metal circles

[bob]

You know all those metal circles on the bottom of the motherboard?

Are they really connected to the pins?

If so, and the motherboard is sitting on a metal surface or your lap
when you turn it on, will this break something?

How are these circles insulated in a proper case? Just by air?

Thanks.

 

[Rod Speed]

You know all those metal circles on the bottom of the motherboard?

If you mean the metal circles around the mounting holes,
they are ground connections if you use metal mounting studs.

Are they really connected to the pins?

They are connected to the ground pins.

If so, and the motherboard is sitting on a metal surface
or your lap when you turn it on, will this break something?

Yes with a metal surface. No with your
lap unless you have your alfoil pants on.

How are these circles insulated in a proper case? Just by air?

They're insulated by the plastic mounting stud, and connected
to the case if you use the hex metal mounting studs.

 

[Paul]

You know all those metal circles on the bottom of the motherboard?

Are they really connected to the pins?

If so, and the motherboard is sitting on a metal surface or your lap
when you turn it on, will this break something?

How are these circles insulated in a proper case? Just by air?

Thanks.

The metal circles are at ground potential. They are supposed to
make contact with the brass standoffs in a computer case. The
computer case is grounded too. The power supply screws and the
power supply metal case are at ground potential and ground
the case when installed in place. Maybe all this grounding
helps with reducing emissions ? Not really sure. But it
doesn't hurt to let the metal circles touch metal standoffs
and conducting screws.

If they didn't want the metal circles to touch stuff, they
would not have put the metal there in the first place. It
is possible to put perfectly "dry" holes in a motherboard,
with no metal evident. But they didn't do it that way, for
a reason.

Paul

 

[kony]

You know all those metal circles on the bottom of the motherboard?
Yes.



Are they really connected to the pins?

Yes, ground.

If so, and the motherboard is sitting on a metal surface or your lap
when you turn it on, will this break something?

metal surface, yes

lap, depends on whether you are organic or metallic, and/or
wearing pants.

How are these circles insulated in a proper case?

They aren't, they connect to the (often brass) motherboard
standoffs at chassis ground potential.

Just by air?

If you somehow suspened the motherboard in the case using
string and glue instead of screwing it down.