Do You Need to Ground Your Computer?
Do You Need to Ground Your Computer? Grounding is essential with anything related to electricity that has been required for electrical projects since the 1960s. But there are some cases where there is no ground available like old homes or businesses. So, what risk are you taking by using an ungrounded outlet when using a computer? Why should you ground your computer? For starters, grounding protects you from electrocution. Failed power supplies and poorly connected wires can pose a risk to you if they happen in an ungrounded computer case. By grounding your equipment, if a live wire is dangling your case or a power supply shorts, grounding will provide a path for it to trip your breaker. Grounding is critical if you find yourself fishing wire behind your computer case often (like I do). The cables behind your computer can pose an electrocution risk if their ends are frayed or failing, which grounding can protect you from. Additionally, a proper surge protector requires proper grounding to work correctly. If your home experiences a power surge, the surge protector cannot do its job adequately without the use of suitable grounding. Also, grounding protects your computer’s components from electrostatic discharge (ESD). ESD is a severe concern for anything electronics related, and you can quickly fry electronic components on ungrounded surfaces. Finally, grounding establishes a proper (ground truth) that the computer’s logic relies on to make calculations and decisions. Grounding your computer So what should you do if you don’t have proper …