OK, I know this is a strange one, but im looking for an experienced electrical engineer, someone that knows ALOT about RAM and electronics.

I have been advised that static electricity CANNOT damage a RAM chip or stick of RAM if it is not plugged into anything.

example: you walk along the floor gather up some static, then touch a stick of RAM that has been lying on a table since the day before, you give the stick of RAM a static shock.

is it possible for that static shock to damage the RAM in any way?

ive been advised it cannot, the person that advised my insists he is correct on this one and nobody can tell him otherwise.

i would be truly grateful if someone could clarify this situation, maybe a web site link, some complex analysis of the damage it could cause.

regards

THe guy has no idea to what he talking about, actually static electricity can damage ram easier then just about any other computer part. While its not easy to do it it can be done and can fry the memory, we work with hundreds of ram a month and very rarely have this happen but it has and can. Best bet stay on the safe side, get a anti static wrist strap or antistatic floor mat.

are you really sure, personally, i would agree with you, what electrical engineering experience do you have to back this up, since this guy says he has a degree in micro electronics.

he seems 100% sure it is TOTALLY impossible.

are there any scientific references or articles on this, he wont believe me at all.

anybody ?

Also agree. I have worked with computers long enough and have personally "fried" memory sticks with ESD.

The average person can produce up to 30,000 or more volts of static electricity. This gets worse with a dry climate. The thing is that the human nervous system usually cannot feel discharges of less than about 2,000 volts, but a memory stick can, trust me on that.

As to scientific references, I can't recall of any books or articles in particular at this time, but you might want to do a search and I can guarantee that you will find proof.

Every text i've ever read on PC maint says static damages ram. As an A+ certified tech, I'll believe that and take every precaution I can to not zap the ram or chips that I can.

He's a looney.

The static discharge will not damage the RAM if and only if none of the discharge flows through the inside of the RAM. If your friend can guarantee that, then he is correct.

Static electricity being what it is (very high voltage, very low current), it is not possible to say that absolutely none of the discharge will flow through the insides of the RAM, especially with that nice strip of contacts along the edge of the RAM providing a nice direct path to the inside.

At the high voltages of static electricity, many things that normally do not conduit electricity will carry enough of the discharge to fry the RAM. I can envision a discharge leaving my fingertip, going into the RAM via one of the contacts, then leaving one of the other contacts and jumping to another object on the workbench, or to the top of the workbench, etc. At which time, the RAM is fried.

The only way I would say that I am 100% sure the RAM would not get fried is if the RAM were in a Faraday shield. But it is not, so all bets are off. :)

so you all agree with me that it does fry the RAM although still i dont feel we have gathered enough evidence to prove the fact.

the guy says he is highly qualified in the field and that it cannot damage the RAM, i really need alot of evidence to prove the guy wrong!!

Well. if your so detirmined to prove him wrong why not have him prove that he's right? :)

Let him go buy a buncha ram and zap it and see if it still works :)

aha, i never thought if that particular technique, although zapping sticks of ram to prove him wrong may not be cost effective, hehe

Originally posted by xtstrike
the guy says he is highly qualified in the field


Dignity does not consist in possessing honors, but in deserving them. --- Aristotle

xtstrike,

Why don't you go and get a few books to show him as proof (if so necessary)

You can find all kinds of books that will make reference to fried memory sticks. :)

Any of the A+ study guides should sufice. Also, maybe contact Kingston and Micron and ask them directly.

Static can damage anything that small and delicate.
For example Palm Inc, is getting sued because there have been many accidents where touching the screen of Palm will send static electricty to your pc and burn it. Touch a peace of metal before you touch anything else.

I don't exactly have a degree in electronics, but it's been a hobby of mine for quite a few years. My terminology may not be accurate, but from what I know of electronics theory:

Any voltage that is higher than the breakdown voltage of a particular transistor will, with sufficient current, cause dielectric breakdown (I'm pretty sure that's the word I'm looking for here). RAM consists of many millions (even billions these days) of tiny transistors. A stick of RAM has a max of 3.3V typically, and would probably fry easily at 10 or more volts.

Make that a few thousand volts, with even a tiny bit of current (again, considering just how tiny the transistors are), and you've got yourself a nice stick of worthless silicon ;)

But don't take our collective words for it; if you believe your friend, go right ahead and don't take precautions. RAM prices are extremely low right now anyway, so there's never been a better time to learn the hard way :)