wrist band

[#1]

There are plenty of warnings regarding the use of wrist bands when messing about with the internal parts of a computer due to static electricity.
Could you use a pair of surgeons gloves instead ?

[#2]

No.

[#3]

don't see why not.  the purpose of the wristband is to earth you adequately and it's really more to protect the electronics than you.  if you tend to have sweaty fingers, surgical gloves will prevent acids from them getting onto the circuits.  not terribly comfortable, though.

[#4]

You don't need gloves. Just ensure you earth yourself on the case frequently and it will be fine.
Some reports say latex gloves can actually make static worse! Just think of when you last rubbed a balloon on a jumper and stuck it on the wall using static electricity. If it was anti-static it would not stick!

[#5]

I've switched memory - where it's difficult to avoid touching chips and conductors, no wrist strap, no gloves, no problem.
Disks are easy - put the PC on the kitchen table to do the job.
Keep the disk in the anti-static packaging until you are ready to go.
The biggest problem is usually working out how the covers are meant to slide off!

[#6]

Then tidying up the cables - although it is much easier with a SATA drive

[#7]

I've never used a wrist strap and never killed anything with static!
As long as you take sensible precautions like opening the case on a hard surface and not trying to touch the gold contacts then you'll be fine.

[#8]

I've also never used a wristband and likewise also never killed anything yet.. however thats not the whole story.
Years ago scientists did some research into the effects of static electricity on electronic components (such as IC's) and found that while they wouldn't immediately be destroyedby static shock, it would in fact trigger a molecular break down process to start which would cause the component to fail many years down the line. I seem to remember a figure of 9 years. With the pace of computer development these days that hardly seems worth worrying about however I must admit I've still got some sub 1GHz machines running here which I still use.
The idea of the strap is to carry static charge away from your body to the ground. You're supposed to connect it to an earth point - IE the top pin of a 3 pin socket or a radiator pipe. I've played with this many times.. Try getting a new bin bag off the roll (IE black sack) full of static right? - touch it against the copper pipe of one of your radiators for a few seconds then take it off. You'll still find it covered with static. Same applies if you're wearing clothes with static in them too. Odd isn't it.

[#9]

Bin bags are excellent insulators.
Try using a wet bin bag.

[#10]

Thats NOT the point. The point I was making is that touching it against a copper radiator pipe should still in theory carry away the static charge - and it does not.

[#11]

One rule I always stick by when opening up a computer - leave it plugged in but turned off at the mains.
The earth is still connected, and that means the entire case of the computer is earthed.  Regularly making definite contact with the bare metal of the case will continually earth you.
And no, I've worked with the guts of computers for over 20 years now, and have never seen a component blow due to static.
B.

[#12]

Quote from: Peter

Some reports say latex gloves can actually make static worse! Just think of when you last rubbed a balloon on a jumper and stuck it on the wall using static electricity. If it was anti-static it would not stick!

I have used a static detector in the past when `conducting` (sorry) training on anti static handling procedures. Silicon rubber tubing has a charge of around 6KV. Gloves would be just as bad.

[#13]

Quote from: Barry

One rule I always stick by when opening up a computer - leave it plugged in but turned off at the mains. The earth is still connected, and that means the entire case of the computer is earthed.  Regularly making definite contact with the bare metal of the case will continually earth you. And no, I've worked with the guts of computers for over 20 years now, and have never seen a component blow due to static. B.

You wouldn't necessarily see it 'blow' though barry - you should know that! How many dead motherboards have you heard of in your time though? - Failing HDDs, Memory module faults... etc. You can't physically see a fault with them but yet it doesn't work. That was the point I was trying to make. Static can take years to internally destroy a component.
I did once see a polarized electrolytic cap blow once in a lab... for such a small part it made a fair bit of smoke!

[#14]

when learning electrical safety in radio lectures i recall the fun we had attempting to wind up our tutor with reminders to wear a medallion on a long chain and to stand in a bucket of water.  it served to emphasise the lessons he'd taught us and fix them forever in our skulls.

[#15]

If you go to those parts of North America where outside temperatures are well below zero in winter, you will find yourself forever getting zapped by little static shocks as you touch metal objects (such as door handles) because the atmosphere there is so dry.  It is fairly rare to experience this in the damp and mild conditions of the UK, in which case you probably don't need to take stringent anti-static precautions.  But you would still be foolish not to touch the computer case before you touch you touch anything more precious that could be damaged by a static discharge.