Static Eletricity tips?

For those of you who open your laptop to upgrade the RAM and HD, are you suppose to remove battery, press and hold the power button for 10 seconds before opening the laptop? Or are you suppose to do that after you have finished opening and upgrading, but before powering it on?

Any wriststrap and pads you recommend? Any other tips on preventing static shock or safety tips when upgrading laptops.

 

I do everything in this video. Also remove the battery and AC cord first.
How to prevent static electricity computer damage with anti-static PC tools - YouTube
Most any wrist strap with a secure connector on the end (alligator clip) S/B fine

 

Removing the AC, battery, and pressing the power button down a few times will usually get rid of any residual power. You can do that before you open the case. This isn't related to static electricity; it's the equivalent of waiting for a desktop motherboard LED to turn off before you touch anything.

 

I second ALLurGroceries.

I first turn off the laptop, then remove the AC cord and battery, followed by pressing and holding the power button for about 5 to 10 seconds to get rid of any residual charge.

Other than that, I don't have any other pointers.
This is the method I used to open, clean, repaste and upgrade my laptop.
No problems thus far.

 

In terms of general anti-static tips, don't walk around in socks, wear sweaters, sweatpants, that type of stuff, or run really fast and then touch electronics.

Get all of your tools gathered in one spot so that you don't have to get up and come back in the middle of the operation. Sit down and before you directly handle any components, touch your hand to a large metal object, or if there isn't one around, the tip of your AC adapter (after you unplug it from the laptop). After that, don't move around much, and don't pet your dog or cat. If your chair is on a carpet, don't roll around. Resist the urge to dance until your project is complete.

The safest way is to use a wrist strap and a static mat, but that isn't always possible.

 

Pretty much what groceries said, but you should discharge yourself by touching something metal that's grounded to be sure.
I have this Rosewill anti-static wrist strap from the Egg. I'm not totally convinced that they work per say, but you can never be too careful. Electronics are sensitive to static and it can damage them.

 

As others have said, holding the power button has nothing to do with ESD; that's just to get rid of residual charge in capacitors and such. I work in a circuit board factory, and if nothing else, they are very serious about ESD prevention

A grounding wrist strap is the most common type of ESD prevention, and very effective, assuming you have something to ground it to. At work, we prefer shoe straps; they basically slip on over the heel of your shoe with a wire sort of thing that goes inside the shoe. As long as your feet are flat to the (non-carpeted) floor, you're set, and you don't have to tether your wrist to your workstation, which can be a real pain when you're trying to operate a soldering iron with its own cord and a giant spool of solder. They're also cheap as hell, under $10 a pair: 3M - HGC1M-ECG - Grounding - Shoe Straps - Allied Electronics

We also wear ESD smocks, but I'd say that's probably overkill unless you take computers apart every day. But, if you're curious, check it out. ESD Smocks

 

Is static electricity really a problem?
I swap components around just after battery remove, and boot them w/o full assemble and never come across problem.

 

It's never a problem until it happens to you.

It's not like you're guaranteed to fry something if you don't take basic ESD precautions, but it's just a risk that you don't really want to take. You could spend 5 bucks on some protective gear, or run the chance that you'll ruin a part that costs hundreds of dollars. Especially things like surface-mount components, which can number in the hundreds on a single circuit board and are very static-sensitive.

That said, even without gear, you can minimize ESD risk based on the conditions you work with. Carpeted floors are an obvious thing to avoid. Higher air humidity is beneficial, as it reduces static potential, so if you have a humidifier, that may be something to consider. It's one reason why drier winter months tend to coincide with higher ESD incident rates (at least, according to a study at my factory)

 

The easiest way to discharge the static (if you have any) is to wash your hands with tap water. Yes, the tap water is ionic and during washing it will automatically ground you.


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But heel straps require a special conductive floor coating and are essentially worthless on a household carpet or wooden floor....

 

I guess I did forget to mention that...

 

lol, was actually interested in those things if they worked. and solid burn on that one surprised mastershroom didn't slap timfountain for that because he was on a pretty solid run there.

 

I'm a proponent of working barefoot with my feet leaning on a baseboard radiator when I'm doing comp work at home.

 

I've decided to try anti static gloves and a mat. Thanks for all the suggestions.