Getting shocked by static electricity has always been a pretty common thing. You’re walking across the carpet on your socks, then you go to touch a person or something electronic and…ZAP! While this may seem harmless in most aspects, this is actually how I fried these nice Bluetooth headphones I bought. Unfortunately, the same thing can happen to you and your computer when you’re building it and destroy your computer’s hardware.
For a quick breakdown, in scientific terms, everyone/thing has an electric potential or a set amount of electrons. Basically, that static zap you get is when two objects of different electric potential contact each other – sending a surge of electrons from the object with higher electric potential to the one with the lower.
Anti-static straps stop this from happening by reducing, dampening, or inhibiting electrostatic discharge and can thus save your computer by being used. While many builders say that you don’t need an anti-static wrist strap to build your computer, it’s better to be safe than sorry and not risk destroying everything. Here, below, we will go over how to use an anti-static wrist strap.
What is an Anti-Static Wrist Strap?
Static discharge can destroy your new computer’s motherboard, graphics card, and circuit board, basically rendering your computer (and money) useless. It can also shock the hell out of you. By wearing an anti-static wrist strap, you’ll have a safe way to get the static discharge to leave you and discharge to the ground.
In situations like this, and even after you’ve finished the installation, it’s very helpful to make sure your computer is always protected from electrical surges. The best way to do this is by getting on of the best surge protectors for gaming PCs.
Anti-Static wrist straps are just a way to make sure that the difference in electric potential between your body and the computer is balanced out. These straps make an excess static charge move away from your skin to the wrist strap, down the strap’s cord, and on until it reaches the ground and is dissipated.
There are times when it’s unnecessary to wear it, though, and that’s when you’re replacing network adapters, unplugging and plugging your keyboard and mouse peripherals from the back of your computer, and when you’re working inside a CRT, which only trained professionals are allowed to do anyway. Other than these, have this on when you’re building your computer.
It’s up to you where you put it on you, whether that be your ankle, wrist, or whatever else. As long as it’s touching your skin and is snug and comfortable you’re in good condition. Just remember that you’re going to have a cord coming off of it so it may be easier to choose whichever part won’t have the cord in your way.
BUT FIRST!
There are certain things you need to do before you begin just to make sure that you and your computer stay safe.
If you can, buy an anti-static strap and mat combo where the strap is plugged into the mat. Buying and using this is the best way to avoid static discharges. These mats are perfect to put your components, like GPUs, onto when taking them out of their bags. We’ll refer back to this momentarily.
Make sure to ground yourself first by touching something metal whether that be a pipe, radiator, or some metallic part of your building’s plumbing. Or, you can touch a turned off grounded power supply, like a plugged-in power cord that’s connected to a power source.
Work on an open PC either early in the morning or during the night when humidity levels are naturally higher because dryness creates more static. The last thing you want is to have bought one of the best gaming PCs and have made it useless just because of the weather around you.
Instead of handling important parts like capacitors, the circuit board, and smaller components, it will be better to gently grip heatsinks and edges since these are less likely to suffer irreversible damage from a static shock.
These components are shipped in anti-static bags. Refrain from taking these pieces from their bags and placing them on top of the bag because the outsides of these bags are conductive enough to fry your circuits before you can even use them. It’s much better to place these objects on an anti-static mat. If you lack that, you can always use a cardboard box.
Of course, it’s best to avoid everything that normally creates static shock: carpets, rubbing your clothes, you know the drill. Avoid what would normally shock you, and you and your computer will be much, much safer.
How to Use an Anti-Static Wrist Strap
There are a couple of methods to properly using an anti-static wrist strap. One of these is called Bonding (or Grounding to the Power Supply) and the other is Grounding to the Pin.
Method 1: Bonding
This method makes sure that any excess static surges will travel to the grounded circuitry in your home. This method is great if you plan to move around a lot and possibly cause friction, which will cause static. This method also depends on your building’s electronics being good and safe to ground for each electrical socket, so make sure to check this and keep this in mind.
This method focuses on grounding to the power supply. Even though it doesn’t truly affect this process, it’s always great to make sure that you have one of the best power supplies for gaming regardless of what you do.
- Turn your PC and your power supply OFF. Make sure to keep the power cord plugged into the outlet. Press the PC’s ‘’on’’ button to drain any possible remaining current.
- Put on the anti-static strap. Wrap it around your wrist (or wherever you want) with the metal part touching your skin.
- Find the alligator clip attached to the end of the strap’s cord. It looks like an alligator’s mouth – a toothed metal clip with a spring.
- Attach the alligator clip onto any of the power supply unit’s unpainted bare metal. Some paints have insulating contents that will restrict electric flow between you and the PC, meaning attaching the clip to it will make the strap useless. So, make sure to just attach the clip firmly to unpainted metal such as a screw or PSU fan.
- You should be grounded and any charge should now just travel right to the ground.
Method 2: Grounding to the Pin
This method is very similar to bonding, but it’s a lot riskier. We would suggest doing the first option, and only doing this one if you must. This is great if you don’t want to have any worries of risking damaging your computer at all, but it can end horribly for you and your computer if it’s done incorrectly. Please, as with everything, proceed with caution.
- Put on the anti-static wrist strap with the metal touching your skin.
- MOST IMPORTANTLY: know where your grounding pin is located at. The risk of being electrocuted is very high if you do not choose the right pin or are just guessing. Your grounding pin will depend on where you are located. Make sure to know where it is.
- Before you even think about attaching the alligator clip, MAKE SURE THE SWITCH IS OFF. After this, you are ready to attach the alligator clip to grounding pin/prong.
- Clip the alligator clip to grounding pin of the outlet respective to where to grounding pin is located based on your location. You should be grounded and good.
Conclusion
Wearing an anti-static wrist strap should be a prerequisite whenever you’re building a computer to both protect yourself, your computer, and your money. While there are instances when people say this isn’t needed, this is up to your discretion, not theirs.
By having this wrist strap worn, you’ll be 100% sure that you’re not putting your computer in any risk instead of possibly damaging your computer by not wearing it. Again, though, this is up to you.