vacuum that produces static electricity due
to the friction of impacting debris. The beater brush will also
generate static electricity. During winter or anytime when humidity is
low, you'll be shocking the case when you touch it. If it is metal
(sheet metal or foiled plastic) and properly grounded then the shocks
should get grounded. You touching the computer's case will incur more
shock events then for your vacuum cleaner's pickup end. I've seen where
a large static charge on a person that shocked a case caused the
computer to shutdown but have yet to see vacuuming around a case to
incur any effect.
Ads