Importance of ESD wrist strap

[Link19]

When working with the inside of your PC, how important is having an ESD wrist strap to prevent damaging an ESD sensitive component? Are you taking a big risk of damaging something if you don't use one? Is touching medal first a good idea to ground yourself before working on the inside of your PC? Is it a good idea to work in bare foot or shoes as opposed to working on the inside of your PC in your socks?

 

[Rav3n]

In 7 years of building comps/upgrading them, I have never had a problem walking around in whatever the hell I felt like, not using wrist-straps, and touching whatever I felt like touching. Wrist straps are for the paranoid, those who have already had a bad experience and learned the hard way, and those who like to spend money on super-dorky gear.

Before you do anything, touch a piece of painted metal (like the side of your case). After that, just dont rub a sweater or something. You can put "sensitive" components on cotton if you want, I throw things on my bed all the time. Be wary of it, but dont worry about it so much.

Also, make sure you dont bring magnets anywhere near your comp - specifically the HD - because that will destroy it completely.

You really have little to worry about, as long as you are not completely senseless. The whole barefoot thing might be a decent idea, but again, its just a precaution you dont have to really take.

 

[alm4rr]

Don't wear wool when working on computers
🙂

 

[Jeff7]

Don't walk across a thick carpet and then immediately touch the RAM of a computer. Someone tried to do that with an old system I was helping him with. Killed every stick of RAM in the system. Of course, he wanted an excuse to upgrade from 72-pin SIMMS to PC100 RAM. That was it. And he killed part of a Packard Bell PC, so that was fine too.

 

[WarCon]

Handing components to other people is about the only thing I am paranoid about anymore. Everyone is at different potentials and sparks can flow if someone has just been building a static field because of something as simple as rubber soled shoes.

 

[Zepper]

You only need to use a strap if you can't be counted on to think while you are working. If your PSU doesn't have a true on/off switch that kills the AC, then buy a power strip.
. Plug your PC into the power strip and make sure it's turned off while working on the PC. The ground circuit is then maintained so you can touch the case frequently while working to keep the static drained off.
. I agree that wool and synthetic materials shouldn't be worn when working on PCs as they generate more static than cotton or cotton blends.
.bh.
There's the :sun: !

 

[boran]

well, I just touch the metal part of my case regulary (PSU plugged in but turned off) as to get grounded and drained, also I try to avoid touching too much of the contacts (if you take care you realise that mostly you dont need to touch any if you place yer fingers right, it's just a matter of being a bit carefull, cant hurt eh, but I definetly would not get a stuipid wrist thinggie, would limit my movement etc.