Static Electricity and earth straps

[mitchell65]

I am a great believer in always wearing an earth strap when I go inside a PC. Some on this board have the view that this is not necessary!
Lets look at what static electricity is! It is simply high voltage electricity with no current. It can and often does reach very high voltages. When you get that spark between your finger and a car door that can be measured at about 500v.
Different people generate different levels of static even though all other factors may be the same. You can have two people dressed in similar clothes next to each other at the same bench with wildly differening levels of static being generated! Certain atmospheric conditions create differing levels ie humidity, temperature, barometric pressure and a multitude of other conditions! Personally I generate a fairly high level of static as everytime I walk past our home radio we get quite severe interference. So my view is that as there are so many variables in the generation of static electricity it is better to err on the safe side and always recommend the use of a good earth strap. Better safe that sorry. I think it is encumbant upon all here who affer their advice and help to take a resposible attitude towards this problem and recommend the use of a strap but I would be pleased to hear what others think!

 

[Thorsen]

I have moved to using the "earth strap" (even though I haven't heard it called that) when working on PC's. I have fixed many a computer by grounding myself to the case by holding/touching the metal casing and have had no issues with it. I have heard of people never using one and never having any problems. but.... better safe than sorry. it is good practice to use it so that there is no doubt that the hardware is safe.

Edit: also, another reason for using it is that I have started working on laptops more and there isn't a lot of metal to ground yourself to. so it is easier to ground if you are wearing the strap.

I have known it as an anti-static wrist-strap.

 

[linnemeyerhere]

I totally respect the use of a grounding band. I have two and I used to use the first one until my first build. Somehow I forgot to wear it and all came out well. Now on my umpteenth build all on carpet I haven't had an issue yet. But I agree that it's a risk I'm taking. By constantly touching the case and other things I discharge any build up. And as you're only as good as the actual ground your making and 99% of the time you'll place the clip on that same case it's all the same.

 

[3D Jed]

A slightly off topic, but funny earth strap story -

a neighbor rang and said 'I've been given a monitor and its got a great big earth strap - what do I connect it to'

Intrigued, I went round to have a look. It was a stolen monitor with a kensington lock and a sawn through security cable. Well, I do live on a council estate (aka projects in US)

earth strap LOL

 

[Layback Bear]

Anybody that has looked into static electricity knows their are many variables. You could read for a year on the subject. I don't think after a small amount of research anybody can could think that static electricity is not a problem. The problem varies from person to person but is always there. It's so cheep to buy a strap it's not worth arguing about. With today's plastic in PC's and Laptops to me a static strap would be a wise move. I have one and I use it.

 

[SledgeDG]

Just to throw it into the discussion to be safe
Touching the case (or even better the power converter housing) only makes sense as long as the power cable is still attached !
And what mitchell said about 500V static charges...in my experience those sparks you pull can easily be more than 10.000V thus fry an innocent,unsuspecting chip or circuit

 

[linnemeyerhere]

Excellent point so if you ground your wrist strap to the case and it's not plugged in your still not effectively grounding and how many of us keep the case plugged in? I just don't touch things but from edges, constantly touch grounded objects and damn the torpedoes as they say.

 

[Layback Bear]

As he said.
David Farragut

 

[Andreas W]

I have never used a anti static wrist band, all I do is turn off the Power back on the PSU carry my computer to the kitchen table then I touch either my PSU or my case (Corsair 800D) and never have I had any problems with this and done this a lot of times. And to be honest even if I had a anti static wrist band I have no idea where I would plug the other end of it

Other thing I do sometimes is to touch a element

 

[mitchell65]

I have never used a anti static wrist band, all I do is turn off the Power back on the PSU carry my computer to the kitchen table then I touch either my PSU or my case (Corsair 800D) and never have I had any problems with this and done this a lot of times. And to be honest even if I had a anti static wrist band I have no idea where I would plug the other end of it

Other thing I do sometimes is to touch a element

Then IMHO you have been very lucky! One day when you find your memory modules are fried you will probably remember this thread!

 

[Andreas W]

I have never used a anti static wrist band, all I do is turn off the Power back on the PSU carry my computer to the kitchen table then I touch either my PSU or my case (Corsair 800D) and never have I had any problems with this and done this a lot of times. And to be honest even if I had a anti static wrist band I have no idea where I would plug the other end of it

Other thing I do sometimes is to touch a element

Then IMHO you have been very lucky! One day when you find your memory modules are fried you will probably remember this thread!

Then I must have been lucky to a whole different level considering I have even removed the default fins from 2x corsair vengeance memories and changed it to a aftermarket ram fins. Or maybe its because I have the case standing on a wooden table and wood floors or things like that don't matter?

 

[Lady Fitzgerald]

I have an anti-static wrist strap...somewhere. I looked high and low for it and couldn't find it so I'm just being careful while building my computer; I generally have a hand or arm touching the case while I'm working and I've gotten into the habit of touching the case before touching anything inside. I do have an anti-static mat that I put on my washing machine (the ground lead is connected to a faucet) when I'm working on the innards of the computer I'm building (it also protects the top of my washer). I make sure I have shorts or similar on so I can push a bare knee against the metal sides of the machine while working I also frequently use anti-static gloves, especially when handling HDDs and some components. I lay components either on the mat or on a wooden surface while I'm working with them; otherwise, they stay in their antistatic bags.

When using the computer at my desk, I always reach up and touch the pull chain for the ceiling light fixture above my desk before I touch the computer. Winter is the worst time for static; right now hasn't been bad.

 

[Gary]

I use a grounding strap when following around with Memory or The CPU ,for other things I just grab the metal case. If your PC is not plugged in, neither method will work as you will lose earth ground.

 

[roy69]

When I work on my computer systems I always leave them plugged in with the PSU turned off at the back. I dont tend to wear earth straps as I move around alot. Never had a problem but if I was to work on a clients system then I would wear an earth strap (just to be on the safe side), we all know the risk. It is not just down to what you are wearing or carpet but also humidity and lots of other paramiters. When I have been working in the desert I have seen some of he tents letting off static charges because of the sand in the wind.

 

[nilank]

Just to throw it into the discussion to be safe
Touching the case (or even better the power converter housing) only makes sense as long as the power cable is still attached !
And what mitchell said about 500V static charges...in my experience those sparks you pull can easily be more than 10.000V thus fry an innocent,unsuspecting chip or circuit

Da hell? Are you serious? Unbelievable!

Dry seasons charge human beings up, so, it'd be better to use straps during dry seasons. I get nice good sparks all the time. Once I got a really dreadful shock when I tried cleaning my CRT monitor after it was just turned off. That really gave me a pain!

 

[benjy206]

Sorry to jump in. But in my believe it is wise to use a strap. Not that I might always use one but I do. simply it takes our body 3000V to felt Static and it only takes 1V to destroy a component in the PC. So you could easily destroy something whit out even feeling it. It might be only a slight % that you will do it but is it worth to take the risk?

 

[mitchell65]

Just to throw it into the discussion to be safe
Touching the case (or even better the power converter housing) only makes sense as long as the power cable is still attached !
And what mitchell said about 500V static charges...in my experience those sparks you pull can easily be more than 10.000V thus fry an innocent,unsuspecting chip or circuit

Dry seasons charge human beings up, so, it'd be better to use straps during dry seasons. I get nice good sparks all the time. Once I got a really dreadful shock when I tried cleaning my CRT monitor after it was just turned off. That really gave me a pain!

No, Better to use a strap all the time when working inside a PC!!!!

 

[nilank]

^^Hmmm...after reading benjy206's post, I think so.

 

[mitchell65]

^^Hmmm...after reading benjy206's post, I think so.

Hooray A Convert

 

[nilank]

<--- Hahaha...