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On 5/29/2013 9:44 AM, Michael B. Trausch wrote:
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<div class="moz-cite-prefix">On 05/28/2013 02:13 PM, Dennis Ruzeski
wrote:<br>
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<blockquote
cite="mid:CAAUyTtjN0CuZoCnBs5AJ8uyeP7mV3JY1YJ1fBtcgTH249SR3Zw@mail.gmail.com"
type="cite">I keep a small toolkit (Don't forget the static
wristband), an external hard drive, and my preferred distro for this
kind of work is Backtrack. If you haven't checked it out you should.</blockquote>
<br>
In 30 years, I've always simply followed the rules for grounding myself
frequently during repair. I've never need to use mats or wristbands,
and I have yet (knock on wood) to <i>accidentally</i> destroy a
component due to ESD. I've shorted things together and done a fair
number of other relatively stupid things early-on in my practice. I
remember the first 14.4 modem I got, I was so excited that I forgot to
screw down the card... it touched the 9600 bps modem I had and when I
turned on the computer, I had a fantastic light show. :)<br>
<br>
But ESD? I've only succeeded in using it to destroy things when I
intended to (e.g., as part of experimentation). As long as you ground
first, and ground frequently, it's really not possible to screw things
up. Unless, of course, you shift/shuffle/slide your feet around, or
are working in an extremely dry environment, but then why wouldn't you
simply have a workbench that is itself grounded, so that you're always
touching a grounded surface?<br>
<br>
— Mike<br>
<br>
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<td> <img src="cid:part1.05050309.05040105@techstarship.com"
alt="Naunet Corporation Logo"> </td>
<td> Michael B. Trausch<br>
<br>
President, <strong>Naunet Corporation</strong><br>
☎ (678) 287-0693 x130 or (888) 494-5810 x130<br>
<br>
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<br>
Hi Mike T and all,<br>
<br>
When I was about 10 years old, I discovered that you could take the
flip flash bulb bar (yes flash bulbs - circa 1975) (
<a class="moz-txt-link-freetext" href="http://www.karenfayeth.com/kodakflipflash.jpg">http://www.karenfayeth.com/kodakflipflash.jpg</a> ) from a Kodak instamatic
camera, hold it at one end, scruff my feet on the carpet, and touch the
other end of the flash bar to the air conditioning vent in the library
at school and one or two of the flash bulbs would go off. At the time,
I thought that was very cool. Still think it's cool, but just try
finding flash bulbs any more.<br>
<br>
Regarding what you said in above, I've used anti static bands while I
was in school at DeVry as well as some of the time when I was at
Delta. Sometimes we had an anti static mat. At home, I usually use
the technique you mentioned of just grounding myself before touching
anything. With the computer sitting beside me on a chair, as it is
now, sometimes it's hard to know what is, in fact, grounded. The pc is
connected to the wall outlet through a three wire circuit so,
presumably, the chassis is grounded, even if the pc is off, through the
mounting screws for the power supply. I've also been known to touch
the screw that holds on the faceplate of a light switch before doing
work on electronics. I know touching such screws sometimes creates a
static spark to my finger in the winter, so I assume it's grounded,
else, why would it want to spark. The junction box is plastic, but it
has a ground wire inside. I have to be especially careful in the
winter (when it's dry as you said). Another alternative is a metal
water faucet.<br>
<br>
I read or heard somewhere that, if you feel a spark when you touch
something, that is about 2000 V. That's well above the threshold to
damage electronics. If you feel a spark when you touch your hard
drive, you may have just toasted it. I try to avoid touching circuit
boards and contacts whenever possible. Anyway, like you, as far as I
know, I haven't damaged any of my stuff yet that way.<br>
<br>
Not directly related, but, I have lost two garage door openers, an
audio amp, and several phones to lightning induced surges; and I even
have surge protectors all over the house. Any more, when really bad
storms come, I turn off and unplug the major things or flip breakers
off (for the dryer, etc). When the thunderstorms get bad around here,
they really bug me, and scare me. I really don't like extensive hail,
lighting, and tornadoes. Who does, I guess. Regarding technology, it
takes me about 1/2 - 1 hour to get all my PC's booted back up and
configured like I like them after a full shutdown, with all the right
windows open in the right places and everything logged in, etc.<br>
<br>
I read somewhere else that GA has the 2nd highest incidence of
lightning in the country, after FL. Lots of lightning usually means
violent storms.<br>
<br>
Sincerely,<br>
<br>
Ron<br>
<br>
<br>
<pre class="moz-signature" cols="72">--
(PS - If you email me and don't get a quick response, you might want to
call on the phone. I get about 300 emails per day from alternate energy
mailing lists and such. I don't always see new email messages very quickly.)
Ron Frazier
770-205-9422 (O) Leave a message.
linuxdude AT techstarship.com
Litecoin: LZzAJu9rZEWzALxDhAHnWLRvybVAVgwTh3
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