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ESD/Anti-Static Protection

TheMidnightNarwhal
By TheMidnightNarwhal
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Posted

We have been warned not to use them as they can kill if used improperly, instead all our workbenches and floors are antistatic.

I'm sure its been said, but unless you are somehow connecting the wrist band to HV mains outside your house, or you just happen to have a Microwave Oven Transformer plugged in and sitting at your desk where your feet happen to be, their not going to kill you. By the way, if your situation is even remotely similar to either of these situations, congratulations, you have been promoted to a professional idiot. 

 

As for if I use one, I don't. It's not because I don't  have one or because I don't like the idea, but because I also build radios and other various electronics, and it  gets in the way when soldering. I have a nice ESD mat I use  instead, and it  works very well. If you have a similar setup, an ESD mat is worth the trouble to pick up.

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Posted

it is so complicated.

If you find a wrist strap complicated walking and chewing gum at the same time must really flummox you. ;)

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                                           "This too shall pass"

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If you find a wrist strap complicated walking and chewing gum at the same time must really flummox you. ;)

 

No, I meant, where to put it, making sure the thing is correctly grounded, like I said "just attach it to case, some say with PSU pluged turned off some say PSU plugged turned on".

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Posted

No, I meant, where to put it,

Not even going to go there. :D

 Two motoes to live by   "Sometimes there are no shortcuts"

                                           "This too shall pass"

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You have to try pretty hard to actually fry something with static, I wear one if I'm using valuable components but if I'm just tinkering with old laptops + stuff I don't bother.

I've forgotten to wear one though, I think everyone has... :P

Thank you.

Wardojack.

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I've been building PCs for nearly 15 years. I've worked profession around PC and servers for 7 years. I've never once used a wrist strap, though I think anti static floor and table mats are very much more useful than a wrist strap.

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I don't get it...?

 

Don't worry about it.  Just my attempt at levity.

 Two motoes to live by   "Sometimes there are no shortcuts"

                                           "This too shall pass"

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I would if I had one.

But at the same time, the parts I used back before I even knew what anti-static meant, were so much larger proportion of my income than the ones I currently use, it kinda feels pointless to jump trough the hoops to get one as we don't have an actual physical store to pop in and get some.

So I just touch the case and/or similar metal object and sod it. Having said that, wouldn't mind having one when working on a friend's computers. Just so I can say it wasn't me.

But if I were to break theirs I'd probably foot the bill anyway, since it was me who broke it. 

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What? How? What are you touching? A hot main wire?

 

 Its not that hard to connect it to ground. 

 

   Possibly, or through a highly unlikely combination of broken switches,defective indicator lights and an interrimitent fault of a wire touching the PSU case the computer chassis may be intermitently live.

   If merely touching the case with your hand, you will get a 'belt' and thrown over the room (remember 240V in Britain) sore but you may well survive[1].  If you are permanently attached to ground, throuugh a wrist strap say, the current will continue to flow through you untill a fuse gives or the wires /components give way quite probably killing you.

   I agree the circumstances in which you get a death shock are convoluted and HIGHLY unlikely, but not imposible.  I wouldn't let this extremely slim chance put me off wearing one (and I wouldn't use the "you might die" argument for not wearing one) if I felt the pros outweighed the other cons(getting in the way etc).  But living in Scotland with its high humidity static is just not the problem it is in some other places . Sensible precautions (not building on carpet, not shuffling, not running your fingers through your hair, not petting animals, etc) are plenty .

 

[1] I remember years ago 'working' on a "Dansette"[2] (a cheapo semi portable record player) a few times I got a 'belt' from it which whilst sore, frightening etc didn't kill me, as I wasn't wired in to any circuit which I would have been if wearing an anti static wrist strap and it was fixed to ground.  Normally I wouldn't work on something that was 'live' but I am fairly sure (can't remember this was fortyfive[ish] years ago:told you I was old) that it stopped playing until a bit was pushed back in whilst it was still switched on, if you weren't careful you touched a 'live' bit and got a shock.

 

[2] http://www.dansetterevolver.co.uk/dr/Home.html

 Two motoes to live by   "Sometimes there are no shortcuts"

                                           "This too shall pass"

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So I'm going to be building my PC soon (Either today, or some time next week) and I was curious whether a Anti- Static strap is "Really" necessary... 

Because the only PCB im going to be touching a decent amount of is the MoBo.

 

Yes it will be on carpet.

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Yes it will be on carpet.

Then it's EXTREMELY recommended

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Put the PSU in the PC, plug it in but leave it off, touch your PC case every time you pick up a component and you will be fine.

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Just touch a large piece of metal (like your case)every few minutes and don't drag your feet on the carpet and you should be fine.

Edit: If you are constantly getting zapped by static/live in a really dry area then you should use one.

RIP in pepperonis m8s

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Ordinarily no, in your case you need (well you don't NEED one but better safe than sorry) one as you're doing it on carpet.

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So I'm going to be building my PC soon (Either today, or some time next week) and I was curious whether a Anti- Static strap is "Really" necessary... 

Because the only PCB im going to be touching a decent amount of is the MoBo.

 

Yes it will be on carpet.

Just do it somewhere with tile and you won't need a strap. Linus does builds in his kitchen which is why he doesn't use one.

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No not really. Just touch a big metal object now and then to discharge any buildup of static on your body.

However, if static shocks are something you get very constantly in your house, then you might want to consider picking one up just in case. Better safe than sorry.

I actually couldn't underclock my 5 year old GPU to make it as slow as a next-gen console.

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just grown yourself by touching something metal as has already been said. if you live in a humid environment this isn't a big issue but if you live in a dry climate static can be on everything. Better safe then sorry but your call man. 

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So I'm going to be building my PC soon (Either today, or some time next week) and I was curious whether a Anti- Static strap is "Really" necessary... 

Because the only PCB im going to be touching a decent amount of is the MoBo.

 

Yes it will be on carpet.

 

Dont do it on carpet, why not put it on a table or put some cardboard down

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I really don't get why people still ask this. I was unsure of this too when I first started, but rather with what to buy, not if I should buy it or risk destroying components worth thousand of dollars because I was cheap.

 

So of course you should buy it. You can get them for less than two dollars on amazon.

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Dont do it on carpet, why not put it on a table or put some cardboard down

I am doing it on a Table... I was thinking about putting cardboard down but I didn't know if it would work well...

Just remember: Random people on the internet ALWAYS know more than professionals, when someone's lying, AND can predict the future.

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I am doing it on a Table... I was thinking about putting cardboard down but I didn't know if it would work well...

 

a table is fine, you dont have to worry THAT much

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Just do it somewhere with tile and you won't need a strap. Linus does builds in his kitchen which is why he doesn't use one.

I'm pretty sure he says he has it around his ankle to have it out of the way

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