Do you REALLY need an anti-static wristband?

I have to use one at work, more for show than anything imo, I never use one on my PC at home, and that's worth 10x what the ones I work on at work are!
 
I've got a wristband I nicked from work but can never find it when I actually need to go rooting inside my case
 
I didnt use one for a recent self build, just earth yourself on a a radiator copper pipe and then touch an exposed metal part of your case before picking up any components and you should be ok.
 
shadow_boxer said:
I didnt use one for a recent self build, just earth yourself on a a radiator copper pipe and then touch an exposed metal part of your case before picking up any components and you should be ok.
Click to expand...

This is all I do most of the time. When I did my first build I was uber paranoid bought an antistatic mat and everything. I'll use one every now and then if I'm doing a lot of prolonged work swapping things around. I definitely try to avoid bleeding on components though! :p
 
I had a wire touch my motherboard and make a spark. It still works. I always have my PSU in first so that just grounds the case.
 
Just add to the above, o have abused some components, and they were fine, I've man handled a lot of ram that seems to be ok, and I've even levered a processor out of its socket with a screwdriver, forgetting that its socket was locking its pins in, it went flying across the room, bouncing on two walls and landing on carpet. It still powers my media pc to this day.

The risk is minimal, but it's one you need to be aware of.
 
Never used a wrist strap apart from in college and usually i'll lay the components down on anti-static bags that they came or on anything similar.

I always tend to pull the plug out the back of my case when working on it and i tend to touch my case or anything near by that will discharge static just to be on the safe side.
 
mattyfez said:
Just add to the above, o have abused some components, and they were fine, I've man handled a lot of ram that seems to be ok, and I've even levered a processor out of its socket with a screwdriver, forgetting that its socket was locking its pins in, it went flying across the room, bouncing on two walls and landing on carpet. It still powers my media pc to this day.

The risk is minimal, but it's one you need to be aware of.
Click to expand...

You arent the guy who got his dad to help seat his cpu with a hammer are you?

Personally i have never bothered with the anti static wristbands but i am aware of the risks and so am careful with new components.
 
BumSalsa said:
You arent the guy who got his dad to help seat his cpu with a hammer are you?

Personally i have never bothered with the anti static wristbands but i am aware of the risks and so am careful with new components.
Click to expand...

No, lol! But I do generally ground myself by touching some bare metal, like a radiator valve, or a pc case of the psu is plugged in. It should be noted that pc case is not grounded unless the psu is plugged in.

Edit, in my defence, I forgot it was an athlon, with the pins on the chip rather than the socket. And I was reasonably drunk at the time. :#
 
Last edited:
Bottom line : One discharges himself while doing all sorts of mundane things so building up a formidable enough charge to pose a problem would be quite exceptional. Unless you do not interact with the world as normal men do you are extremely unlikely to actually discharge upon a component, let alone damage it. The vast multitude of enthusiasts, myself included, do not wear any sort of anti-static gear.



- Ordokai
 
I generally work on my PC on a carpet so I try to always use one, however I've never had anything go wrong the times I didn't use a wristband.
 
I touch the radiator from time to time, don't wear nylon socks and keep the PSU plugged in but off so the Chassis is earthed.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom