I got some fixing to do with my PC and I was wondering can antistatic wrist strap protect my components from electric discharge? I've ruined several components before with a discharge so I'm thinking about antistatic wristband. How do you use them, and are they safe to use?
I used to work at Motorola with soldering circuitboards. They made us all wear them before touching any boards. It's just a metal, flexible wristband with a wire that snaps to it, and on the other end there's an alligator clip that you connect to a "ground", (something metal). They're harmless to you.
Just make sure it is properly grounded. No good just touching the ground! Needs to be attached to bare metal that actually goes into the ground. Pipe system or something.
People told me that I should attach alligator clips to a metal part of the computer case and that should be enough, so I'm just wondering is that really enough?
I am by no means an expert, but I would suggest no. How is that grounded? The only time I have tried it, I attached the clip to a metal radiator. (part of heating system)
I had some time on my hands so I googled it a bit and I found this, so I'm wondering is there and feedback on this one. I'm asking this because I don't have any radiators in my home and the only way how can I ground myself is to connect myself to the ground on power outlet (I've heard that people do that kind of stuff) and that would look just silly in my opinion.
My partner always puts the alligator clip on the case of the computer and we've had no problems so far. It is to "equalize" the electric. Have used a radiator before as well for that matter but, just the computer chassis (as long as it's metal of course ), will be enough. My partner's fiddled with loads of computers and always done that and no problems so, yeah .
The smartest thing is to use one of the wristbands (at Motorola we worked on a rubber placemat with a metal thing attached to it, and we just clipped the alligator clip to the metal piece), but to be honest, all I ever do nowadays is just make sure that i touch the metal frame of my computer before I do any work inside of it. If I have any static in me from walking across a carpet or whatever, it'll snap on teh metal frame, and I'm static free. I've yet to ever zap out a component after working that way, and I've done extensive work inside of computers for at least 15 years.
Touch the metal frame of computer before do any work and you don't need a wrist strap. Other wise good idea to use them if your not sure of yourself.
i suggest you to use 3 pin socket but enable ground electrical system in three pin socket 3rd pin is for ground this ground electrical system will suck or observe the electrical discharge.