I want one for tinkering on my PC. i really dont want to buy a top-dollar one, is there an alternative? Can i just buy the fabric its made out of?
2007-02-14 16:44:11 · 5 answers · asked by honeynuts1215 2 in Computers & Internet ➔ Hardware ➔ Other - Hardware
They're made out of conductive material which dissipates the electrostatic charge (ESD) that your body builds up when you walk around on, for example, carpeting.
Probably the best thing is what Bjorn suggests, occasionally just touch something metal (ever get "shocked" when you touch a doorknob?...that's your body discharging the ESD it's built up).
But to really go an extra step to protect the computer against ESD, you could purchase a wrist strap from just about any good electronics store and attach it to the metal case while you're working on the computer.
Here's the thing about ESD and why such strict precautions are taken in a PCB or Electronic manufacturing environment...the ElectroStaticDischarge that can be given to a PCB if the operator is not grounded (using ESD wrist/footstraps...conductive floor wax, etc) can cause unseen damage to some of the IC's and BGA Processors causing shortened life and "field failures" long after the product has shipped to the end user. So, 30,000 volts is nothing to sneeze at.
2007-02-14 16:55:01 · answer #1 · answered by GeneL 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Honestly, these days Electrostatic Discharge is a rare issue. As long as you are not working on it in a wool sweater with wool socks on shag carpeting, you should be ok without it.
Just be smart, have it up on a table, unplug everything. Touch the bare metal of the case before you touch anything.
I have been working on PC's for 10 years now, and not once have I had an instance of static discharge.
2007-02-14 16:49:58 · answer #2 · answered by Bjorn 7 · 2⤊ 0⤋
"Bjorn" gets my thumbs up.... 100% correct.
Anti-static mats were designed for IT labs or server rooms where there is lots of people traffic & lots of hardware..... static related accidents are more likely in those environments because of the frequent & often fleeting contact with sensitive components.
So long as you tap a finger on the metal chassis or power supply before touching anything else you will be fine.
regards,
Philip T
2007-02-14 17:00:18 · answer #3 · answered by Philip T 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Fabric is a bad material. It produces static electricity. anti-static mats are made of some low-resistance metal, graphite sticks, wood or rubber.
2007-02-14 16:56:06 · answer #4 · answered by Sarvesh K 2 · 0⤊ 1⤋
made out of TP lol
2007-02-14 17:45:54 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 1⤋