These supposedly cordless anti-static wrist straps seem to be very common on eBay. Let's take a look at one.
Dave at EEVblog checked one of these out too:- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nvgW5iWXbts&t=0s
It appears to be the equivalent of a scaffolders safety harness. They're wearing it, but it's not attached to anything.
If you enjoy these videos you can help support the channel with a dollar for coffee, cookies and random gadgets for disassembly at:-
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17 thoughts on “Cordless antistatic wrist straps?”
  1. Avataaar/Circle Created with python_avatars Pheckphul says:

    Placebo?

    OP said that a direct path to ground would be Bad News. Well, 3M sold (sells?) anti-static mat/wrist strap/outlet checker combos made to verify outlet is properly grounded. The outlet checker has a socket for the lead that goes from the wrist strap to anti-static mat in order to connect the user to the mains ground.

  2. Avataaar/Circle Created with python_avatars curt mayer says:

    Cordless in the sense that you need to supply your own cord to make it work.

  3. Avataaar/Circle Created with python_avatars FUNKLABOR DL1LEP says:

    No! this is bullsh*t. Won’t work.

  4. Avataaar/Circle Created with python_avatars Justin says:

    The same company makes the 'Invisible Condom'

  5. Avataaar/Circle Created with python_avatars John Mulhatton says:

    Oh my goodness. Dear fellow kind people of the internet…
    These are used to discharge yourself against a metal contact point.
    See the protruding screw head on top, with the wire attached?
    You tap that against a metal grounding plate next to your bench.
    Using this product in specific use cases, you are not constantly earthed and electricity cannot run across your chest to earth with these.
    Also, if you work with a product and static builds up, then before you put the product down or before picking up the next product, you are required to tap that exposed screw on to the grounding plate.
    People don't seem to understand the specific use case for this specific product, and now you are dissing the thing out of context.

  6. Avataaar/Circle Created with python_avatars PKP says:

    How does it work?, what’s inside a working ESD wristband

  7. Avataaar/Circle Created with python_avatars jhsevs says:

    How do the conventional corded ones work? Dos and don'ts about where to connect the clip? Is it ok to just clip it to any metal lump in your vicinity?
    Can you connect it to a floating ground, let's say the grounding stud on a double insulated turntable or amplifier?
    I live in Norway where many old houses use the IT power distribution system (or sometimes TT, when the disneuter in tre transformer kiosk has failed). Many old houses do not have earthed outlets. Where do you clip the wrist strap if there is no house earth (not in the room you're in anyway)? To the casing of the item you're working on? Do you then connect the item's earth to an earthed outlet? What if there is a signal ground/0v rail, do you connect this one to earth too as it's galvanically isolated?

  8. Avataaar/Circle Created with python_avatars Steve Davis says:

    Must be WiFI!

  9. Avataaar/Circle Created with python_avatars Miikkiizzz says:

    Wished I saw your vid 5 years ago, I built my PC in 2016 (Thank God nothing was fried) and the store owner recommended this to me. Never going back.

  10. Avataaar/Circle Created with python_avatars Buck Wheat says:

    so thanks for the entertainment of what i don't know.

  11. Avataaar/Circle Created with python_avatars AndrewGRoberts says:

    Wireless esd wrist strap lol

  12. Avataaar/Circle Created with python_avatars Adalberto Salazar says:

    Alguien me puede pasar el vídeo en español

  13. Avataaar/Circle Created with python_avatars zee anemone says:

    maybe they think the resistor 'uses up' the excess static

  14. Avataaar/Circle Created with python_avatars Onli Mi says:

    I just came from Frye's Electronics and they are selling them for $18 each! The package givews no instructions but says a cord is not needed and there is no connection to attach a cord. I opened the package and checked! The person in the store said something about, "… they tap into your internal body workings to dissapate static."

  15. Avataaar/Circle Created with python_avatars DanCrippsey says:

    The idea is that instead of tapping your bare skin on something, you tap the screw.
    You get less off a zing.

  16. Avataaar/Circle Created with python_avatars Whatatay T says:

    They work exactly as intended and I can't understand how "electronics experts" can't figure it out. They allow you to touch the screw on the top to a ground and discharge yourself through the internal resistor, which prevents you from being electrocuted if you touch a live wire while touching ground. That way you don't have to touch a ground with your hand and you won't get electrocuted. Most people don't walk around while working on electronics so once you ground yourself you don't have to stay at ground potential. Is it the best solution or better than a wired version? No, but it does work as designed if you have the brains to figure out how it is supposed to be used.

  17. Avataaar/Circle Created with python_avatars 0zelena6kriza4 says:

    Can i just use a wire to ground my self to PSU???? No antistatic wrist straps in my small town!

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