Hot Things

Hot Things

Where there’s electricity, there’s usually heat. A PC that’s been switched on for a few minute scan generate a lot of heat, especially from the power supply, hard drives, and CPU, and thisheat can be enough to give you a nasty burn. Getting a burn on the back of your hand whiletrying to do something can be bad enough, but it can also mean that you drop things or knockagainst things and cause further damage to your hand or your PC.As a general rule of thumb, if a PC has been switched on for more than 5 minutes, then it’s a good idea to wait 5 minutes before setting to work inside it, and if it’s been on for an hour or more, then wait at least 10 minutes.Taking the side panels off the case will help it to cool down quicker.

   If you want to test for hot components, then a good trick is to use the back of your hand. By moving the back of your hand close to the metal surfaces, you have a good, safe way to judge how hot components are. This method is far better than using your fingertips, which you don’t want to burn because you’ll be needing them later, and it’s hard to work with a bandage on!