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Anti Static Wrist Strap Question.

CDdude55

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If i use an anti static wrist strap and connect the clip to a metal part on the inside of a PC that is turned on, would that kill any part i hold in my hand?
 

jjFarking

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LOL!
Potentially, you will hurt yourself first. Working with a strap, is mainly for use with the PC turned off.
In theory.. you work whilst the PC is off.
Why would it need to be on? (just curious)
 

CDdude55

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LOL!
Potentially, you will hurt yourself first. Working with a strap, is mainly for use with the PC turned off.
In theory.. you work whilst the PC is off.
Why would it need to be on? (just curious)

Like if you got a new piece of hardware and you decide to unbox it and you attach an anti static strap to a PC that's turned on (because you don't want to turn it off and you're doing other stuff on that computer at the moment). I did that with my new DDR3 RAM and i hope they are not dead, but i can't test them yet.
 
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Like if you got a new piece of hardware and you decide to unbox it and you attach an anti static strap to a PC that's turned on (because you don't want to turn it off and you're doing other stuff on that computer at the moment). I did that with my new DDR3 RAM and i hope they are not dead, but i can't test them yet.

as long as your hand didnt touch a live current (possibly giving you an electric shock) then it should be fine from a static damage point of view. To be honest i wouldn't hot-swap RAM though (i've hotswapped hdds, pci and pci-e cards but never ram).
 

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Gotcha. That shouldn't be a problem.
Um.. why would you not just use that RAM straight out though?
Ooh.. just 'perving' on the new goodies perhaps?
Not that I ever do such a thing


often
:toast:
 

CDdude55

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Gotcha. That shouldn't be a problem.
Um.. why would you not just use that RAM straight out though?
Ooh.. just 'perving' on the new goodies perhaps?
Not that I ever do such a thing


often
:toast:

Still need to buy the i7 CPU and heatsink, until then i can't test anything.

Just taking a peek at parts.:)
 

CDdude55

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as long as your hand didnt touch a live current (possibly giving you an electric shock) then it should be fine from a static damage point of view. To be honest i wouldn't hot-swap RAM though (i've hotswapped hdds, pci and pci-e cards but never ram).

I wasn't hot swapping the RAM, i was just taking them out of the package and looking/holding them.
 
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I wasn't hot swapping the RAM, i was just taking them out of the package and looking/holding them.

ahh - should be fine then :)

/willReadOpBetterNextTime
 

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If i use an anti static wrist strap and connect the clip to a metal part on the inside of a PC that is turned on, would that kill any part i hold in my hand?

no, the pc case metal is grounded through the psu through the power cable into the psu. it is grounded no matter if the pc is on or off, as long as the psu is connected to the wall power outlet, sometimes the psu needs to be turned on.

what you are doing is perfectly safe and the correct way to use a wrist strap, even though i personally think they are a waste of time. static is overrated, it helps much more to take your time, plan, read up on whatever you are going to do
 
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Ram would likely die in a "hot swap" anything cmos is more prone to static damage, but if you were only looking at it, should not be a problem. The pc chassis would have been grounded. I certainly hope the chassis is never energized :O.

My wrist strap plugs into the wall, that is a much better idea.

Looks like W1zzard beat me.

W1z, dry air is the biggest static cause, Dec-Feb. are the most common months for static damage, and it is unlikely esp. if you handle the board by the corners.
 

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My wrist strap plugs into the wall, that is a much better idea.
while it might be more convenient i am certain it makes no difference for the static electricity

and it is unlikely esp. if you handle the board by the corners.
unlikely in either case. i must have handled thousands of components in my life, i never cared about ESD and nothing ever broke
 
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while it might be more convenient i am certain it makes no difference for the static electricity


unlikely in either case. i must have handled thousands of components in my life, i never cared about ESD and nothing ever broke

likewise it is just as good to keep one hand on the chassis, because you are still grounded.

I agree ESD damage is unlikely, but it is a precaution I feel worth taking..... but maybe because I was programmed that way in college.
 

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while it might be more convenient i am certain it makes no difference for the static electricity


unlikely in either case. i must have handled thousands of components in my life, i never cared about ESD and nothing ever broke

I plug my static band into the ground port on the wall socket when working inside. That pretty much grounds me. Just a warning, lots of houses are wired wrong, and I have shocked myself pretty badly cause the ground was actually wired to negative or whatever... anyway, when I plugged the darn thing in, I was standing up, and I felt a shock, then kinda fell over, pulling the ESD band out so... lukcy!

Also for those who do not believe is ESD, I have built up static with wool socks, ran to tough an old graphics card, installed it, not thinking about it, back when I was a computer newbie, and it did not work after about 10 minutes of use. The same card (an MX440) was working earlier just fine on the same computer. I had removed it to clean the motherboard! Coincidence, I think not! ESD exists, or so I think, but I have never had anything like that happen again, partially because I ALWAYS GROUND MYSELF!
 

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but maybe because I was programmed that way in college.

that's actually my impression too .. most educated people are paranoid about esd [for no reason imo]
 

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i must have handled thousands of components in my life, i never cared about ESD and nothing ever broke

I've had components (RAM to be exact) die on me, whilst taking it out of of the anti-static packaging, as this very action caused that much ESD that I didn't even have to touch it. The amount of static the outside of the packaging itself collected during transport was simply rediculous.
This is the main reason I take the whole anti-static bags et al with a large grain of salt.

Um.. mainly from China, I'm sorry to say :p
:laugh:
 
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unlikely in either case. i must have handled thousands of components in my life, i never cared about ESD and nothing ever broke

never used a wrist strap myself to this day and havent ever had a problem
 

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I got myself the wrist strap because these parts are to expansive to be messing around with.

I normally don't use a wrist strap when working on computers, but since i am putting this i7 build together, i thought i might as well get one for the sake of damaging both the parts and my wallet.
 
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normally when im checking out new expensive gear at home, I grab the kleenex, a tube of KY and streep bare nekkid :D
 

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I got myself the wrist strap because these parts are to expansive to be messing around with.

I normally don't use a wrist strap when working on computers, but since i am putting this i7 build together, i thought i might as well get one for the sake of damaging both the parts and my wallet.

There's nothing wrong with adopting a "better safe than sorry" attitude mate :)
:toast:
 

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CDdude55

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Anyone else got any input on my question?
 

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...what you are doing is perfectly safe and the correct way to use a wrist strap, even though i personally think they are a waste of time. static is overrated, it helps much more to take your time, plan, read up on whatever you are going to do

....unlikely in either case. i must have handled thousands of components in my life, i never cared about ESD and nothing ever broke

I must agree! I probably haven't handled as many parts but I've handled my fair share and not once with a wrist strap, neither have I had anything fail on me due to this. :)
 

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I must agree! I probably haven't handled as many parts but I've handled my fair share and not once with a wrist strap, neither have I had anything fail on me due to this. :)

Luck is no substitute for precautionary safety ;)
 
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Truth be told, I've never bothered using one. :laugh: I simply handle things minimally and with great care.
 

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Very true, but i believe if you take those precautionary safety measure's in a different attitude, such as slightly more relaxed, ie: only take in account the high risk factor's such as in DO NOT work with components next to a TV, Microwave even certain fabrics/materials etc, or run round dragging your feet on the carpet and then picking up the components, usually if you don't do anything silly like that nothing should ever cause an ESD, or at least that is my theory to a method of not using an anti static wrist strap. :D
 
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