I'd Be Interested In hearing Your Thoughts On Anti Static Precautions

[Blackjack Davy]

I used to be ultra careful these days I don't even think about it never ever had any issues

Yep it depends on materials. I know as soon as you lift your foot off a surface, that's charge built up. If you rub along something that's also another. Humidity also affects how fast it discharges too I believe.

Static sparks/shocks are only an issue in very cold dry weather in winter and theres far too much humidity in summer

 

[Baja King]

Never bothered once

 

[HangTime]

half heartedly sometimes

Sums up my approach pretty much. If I'm wearing clothes where I've noticed static before (like a thin jumper) then I'll usually take precautions, I tap the case etc when about to work on the innards but no idea if I'm even doing that properly.

I probably should stop tinkering in my son's PC on the carpet though, with my main PC I do it on a desk. Although I never put bare components down on the carpet, only the case.

 

[Alan McFall]

Nonsense, unless you're working with something with a live supply of power then static will not make a difference

EDIT: I built my daughter a system last week and did not put components directly on the sofa.. used packaging as a surface....

 

[Meatysy]

Nonsense, unless you're working with something with a live supply of power then static will not make a difference

EDIT: I built my daughter a system last week and did not put components directly on the sofa.. used packaging as a surface....

It's not nonsense but it is exceedingly rare. The factories that build these things are anti-static'd out the wazoo for a reason.

 

[scaryhair]

i'm scared to death of spiking new components. But is was lucky enough to have 'borrowed' an anti static mat, wrist strap etc from my old job (20yrs ago), still use it now when fiddling with elctronics.

 

[Korath]

I don't bother as a rule but then every so often when I'm about to pick something up I'll have a thought from nowhere to ground myself on something metal but it ends up only being every so often

 

[khull]

This sounds analogous to a face covering discussion, but without the negative externality

At the end of the day it is a risk management evaluation and everyone's risk appetite is different. Do what is necessary for the situation and time. For me, I'd think twice before touching my GPU for fear I am not able to buy a replacement.

 

[Game]

touch the inside of the case and thats about it

 

[Alan McFall]

It's not nonsense but it is exceedingly rare. The factories that build these things are anti-static'd out the wazoo for a reason.

Ofcourse its not nonsense, it is demonstrable. I've been working with PC's since the early 90's professionally and personally, never once had a component damaged by static, so yes also exceedingly rare

The factories that they are built in are high static environments so the precautions are necessary.

 

[keyser]

When I hold stuff I've bought I care way more. Less so when its work stuff. I usually remember to touch a radiator that will be earthed (sometimes I get a static shock) before touching a graphics card or RAM stick etc. It's random chance thing, depends where the static decides to travel that causes the damage. You actually want to be the same charge as the case or motherboard its going in/out of so you are neutral. So you can just touch the unplugged case rather than earth.

 

[EsaT]

Nonsense, unless you're working with something with a live supply of power then static will not make a difference

That's BS.
Static electricity doesn't care a damn if device is powered or not.
The most sensitive components could be damaged even without actual discharge by strong enough electrostatic charge nearby.

The factories that they are built in are high static environments so the precautions are necessary.

Semiconductor/electronic component factories are designed to prevent and minimize formation of static charges from the start.
Even normal static charges are enough to hurt sensitive components without circuitry around them to spread charge.

 

[EsaT]

You actually want to be the same charge as the case or motherboard its going in/out of so you are neutral. So you can just touch the unplugged case rather than earth.

Being in same potential with case doesn't mean you're neutral.
Both case and you could have notable static charge.
And if component/its package/surface it's on isn't in same potential there's going to be pulse of current redistributing that charge evenly when touching it.

Neutral charge/voltage potential is guaranteed only when having connection to ground.

 

[Kautya]

Tend to touch the case or a nearby radiator. Havent had any dead components yet.

 

[Admetos]

Anyone who says that damage from ESD never killed anything, then consider the following.

Have you ever had a computer part fail, or act intermittently?

If yes, can you be 100% sure it was not from ESD.

I take ESD very serious, and I'll say why. I'm a software engineer, for some time I program Neural Network software, it's really difficult and complex software. I want my computers as stable as they possibly can be, I do not want a damaged memory cell that might occasionally flip giving a wrong value costing me time and confusion to debug.

And whilst on the subject.

The amount of people that hold gold contacts with their fingers (putting grease on them), the used parts you see photographed on carpet. Just last week I helped someone on this forum with odd memory issues that were cleared only when he switched around and re-seated memory, I expect that was dirt/grease on the memory contacts from improper handing.

But if you don't believe me, here is a Gigabyte production line, where workers have anti-static straps on their wrists.

And if you still think that Gigabyte don't require the above, then there is the famous video from Apple, yes it's 35 years old but physics have not changed.

 

[Haze]

Didn't we cover this subject recently...?

 

[neur0maniak]

Have you ever had a computer part fail, or act intermittently?
If yes, can you be 100% sure it was not from ESD.

If you don't feel a zap, there was never enough potential difference to have caused any problems.

 

[Admetos]

If you don't feel a zap, there was never enough potential difference to have caused any problems.

Actually that is not true, as the Apple video I posted shows.

Plus how can you predict if your not going to build up a higher level of ESD anyway? The reason you take ESD precaution is so your protected all the time. It's the reason you always wear a seatbelt in a car, you don't need it's safety until the moment you do.

 

[Deleted member 77746]

When you study electronics or IT repair your always taught to use precautions like a strap on. Just don't rub your components on a carpet before hand then you will be fine.

 

[Name]

I'm absolute dogs dinner when it comes to DIY PC stuff but when I do open it up I touch the copper base of the radiator first, then i get paranoid and do it every 10 minutes.