Maker Pro
Maker Pro

static electricity

foTONICS

Sep 30, 2011
332
Joined
Sep 30, 2011
Messages
332
So I'm sitting at my cubicle and I need to work on something, problem is I don't have a connection for my anti-static wristband so I just figured I would connect to the case of my PC. Now I wasn't 100% positive if the case to a PC is grounded so I googled it and came upon this response from someone (attached).

Now I have personally seen components damaged from ESD but then again I work with sensitive equipment like accelerometers and gyros inside of IMU's. Is what this guy saying true? Do PC's have the ability to withstand ESD because they use beefier components, or is he just really lucky/ignorant
 

Attachments

  • Untitled.png
    Untitled.png
    17 KB · Views: 100

GreenGiant

Feb 9, 2012
842
Joined
Feb 9, 2012
Messages
842
One could go their entire life and build hundreds of computers and have a static shock from their hand to each and every one of them and never see an issue.
On the other hand you could open your computer one time EVER and shock it and kill it forever.

I have personally never friend anything this way, but I have seen it done, you are much safer when it is completey off, and more likely to cause damage when it is on, but its really a 1 in a million kind of thing.

I personally never use static straps/mats, but then my work issued a static shoe strap to be worn at all times that meshes with the ESD paint in certain areas of the warehouse floor.
 

davenn

Moderator
Sep 5, 2009
14,254
Joined
Sep 5, 2009
Messages
14,254
hi fotonics

that guy is an idiot!! only plain way to describe his total disregard of the static problem

I have killed a few chips and boards over the years for letting my anti-static protection slip

Dave
 

tryppyr

Oct 22, 2013
228
Joined
Oct 22, 2013
Messages
228
I must say I'm amused. I came to this thread thinking it was going to be some inane question about using capacitors to save up static electricity as a way of avoiding the use of a battery. It turned out to be funnier than that! ;)
 

Steve Johnson

Feb 10, 2012
19
Joined
Feb 10, 2012
Messages
19
I just took a grounded AC plug and stuck a banana jack in it tied to the ground pin:

esd-ground-plug.gif


You can also buy them but this is cheaper if you have an old banana jack laying around.

The computer case is most likely grounded but only when it's plugged in.
Get a DMM and measure the resistance from the case to the AC ground pin when the computer is unplugged. It should only be a couple of ohms. Your wrist strap from the wrist contact to the banana or clip should be at least 1 megohm.
 
Last edited:

(*steve*)

¡sǝpodᴉʇuɐ ǝɥʇ ɹɐǝɥd
Moderator
Jan 21, 2010
25,510
Joined
Jan 21, 2010
Messages
25,510
Further to Davenn's point... Once components are built into circuits they are generally less sensitive to static because the circuit they're in helps to protect them.

But safer does not mean safe. A big enough discharge or bad enough luck will still destroy things.
 
Top