Posted by Kromey at 2:09pm Oct 8 '09You live in one of the driest areas in the world, where static electricity is more common than grains of sand on a beach! Most likely you're just building up a charge and discharging onto your computer's case.
Which sounds scary, but actually isn't, as the case itself is typically designed to be grounded.
Simple test: Turn off computer, unplug power cord and any other cord that runs to a powered device (network, USB if your hub also has a power cord, monitor, etc.). Then go about your daily routine for a while, and when you come back to your computer, if you get shocked, bingo - static electricity.
The theory that a loose wire or something is responsible sounds good until you realize that the wires inside your computer carry either 5 or 12 volts, not enough to typically be felt. (Try this at home, kids: hold your thumb over the terminal connections of a pair of 9 volt batteries. 18 volts potentially running through your flesh, yet you won't feel it.) The only other electrical source inside your computer is the 120-volt main power cord, which would give you enough of a shock to hurt like hell and very likely leave burns in your flesh.
This isn't to say that it's impossible that a loose wire is to blame, just that, by far, the most likely culprit here is simple static electricity.
Which sounds scary, but actually isn't, as the case itself is typically designed to be grounded.
Simple test: Turn off computer, unplug power cord and any other cord that runs to a powered device (network, USB if your hub also has a power cord, monitor, etc.). Then go about your daily routine for a while, and when you come back to your computer, if you get shocked, bingo - static electricity.
The theory that a loose wire or something is responsible sounds good until you realize that the wires inside your computer carry either 5 or 12 volts, not enough to typically be felt. (Try this at home, kids: hold your thumb over the terminal connections of a pair of 9 volt batteries. 18 volts potentially running through your flesh, yet you won't feel it.) The only other electrical source inside your computer is the 120-volt main power cord, which would give you enough of a shock to hurt like hell and very likely leave burns in your flesh.
This isn't to say that it's impossible that a loose wire is to blame, just that, by far, the most likely culprit here is simple static electricity.
added on 2:11pm Oct 8 '09:
I should clarify: If you don't get shocked after trying my simple test in the second paragraph, that doesn't disprove the static electricity theory - maybe you just didn't build up a good enough charge to be felt.
Hun - Kromey