Protecting and Maintaining Components

Protecting and Maintaining Components

As you study this section, answer the following questions:

• Why is it important to prevent Electrostatic Discharge (ESD)?
• What should you avoid to help control ESD in your computer environment?
• What tools can you use to protect against ESD?
• What can happen when a strong electromagnetic field is placed close to a computer?
• What causes Radio Frequency Interference (RFI)?

• What are the environmental factors that can affect the computer?
• After finishing this section, you should be able to complete the following tasks:
• Explain how to protect a system from ESD
• Describe the effects of interference on computers
• Perform PC maintenance tasks

This section covers the following exam objectives:

• Identify various safety measures and procedures, and when/how to use them.

 

·         ESD Prevention

·         ESD creates an over-voltage situation that can damage computer components. To much voltage applied to any component will damage it.

·         Cool air is generally less humid than warm air. Therefore, ESD is most likely in the cool, dry air that is common during the winter months. Use the chart below to examine how low and high humidity levels affect ESD generation.

Activity	Charge Created (Volts)
	High Relative Humidity (Humid Air)	Low Relative Humidity (Dry Air)
Walking over a vinyl floor	250	12,000
Moving a plastic bag	1,200	20,000
Walking across a carpet	1,500	35,000

·         Precautions
The following diagrams illustrate simple and advanced ESD precautionary steps.

·         

PC Maintenance Facts

One of the best things you can do to keep your system running efficiently is to keep it clean. When cleaning your PC and its components, keep in mind the following:

Use compressed air or a small vacuum to clean system components. If possible, find a vacuum that both blows air and sucks air.

Use only lint-free cloth to clean components.

To protect components, look for anti-static cleaning materials, spray, and vacuum cleaners.

To keep keyboards working properly, you can use a silicone-based lubricant.

Use the right type of solvent for cleaning computer components. Monitor cleaners are usually alcohol-based.

However, read the label carefully. Some solvents can remove protective coatings from components.

For expansion cards, make sure cards are properly seated. If necessary, clean electrical contacts with an approved liquid solvent.