Anti Static Wrist Strap

Never used one and I've worked on computers over 30 years before the time anyone was worried about static.

If your not sure just stick your hand on the nearest earthed pipe or radiator before you start.
 
ChrisH said:
Never used one and I've worked on computers over 30 years before the time anyone was worried about static.

If your not sure just stick your hand on the nearest earthed pipe or radiator before you start.
Click to expand...

:thumbs:+1
 
ChrisH said:
Never used one and I've worked on computers over 30 years before the time anyone was worried about static.

If your not sure just stick your hand on the nearest earthed pipe or radiator before you start.
Click to expand...
It's not so much the potential between the user and earth, as the potential between the user and the computer. Unless both make contact with the said pipe/radiator, the computer could still get zapped.
That strap is a lot cheaper than a new PC, and should do what you want. :thumbs:
 
Tori_T said:
It's not so much the potential between the user and earth, as the potential between the user and the computer. Unless both make contact with the said pipe/radiator, the computer could still get zapped.
That strap is a lot cheaper than a new PC, and should do what you want. :thumbs:
Click to expand...

not quite they are to prevent electrostatic discharge which damages electronics
 
I use a strap AND touch a radiator before I do anything with RAM sticks.

I'm the bloke who has hoovered out computers for decades, too!
 
Gr8Shot said:
not quite they are to prevent electrostatic discharge which damages electronics
Click to expand...
Which can occur between any two things with a different potential, hence my recommendation that earth/computer/person all be equalized, rather than just earth/person.
 
Thanks for the replies - have ordered a strap :)

Al
 
Many years ago when I started out, way before pc's I used to work on ttl logic on mainframe computers for the ministry of defence. Some may have heard of Ferranti computers. In those days we never understood the problems associated with static discharge. In the early 90's along came this new thing and everyone was forced to spend thousands of pounds on anti static mats, benches, straps and a whole gamut of kit. We decided to take a standard static gas cooker spark lighter and see how much static it takes to kill that kind of logic. Believe me it was a huge amount.
However this is more about shortened life of components than actually killing them.
If you short your yourself to earth you discharge any static from yourself you won't normally kill anything. We don't tend to wear nylon or man made products that generate static as much now. I would agree that computer chips have much thinner layers of circuitry now than then but they don't seem to suffer like they used too.
I think you have to decide where you personally stand, myself I don't bother because the work I do can be a pain with straps and mats and all that junk, but if you feel unsure then even a cheap one will do.

One thing to remember is NEVER use a static strap near any kind of high voltage, you can still get a belt. If you working on HT above 50v up to thousands don't not wear one its dangerous.
 
Tori_T said:
Which can occur between any two things with a different potential, hence my recommendation that earth/computer/person all be equalized, rather than just earth/person.
Click to expand...

the wrist strap is to prevent the build up of high voltages on the body, (tribocharging) not to even the potential between yourself and the kit.
 
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