where to connect an ESD bracelet?

[Brotherwarren]

Hi all, sorry if the answer has been posted elsewhere, I'm about to
install some new RAM. I have a free anti-static bracelet that came
with it. Is it safe to just poke the connecter into the earth part of
my mains electric supply? I'm in the UK, 3-pin electrical sockets.

 

[Peter Bennett]

Hi all, sorry if the answer has been posted elsewhere, I'm about to
install some new RAM. I have a free anti-static bracelet that came
with it. Is it safe to just poke the connecter into the earth part of
my mains electric supply? I'm in the UK, 3-pin electrical sockets.

I would connect it to the case of your computer - the point of the
thing is to reduce the potential difference between you and the
computer - where you are relative to earth is irrelevant.

 

[James Douglas]

Hi all, sorry if the answer has been posted elsewhere, I'm about to
install some new RAM. I have a free anti-static bracelet that came
with it. Is it safe to just poke the connecter into the earth part of
my mains electric supply? I'm in the UK, 3-pin electrical sockets.

Back in the day we tested static attempting to fry various chips to no
avail. We were in college and had just learned about static having
a kabillion volts but little amps, and it was in an environment where
we had lot's of static, maybe chips were built better then, can't
remember what type they were....

Has anyone destroyed anything with "static discharge" from their body?

 

[DecaturTxCowboy]

Back in the day we tested static attempting to fry various chips to no
avail. We were in college and had just learned about static having
a kabillion volts but little amps, and it was in an environment where
we had lot's of static, maybe chips were built better then, can't
remember what type they were....

If it was like over 20 or 25 years ago, you might have been playing with
the old TTL chips, ala 74xx. They were pretty static resistant.

Has anyone destroyed anything with "static discharge" from their body?

Yeah....my ex-boyfriend's cat's trust in me. At least he never jumped in
my lap again. The CAT that is.

 

[Tom Biasi]

Back in the day we tested static attempting to fry various chips to no
avail. We were in college and had just learned about static having
a kabillion volts but little amps, and it was in an environment where
we had lot's of static, maybe chips were built better then, can't remember
what type they were....

Has anyone destroyed anything with "static discharge" from their body?

Well, TTL held up pretty good.
CMOS not so good.
Modern RAM and processors, well, don't try it.
Tom

 

[Chris]

Hi all, sorry if the answer has been posted elsewhere, I'm about to
install some new RAM. I have a free anti-static bracelet that came
with it. Is it safe to just poke the connecter into the earth part of
my mains electric supply? I'm in the UK, 3-pin electrical sockets.

With a 1 megohm series resistor, it should be safe unless there's
something seriously wrong with your house wiring.

However, you have to ask yourself if that's what you want. You're
using the wrist strap for the very specific purpose of keeping yourself
and the PC at the same electric potential so no current flows from you
through teh RAM to the PC when your hand holding the RAM places it in
the socket.

In order to do that, remove the PC cover, and then put on the wrist
strap. Connect the other end of the wrist strap to a non-painted metal
part of the PC case. If it's got an alligator clip at the end, your
task should be easy. If not, use a jumper wire with alligator clips on
each end. Test to make sure the wire won't come loose as you move your
hand.

And by the way, be sure the PC is unplugged when you are working on it.

Good luck with your upgrade.
Chris

 

[ehsjr]

Has anyone destroyed anything with "static discharge" from their body?

Yes, the same chip in an IBM ProPrinter (mid 1980's) 3 times.
First time I reached over to the printer to press one of the
buttons, and saw the arc from my finger to the touch pad.
Replaced the chip. Second time (weeks later), exact same
thing. That time I added a socket and replaced the chip.
Third time, exact same thing. Replaced the chip and "built"
a permanent "fix".
Took a double sided copper PC board blank and taped it to
the printer so that it covered all the buttons. The tape
made a sort of hinge. Ran a wire from the copper (both sides)
to ground at the proprinter frame. That way, any time you
wanted to press a button you had to lift the pc board first,
and you discharged into it rather than the touch pad. Ugly
and inconvenient, but the proprinter never died again.

Ed

 

[Sjouke Burry]

If it was like over 20 or 25 years ago, you might have been playing with
the old TTL chips, ala 74xx. They were pretty static resistant.



Yeah....my ex-boyfriend's cat's trust in me. At least he never jumped in
my lap again. The CAT that is.

In 197X I made an 8 bit 256 deep shift register,
3 out of 8 1bit shift chips failed even with all
precautions.
Replaced those 3,2 dead.
Replaced 2,one dead
Replaced,worked.
Those cmos things were unprotected,and arrived
with shorted pins.
I think they died even when you looked at them. -)-)-)

 

[Rich Grise]

With a 1 megohm series resistor, it should be safe unless there's
something seriously wrong with your house wiring.

However, you have to ask yourself if that's what you want. You're
using the wrist strap for the very specific purpose of keeping yourself
and the PC at the same electric potential so no current flows from you
through teh RAM to the PC when your hand holding the RAM places it in
the socket.

In order to do that, remove the PC cover, and then put on the wrist
strap. Connect the other end of the wrist strap to a non-painted metal
part of the PC case. If it's got an alligator clip at the end, your
task should be easy. If not, use a jumper wire with alligator clips on
each end. Test to make sure the wire won't come loose as you move your
hand.

Or, just be sure to ground one hand or the other to the case before
you go poking around.

If you're drawing a lot of static arcs, get a spray bottle, mix some Downy
(or equiv) liquid fabric softener about 1 TBSP/Qt water, and spray the
carpet.

Good Luck!
Rich

 

[Pig Bladder]

If it was like over 20 or 25 years ago, you might have been playing with
the old TTL chips, ala 74xx. They were pretty static resistant.


Yeah....my ex-boyfriend's cat's trust in me. At least he never jumped in
my lap again. The CAT that is.

I'd say that in this case, "ex" is a good thing - pepole who allow cats
to befoul their homes are incapable of loving a human.

Cheers!
Rich