grounding question

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

On Thu, 19 Aug 2010 09:43:46 -0700 (PDT), patrol
  Quoted Text Here  
Look up "ESD work station" Essentially if you have a place where you will be working on electronics you should have a static mat on the floor, a chair with conductive wheels or legs, a static mat on the work surface and a wrist strap ... all bonded together. The bare minimum is a wrist strap and a static mat on the work surface. This gets somewhat mitigated if you are in a high humidity environment but it is not eliminated.

"Equipotential" grounding is what you are trying to accomplish.
It doesn't matter what potential you are connected to (grounded) as long as you and the circuits or chips you are making contact to are at the same voltage potential.
I never bother with wrist strap grounding. It is inconvenient andd can be dangerous. Touch the chassis of the computer you want to work on and then lean against it to mainatain good static discharge. This may need to be modified for other types of equipment. Avoid static type material shirts and clothing.
I have never had a problem with an IC breaking down from static in 40 years of electronics repair design and building just observing basic slow moving techniques. I have worked in high voltage distribution so I had to learn to think, before each move. also.
Another item I was taught was that chips may not show any potential stress after zapping them until some time later. The faults may rear their ugly heads a few months later.
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

Josepi wrote:
  Quoted Text Here  
Bullshit. There is a 1 megohm resistor in the wrist strap to provide a path to ground, while not putting the user at risk.
  Quoted Text Here  
Sigh. Not all ESD damage is immediately visible.
  Quoted Text Here  
Yet you claim 'no problem' above.

You obviously lack some experiences with commercial electronics.
Josepi wrote:
  Quoted Text Here  
Bullshit. There is a 1 megohm resistor in the wrist strap to provide a path to ground, while not putting the user at risk.
  Quoted Text Here  
Sigh. Not all ESD damage is immediately visible.
  Quoted Text Here  
Yet you claim 'no problem' above.

  Quoted Text Here  
You're not fooling anyone, top-posting troll.
  Quoted Text Here  

You aren't fooling anybody with your Sybil personalities.
You need to try to stay on topic and take your medications.
  Quoted Text Here  

  Quoted Text Here  
You're such a liar, troll.
  Quoted Text Here  
You're the troll, troll.
  Quoted Text Here  

  Quoted Text Here  

  Quoted Text Here  
Another lie from the troll.
  Quoted Text Here  

" snipped-for-privacy@att.bizzzzzzzzzzzz" wrote:
  Quoted Text Here  
How appropriate that the loser posts from 'easy'news. :)

On Fri, 20 Aug 2010 01:35:19 -0400, "Michael A. Terrell"
  Quoted Text Here  
He's mad because I'm forced to use GG from work. Well, Josie is just mad...

" snipped-for-privacy@att.bizzzzzzzzzzzz" wrote:
  Quoted Text Here  
I think the nuynuts gene is present in his family bush.

Josepi wrote:
  Quoted Text Here  
Moron. I had to run the monthly test of all anti-static mats and soldering irons a few times at Microdyne.
You obviously lack enough neurons to have a clear thought.

patrol wrote:
  Quoted Text Here  
http://www.desco.com/ESDInformation.aspx has all the information you need, to do things right.

  Quoted Text Here  
Hi Jack, You can buy the wrist straps for not much money. The good thing is as others have said they have a built in 1 meg ohm resistor so you can't be zapped by them, but they still discharge you. I use a banana jack and plug mine into the third pin ground on my power strip. Others might object to this... we can both wait and see the responses.
George H.

This stuff has been argued for decades and I have heard all the crap either way.
Why not hook yourself to the chassis of the product you want to equalize too? It's typically safer and safer for the circuit under test. Hooking to the grid system neutral could zap the circuit also, if it holds any charge. Perhaps the anode of a large monitor...LOL
Hi Jack, You can buy the wrist straps for not much money. The good thing is as others have said they have a built in 1 meg ohm resistor so you can't be zapped by them, but they still discharge you. I use a banana jack and plug mine into the third pin ground on my power strip. Others might object to this... we can both wait and see the responses.
George H.

Josepi wrote:
  Quoted Text Here  
Do whatever you want to your own crap. That is not an accepted method for manufacturing or repir centers.

George Herold wrote:
  Quoted Text Here  
A real banana jack is better, but it's better than nothing.
I mounted the bare metal banana jacks on pieces of aluminum angle. A piece of solid bare copper AWG 8 was run under rows ow workbenches. Those ran to the steel girders of the metal building, and were grounded by every steel support post. We also resistance tested the antistatic mats every 90 days, and replaced any that showe any change from the logbooks.
Mouser has the jacks we used:
Mouser Part #:        530-108-0740-1 Manufacturer Part #:    108-0740-001 Manufacturer:        Emerson / Johnson <http://www.mouser.com/ProductDetail/Emerson-Johnson/108-0740-001/?qs=sGAEpiMZZMuIC3ROaEqRYcdaoCtr%2fWOX