Hi, I remember some electrical principles from school, but I'm fairly new to practical (hobby) electronics. Some of the components I'm using need to be protected from ESD, and I just want to make sure I'm properly grounded so as not to damage the components. I've read a fair bit about grounding, but I'm still not confident about how what I've read applies to my situation. For example, I read I should get a steel desk and touch it before touching a component (grounding myself by touching the desk). I assume that any static charge buildup on me is transfered to the desk. But does that depend on what the desk itself is resting on (i.e., what the floor is)? For example, what if I`m working on carpet on the second floor of my house versus a concrete basement? Would both cases equally constitute "grounding"? I guess my basic question is, what qualifies as "ground"? Is it "anything you are standing on", regardless of what the floor material is, what level of a building you are on, etc. I haven't been able to find any information on this. Thank you, Jack
- posted
13 years ago