Grounding myself

[Spectacular Butter]

Everytime i try to connect loose cables in my comp or touch the harddisk and other components, i just use my hands. Will this actually damage the components because of static charge?

How do i ground myself?

 

[pike]

I always have the computer plugged into the mains, but turned off at the socket. This way the computer is still grounded. Now, as long as you can keep touch of the computer case your computer will be fine.

You can buy grounding straps that gets wrapped around your wrist or soemthing like this...

 

[mixos]

You can also gound your hands momentary touching a water plug to discharge them and them manipulate electronic parts.

 

[stevez]

I have limited knowledge in this area but always understood that personal grounding straps had a series resistor as a safety measure, to limit potential flow of current should you make a mistake.

 

[ljcox]

Yes, they have a 1M resistor.

Len

 

[pike]

yeah, 1m or soemthing similar. If a house hold surge arrester gave way and diverted the current into ground while you were plugged in, you'd smell like bacon for a little while....

 

[DigiTan]

I'd hate to revive a dead topic, but I have a similar wrist grounding question. What's the most practicle way to ground oneself if a water facet is not close by. So far I've been attaching my wristbands to large metal objects (file cabinet, etc). I haven't noticed anything unusual, but I still have to wonder wheater this is effective. Also I've been working under the assumption that CMOS devices are safe once they are pluged into a breadboard. Was I correctly informed or should I whomp someone over the head?

 

[bmcculla]

The screw on the electric outlet cover plate is usualy grounded. The most important thing is that there isn't any voltage differenc between you and what your working on - you and your computer case for example.

A bread board has stray capacitances that help to dissipate static electricity in les damaging ways. So once its in the bread board you shouldn't have a problem. Don't go rubbing you feet on the carpet before touching your IC's though even if they're in a bread board :wink: .

 

[stevez]

This might be extreme at home however conductive floors can be installed that aren't quite as conductive as metal but are sufficient to reduce static. Shoes meeting conductivity criteria are worn or boots over top of shoes are worn with conductive strap. As I recall benchtops that are conductive (not metal, high resistance but some conduction) are used as well. Again, might be extreme but may point you in a direction.

 

[Optikon]

I'd hate to revive a dead topic, but I have a similar wrist grounding question. What's the most practicle way to ground oneself if a water facet is not close by. So far I've been attaching my wristbands to large metal objects (file cabinet, etc). I haven't noticed anything unusual, but I still have to wonder wheater this is effective. Also I've been working under the assumption that CMOS devices are safe once they are pluged into a breadboard. Was I correctly informed or should I whomp someone over the head?

Unless, you have a conductive/grounded floor that your cabinet makes good contact with, attaching to cabinets is not effective. You need a conductive path to ground (can be mega-ohm / dissipative) but conductive.

Otherwise, your filing cabinet essentially "floats" along with the charge on your body which could be as high as 20-50kV wrt earth ground.

 

[andrew2022]

I have limited knowledge in this area but always understood that personal grounding straps had a series resistor as a safety measure, to limit potential flow of current should you make a mistake.

if you still touchin the metal case the u mite aswell not have a resistor...

 

[grrr_arrghh]

I have limited knowledge in this area but always understood that personal grounding straps had a series resistor as a safety measure, to limit potential flow of current should you make a mistake.

if you still touchin the metal case the u mite aswell not have a resistor...

hmm, try taking off a wrist strap with 230V flowing through you...

by comparison, taking your hand away from touching a computer case is fairly easy, even if you did grab hold of it when you got electrocuted!

Tim

 

[Nigel Goodwin]

hmm, try taking off a wrist strap with 230V flowing through you...

A wrist strap connects via a high resistance, so you can't get a shock due to the wrist strap - also they simply 'pop off' with a press stud type connection. If you forget it's on and walk away, the lead simply 'pops off' as you get too far.