when working on the pc would it be a good idea to wear latex doctor style gloves in addition to a grounding strap, methinks you wont get electrocuted tinkering with capacitors in monitors or PSUs, its soft and protective and its supposedly an insulator, being plastic and all that, however i do remember the physics lab in high skool where the teacher charged up a polyurethane rod with static and picked up paper bits, so it may retain rather than block static, what do you think?

I think latex is a development by the devil. It's a very evil thing.

Okay back to topic - just get a grounding strap and call it a day.

well, im not sure if anyone did this when they were young, but did you ever rub an inflated balloon on your hair? it creates static and the balloon will cling to a wall or table or whatever. i dont think latex gloves will help with static.

I enjoy the little shocks and zaps, let's me know I'm still alive and kicking.

yea, i did the baloon thing before, thats definitely not a good sign, i'll stick with my uber grounding strap: a bunch of old speaker wire that goes from desk\wrist, out of window and soldered to stick of iron in the ground

yea, i'm paranoid, just spent all of the $2000 that i own on my uber pc for the holidays

Quote: I think latex is a development by the devil. It's a very evil thing.

sounds like someone's allergic to the stuff my uncle is a dentist and curses them like that all the time, he uses something called purple nitrile instead

Quote: Originally posted by insaneferret sounds like someone's allergic to the stuff my uncle is a dentist and curses them like that all the time, he uses something called purple nitrile instead

Yep, and let me tell you this allergy has caused lots of problems with my love life.

I will never forget when one woman looked at me blankly and asked "Does that make you swell". That was one of the few times I've been left speachless.

Quote: Originally posted by Iateronmly Yep, and let me tell you this allergy has caused lots of problems with my love life. I will never forget when one woman looked at me blankly and asked "Does that make you swell". That was one of the few times I've been left speachless.

Nice....lol, the only time in your life that the allergy could have 'helped' you....

Does anyone now where i can buy a grounding strap?

TYCOON--Don't waste your money and just make your own.

lateronmly--Guess that PR sock comes in handy for you then, huh? I can't imagine how much friction that would create though....

compusa sells them, less than $5, or you coud make one, all it involves is connecting you to the earth, just tie an old stripped wire around your watch band and tape the other end to your case, window sill or spike in ground outside window

Radio Shack usually carries 'em too...

Still, I have to admit... the visual of a PC repair tech snapping on a pair of rubber gloves and tellin' the machine "Trust me" would be a friggin' riot.

Never used a grounding strap in my life. I frequently touch the chassis' of any computers I'm working on, and try not to move around the room too much. Haven't killed anytrhing yet.

And Ferret, you might be better off just attaching the other end of the speaker wire to the chassis of the computer than running it out to the earth. The chassis of the computer is the real 'ground' you need to have, you could quite easily have a voltage between the chassis of the computer and the ground outside if it's not plugged in, which would mean you'd have a voltage with respect to the computer.

Even if the machine is plugged in, you have a long path from the ground on the puter, through the house's electrical wiring, through the bonding jumper in the electrical panel, and then to the earth outside, this can have a few ohms in it, which can make for trouble...

i do the same as sportbilly i touch the case alot when im working. i havent killed anything yet either.

I've found placing your foot on the PSU while jerking stubborn wires with both hands is a safe process as well....

No, but I've never used a strap myself either.

There's always this route...

Attached Thumbnails

 

LOL, Oaty O's, thought that was just a New Jersey thing. anyway, ive never used a strap either. havent fryed anything yet (at least not by static)

Or you can be like the guy on the Dell commercials... the one building the PCs... I dont think anyone noticed the nice static-filled FLANNEL SHIRT he's wearing...

never used a strap. last computer i build i did it on the kitchen table.

do wear staticky latex. use a grounding strap unless you like buying new parts. and just watch where you are touching. and how often do you dig through your PSU? get a anti static mat to work on stuff too.
nomex is supposed to dissapate static so my flight jacket is supposed to keep static down. and it should prove slightly helpful if the computer catches fire. no if that happened id rather die. unless my hard drives were safe.

Quote: Originally posted by carbongraphite ... use a grounding strap unless you like buying new parts ...

Geeks _love_ buying new parts !

You were trying to promote safe component handling, but that post may provoke the opposite reaction ... it's now just a matter of time before thinkgeek release a "Ain't no electrostatic discharge precautions taken in this house!" T-shirt