How does a wriststrap tester work?

[goodpickles]

Hello!
How does a wrist band tester work...from what it says in catalogs they seem to test the resistance, but if this is all they do why do they cost $80.00 and up? Why can’t I just used my multitester to make sure my wristband is still OK?

 

[GraveYard_Killer]

Hello!
How does a wrist band tester work...from what it says in catalogs they seem to test the resistance, but if this is all they do why do they cost $80.00 and up? Why can’t I just used my multitester to make sure my wristband is still OK?

can you post the link of the $80 wristband tester?

for what i know the basic important component is the resistor (from 1M ohms to 10M ohms), one end has a contact to human skin, whil the other end to a ground. i do just use a multitester to test for resistance.

maybe that $80 tester has some other tests aside from measuring the resistance?

 

[zachtheterrible]

You looking in mouser or digikey? I think there are things in there that are way overpriced.

 

[stevez]

One thing that might explain the apparent high cost is a certification. It could be that an accepted procedure might be to test with an instrument that has been certified by xxx or meets the requirements of abc ..... Those certifications don't come cheap and as you'd expect, they roll that into the price of the product. Note also that liability insurance might play a part here - someone gets hurt (ground strap has low resistance) and mfr might be a target. Just a thought.

 

[DigiTan]

$80 still sounds like scamola to me. If all it does is check resistance, this is just a glorified ohmmeter. Does the product spec mention other features like multiple ranges, or I don't know...solid gold plating? Anything that would justify 80$?

 

[goodpickles]

place I am looking at is Techni-tool
**broken link removed**

 

[DigiTan]

Ah, I see. This one is more of the field meter persuasion. It would be overkill for most hobby purposes but I guess it all depends on the application.