Anti Static Wrist Strap's?

[mt50]

hi, i've just brought myself a new motherboard and graphics card, so i will have to take the cpu and ram out and switch it over to the new mobo.
i don't own a Anti Static Wrist Strap yet, so i've just been looking on ebay and found these-
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.d...&category=3668

are they anygood? i've never had one before so don't know what to look for when buying one.
any help would be good.

thanks

[LayZeh]

I'll be completely honest with you and say "I don't use one" and never have. I think if you're sensible and don't wear clothes known to generate static, prevent your cat from falling asleep on your motherboard and remove all dangly jewellry you should be fine, i've never had anything die on me during the building of 10 or more PCs, i suppose being sensible would be to wear an anti-static wrist band but i can bet 90% of people on this forum don't bother.

[mt50]

yeah, i've never had one when upgradeing my pc in the past, but this time i just want to a bit safer if you see what i mean. and they are only £2

[nichomach]

Never used one - always make sure I discharge any static on something nice, metal and earthed *CRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRACK!*, and haven't blown anything yet doing it.

[Kezzer]

I never use them and i've built a few systems at home. All other places i've had to wear a wrist strap (i.e. college to show anti-static precautions). You should be ok as long as you don't go washing your hands then dealing with the hardware.

[iMc]

i think that pc componants are more robust than people think, but hey better to be safe than sorry. personally ive never used one.

[benr22_uk]

I've built 8 computers and fiddled about with the insides of mine on numerous occasions ... I've never used an anti-static strap, all work done in carpeted rooms and nothing has died on my yet.

[5cupa]

I use them when at work as the carpets there make me give off static, and i have blown-up motherboards and ram just by walking from one side of a room to another.

the ones you are looking at are crap as they are disposable and dont really conduct very well. the best ones have like an elastic strap for your wrist and a clip to attach to a metal object etc. and there only like £3 from ebuyer or similar.

for £3 why not get into a good habit

[Allen]

Wouldn't get a disposable one. They all work the same really. It all depends down on the different circumstances I suppose. If you're working in a warm, dry room wearing a shell suit and on a highly charged carpet, then you're gonna blow something.

TBH, I've always used one and always will (except when doing small tinkerings like changing a cable quickly) just to be on the safe side. I'd rather not kill a couple of hundred pounds machine due to a small error/slip or whatever.

[0iD]

I wear one at work, but rarely at home. Never (to my knowledge) killed anything by static discharge. But it is good/safe practice.

[Gordy]

I have one but never use it nowadays as its a pain. As long as you discharge yourself on something if you are full of static you'll be ok

[ERU]

Another vote for the never used one club. I just dont wear wooly clothes and touch a radiator/earth before working.

Havent broke a single thing todate \o/

[mt50]

where are they on the ebuyer site? i'm just about to put in an order(thanks to the free postage offer) so might aswell add one in, but can't find them

[blockers]

I dont bother, and also sometimes forget to take precautions....never had anything break on me Also, have turned a motherboard on when its on a piece of wood wtihout a static bag underneath.

Im sure youll be fine, as long as you try and hold the conrners etc..

Will

[mt50]

ok, but i've never took a cpu out of a mobo before, i've changed ram once before. this is all new to me and i'm only 18 so i need all the help i can get on changeing cpu ect. i'm going to buy a new cooler am thinking about this one- http://www.ebuyer.com/customer/produ...duct_uid=51155

and what paste is good?

thanks

[Agent]

i think that pc componants are more robust than people think, but hey better to be safe than sorry. personally ive never used one.

bingo.

Ive tried to kill things from static. Walked on carpets, rubbed against jumpers (uhh ermmm ), got as much static as i could, and touched things, and felt the "click" followed by abuse towards the components. And i STILL havnt killed them.

An old 233 i had, i was trying to kill by randomly connecting a 9v battery to anything that looked "important" on the motherboard. It powered off a few times, but the bugger still didnt die.

It couldnt take the drop from my window though