Alternative to Antistatic Wristband

spitzoid

spitzoid

spitzoid

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I have heard a few techniques for avoiding ESD when building without wearing a band or mat, but I have also heard and read that it is absolutely essential that you wear one because you can never fully prevent it without them.

What do you guys recommend? Band or other or nothing at all?

Also, I have heard that the outside of antistatic bags not possess the same antistatic quality as the inside, therefore you may as well put the component on a table or other surface. This is true right?
 
People that wear and use ESD straps are those that go on a course to learn and pass an MCSE course in 48 hours and then think they know everything, because it was "in the book"!!

I've never killed a component (via ESD or otherwise), however if you wish to ground yourself (which is always sensible) then either touch a radiator or leave the kettle lead in your system but with the socket switched off and touch the case.
 
Pilky01 said:
Just ground your self before you build
Click to expand...
How would you suggest? Sorry if I sound dumb but I have never built anything electrical before.

Answered above. I'll use the radiator technique as there is one near my build space. Cheers!
 
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Touch a bare copper pipe, like the one which supplies your mains water to your taps in the kitchen.
Anything electrical which has a metal surface, washing machine, dishwasher - but make sure they are plugged in.
 
Duke said:
leave the kettle lead in your system but with the socket switched off and touch the case.
Click to expand...

This is what I do, install PSU first (if building from scratch), plug it in without turning on the mains switch(es) and then touch any bare peice of metal in the case. Never had any problems this way.
 
TBH I think components are a lot more robust than they used to be. The whole thing came about because of the old CMOS stuff being crazily sensitive to, and easily damaged by electrostatic discharge IIRC. I remember when I started my apprenticeship we had to use ESD straps, no excuses.

I remember seeing a cascade of failures after a few months on one site where we found no ESD precautions had been taken :) This was back in about 1997 though! These days you see desktop support manhandle DIMMs without much issue - I prefer to err on the side of caution, however :D
 
Duke said:
People that wear and use ESD straps are those that go on a course to learn and pass an MCSE course in 48 hours and then think they know everything, because it was "in the book"!!

I've never killed a component (via ESD or otherwise), however if you wish to ground yourself (which is always sensible) then either touch a radiator or leave the kettle lead in your system but with the socket switched off and touch the case.
Click to expand...

Totally true. Follow IT by the book, you will never fail!!! Your problems will always be solved.

Always use an antistatic wrist strap.

/sarcastic mode off.
 
I always prepare the components for static by rubbing a balloon on my jumper for a minute then touching it to the PCB.

By doing that I can be assured any static electricity I pass to the device by contact with my skin will not do any damage.
 
Pretty sure we have one of these threads every other week. I wear one, others dont.
They do get in the way, I might by an anti static mat. When Im working on my own PC I normally just ground myself before I start, but when I work on other peoples I wear one.
 
Yeah, seriously though I always touch a radiator pipe before I start. That's all I do, never had any problems.

I wonder though if people reporting bad RAM is caused by static discharge.
 
Another tip is to avoid wearing synthetic materials when building. Good jeans and cotton tshirt won't build up static very easily.
 
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