Damn It, I Fried My Gamecube Controller :(
DOOManiac
Worst. Critic. Ever. Join Date: 2002-04-17 Member: 462Members, NS1 Playtester
Worst. Critic. Ever. Join Date: 2002-04-17 Member: 462Members, NS1 Playtester
in Off-Topic
<div class="IPBDescription">stupid static electricty</div>I've developed a problem with static electricity. Actually I've been dealing with it since about Christmas time. I'm almost to the point where I could become some sort of comic book hero/villan. Its insane how much static electricty will build up around me/in me/whatever in like 2 seconds.
Tonight I was playing MGS:The Twin Snakes and I got a shock strong enough to fry my Gamecube controller. About 2 months back I had a similar accident with my SNES controller. I get static shocks about 15 to 20 times a day, usually in rapid succession. Sometimes the arc is more then 10mm wide, its almost always visible, and sometimes I can even be like 2 inches from the surface and still get zapped, it will travel that far.
I've gotten in the habit of just grounding myself w/ the doorknob, but sometimes even right after zapping myself on it I'll walk over THREE FEET to the gamecube and I've already got enough charge to zap me - and more importantly - the system. Sometimes the game will actually lock up, or the picture will fade out or something.
One time I got zapped so strong my hand actually went numb for about 5 minutes.
I dunno WTH to do about this but frying $30 controllers is ridiculious. Something has to be done if at all possible. Anybody have any ideas?
:( Please, somebody have some ideas. I gotta get rid of this crap.
Tonight I was playing MGS:The Twin Snakes and I got a shock strong enough to fry my Gamecube controller. About 2 months back I had a similar accident with my SNES controller. I get static shocks about 15 to 20 times a day, usually in rapid succession. Sometimes the arc is more then 10mm wide, its almost always visible, and sometimes I can even be like 2 inches from the surface and still get zapped, it will travel that far.
I've gotten in the habit of just grounding myself w/ the doorknob, but sometimes even right after zapping myself on it I'll walk over THREE FEET to the gamecube and I've already got enough charge to zap me - and more importantly - the system. Sometimes the game will actually lock up, or the picture will fade out or something.
One time I got zapped so strong my hand actually went numb for about 5 minutes.
I dunno WTH to do about this but frying $30 controllers is ridiculious. Something has to be done if at all possible. Anybody have any ideas?
:( Please, somebody have some ideas. I gotta get rid of this crap.
Comments
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Or what if I'm at the gas pump and this happens? Jeez...
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But it definitely sucks to have your controllers fried. I suggest wearing rubber gloves next time you have to play to keep your hands from zapping stuff next time. Of course, you'll look weird, but you do want to save those controllers <!--emo&:D--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html//emoticons/biggrin.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='biggrin.gif' /><!--endemo-->
BTW, how do you get static electricity?
Me = Static Elec nub.
And I desperatly want it.
What you may try doing is finding an anti-static bracelet at a computer store, and hooking that up to a ground line... Something that runs outside, or to the third prong on a wall outlet.
As geeky as wearing a bracelet for it sounds, it will stop you from frying those little multi-colored controllers you cube users are so adamant about <!--emo&:)--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html//emoticons/smile.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='smile.gif' /><!--endemo-->.
Are there any rubber *things* under the gamecube? You sometimes get them to stop the surface getting scratched if it gets moved around. If there are there are then you could try and remove them since rubber isn't a conductor. The gamecube should be grounded now.
<img src='http://www.lunaeterna.net/popcult/powder.jpg' border='0' alt='user posted image' />
(Chips Ahoy cookeh if you know who this is)
as for your problem... I have no unique ideas... humidity sounds like a good idea, and grounding yourself better -- maybe lug a standing lamp near where you play, or something else large and metallic, and touch that... especially if that object is itself grounded (like a light fixture)...
Sounds like you need to stop dragging your feet across the deep-pile carpet though.
and afaik it was about electrics... i mean i know they arent like high risk things.. but at work we got like 10 screens all very close to each other.. and when i lean on the metal security thing... i get a shock every damn time... u got alot of like electrical things all close together?
from....
The Civic Minded Five!
Gotta love he Tick <!--emo&:D--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html//emoticons/biggrin.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='biggrin.gif' /><!--endemo-->
"huh doctor I have this problem"
*shakes hands*
ZZAAP
"doctor? DOCTOR??"
Or what if I'm at the gas pump and this happens? Jeez...
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If a spark ignites gas fumes while you are pumping gas, <b>leave the nozzle in your car!!</b> The fuel tank will contain the flames. The last thing you want is burning gasoline spread out everywhere.
My advice: Throw that carpet out / lay another, thinner one over it, lift your feet, and put open bowls of water in 'hot' spots of the room (p.e.: close to the radiator) - they'll humidify the air.
I'm still super cautious around metal stuff like handrails and door handles even though I left uni almost a whole year ago now and I've not been shocked since I left ^^;
and if your honestly worried, just ground yourself every so often.
Any large piece of metal will do, like your car if your about to pump gas (just tap the body, if it is metal, when you get out)
Yah, you don't actualy need a 'ground' for something like static discharge.
The basic idea of the ground wire is that they all run directly down to the earth, thus any surges will be carried down into a VERY large uncharged object (your back yard). You however don't cary anywhere near that amount of charge, thus you can simply use any large metal object (my desk has a heavy meta frame, thus I use that whenever I am working on my computer).
OH AND STOP SHUFLING YOUR FEET BOY!!
<a href='http://www.wtsmith.com/giffiles/stilts.gif' target='_blank'>clickeh</a>
<!--emo&:p--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html//emoticons/tounge.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='tounge.gif' /><!--endemo-->
<a href='http://www.wtsmith.com/giffiles/stilts.gif' target='_blank'>clickeh</a>
<!--emo&:p--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html//emoticons/tounge.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='tounge.gif' /><!--endemo--> <!--QuoteEnd--> </td></tr></table><div class='postcolor'> <!--QuoteEEnd-->
Rofl! I could so imagine him using those <!--emo&:D--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html//emoticons/biggrin.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='biggrin.gif' /><!--endemo-->
I say stick a big pole in the ground and tie yourself to it with some metal chain.
dude, rubber is an insulator. They will make the problem worse.
"huh doctor I have this problem"
*shakes hands*
ZZAAP
"doctor? DOCTOR??" <!--QuoteEnd--> </td></tr></table><div class='postcolor'> <!--QuoteEEnd-->
LoL, maybe you should get a job at a cardiac unit in a hospital and you could defibrillate while giving CPR.
A new breed of super hero!
Some possible solutions to this problem include wearing a grounding strap with an extension cord to the nearest grounded object(e.g. unpainted surface on a radiator, computer chasis plugged to a grounded wall socket) at all times when handling electronics, neglecting to shave and cut your hair or building a faradays cage around sensitive objects(e.g. encase your controllers with aluminum foil leaving holes only for the buttons). <!--emo&:p--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html//emoticons/tounge.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='tounge.gif' /><!--endemo-->
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Not necessarilly, if his footwear is allready a good insulator and also happens to easily rub of some charges on the rug it might improve the situation. Non-insulating shoes(such as the ones used when assembling pyrotechnical devices) would be ideal however.
This is just the beginning of your ascension to power. Oh yes.
Next you must learn Back-Back-Forward!
<img src='http://www.mk5.org/tabmok99/mk2.nes.rayden.torpedo.gif' border='0' alt='user posted image' />
*snicker*
--Scythe--
And ever hear the rumour about Liu Kang's karate screams?