What NOT to do with the HP-UHU...(self inflicted)

[cnc2]

Originally Posted by kreutz What is the standard in your country, 120V/60z or 220vac/50Hz?

The standard in here is 220vac/50Hz.

Thanks !

cnc2.

[kreutz]

Originally Posted by cnc2 The standard in here is 220vac/50Hz. Thanks ! cnc2.

If you use the two round pins with round plug connector type, they have a couple of metal tabs at 90 degrees from the pins, those are ground connections, and make against a couple of springs contacts on the receptacles, which are connected to ground.

If you can measure continuity from those tabs to the tip, then your soldering iron is grounded.

Otherwise, it will be a little more difficult to solve the problem. Long time ago low signal mosfets' gates didn't have any protection at all, so we used to short circuit all the terminals, using a fine bare wire, before soldering them. Applying the shorting wire to the leads was done on an ESD station. That took care of protecting them from non grounded soldering irons. Don't forget to take out that wire before powering on.

Kreutz.

[thebodger@roger]

Another option, although not very elegant, is to wrap some bared copper wire around the barrel of the heater section of the iron. Attach the other end of this wire to a known good ground. Just make sure you twist it around the barrel of the iron so the connection is secure, and make sure the barrel is clean. Don't twist it too tightly with heavy pliers or you stand a chance of crushing the heating element in the barrel.

[cnc2]

Thanks guys !

Kreutz i don't have that type of outlet in my room but the one in the bathroom has those two metal tabs. in my room i have a wall outlet with no ground & i have a Trust© Power Protector 510 (multi outlet that has grounded receptacles) plugged in that no ground wall outlet, i have my computer's UPS plugged in one of those receptacles with a grounded plug... so, if i plug my soldering iron in one of the Trust© receptacles using the metallic tabs for ground, can i expect my UPS to work as a ground since it's plugged in the Trust© ? (so the ground of the soldering iron would be connected to the ground of the UPS and no wire goes to earth)... else, how to implement an ESD station ? (if possible to do it)

thebodger@roger your trick suits the cheap soldering iron i'm using, but i'm affraid of a hot wire near my fingers, i think i'll upgrade my soldering iron.

Feels like i'll be soldering in the bathroom


Thanks !

cnc2.

[kreutz]

Originally Posted by cnc2 Thanks guys ! Kreutz i don't have that type of outlet in my room but the one in the bathroom has those two metal tabs. in my room i have a wall outlet with no ground & i have a Trust© Power Protector 510 (multi outlet that has grounded receptacles) plugged in that no ground wall outlet, i have my computer's UPS plugged in one of those receptacles with a grounded plug... so, if i plug my soldering iron in one of the Trust© receptacles using the metallic tabs for ground, can i expect my UPS to work as a ground since it's plugged in the Trust© ? (so the ground of the soldering iron would be connected to the ground of the UPS and no wire goes to earth)... else, how to implement an ESD station ? (if possible to do it) thebodger@roger your trick suits the cheap soldering iron i'm using, but i'm affraid of a hot wire near my fingers, i think i'll upgrade my soldering iron. Feels like i'll be soldering in the bathroom Thanks ! cnc2.

It will not work if the ups is not connected to ground either.

An ESD station is a workstation with static dissipative surface (conductive) connected to ground, and providing a ground connection also to a conductive (static dissipative) wriststrap. Sometimes also a conductive floor mat is used. See http://www.teledyne-api.com/manuals/esd.pdf . All kind of electronic assembly and repair should be done in one of those workstations or, at least, working on a grounded static dissipative mat and using a wriststrap connected to the same ground, what is called an ESD service kit. See: http://www.esdproduct.com/ESD_Field_Service_Kit.php

[cnc2]

Originally Posted by kreutz It will not work if the ups is not connected to ground either. An ESD station is a workstation with static dissipative surface (conductive) connected to ground, and providing a ground connection also to a conductive (static dissipative) wriststrap. Sometimes also a conductive floor mat is used. See http://www.teledyne-api.com/manuals/esd.pdf . All kind of electronic assembly and repair should be done in one of those workstations or, at least, working on a grounded static dissipative mat and using a wriststrap connected to the same ground, what is called an ESD service kit. See: http://www.esdproduct.com/ESD_Field_Service_Kit.php

Thanks a lot Kreutz for the help & info you provide !

Man the "esd.pdf" contains enough info to turn me paranoiac i've hered that some electronic components were sensitive to electrostatic but never got aware of it, i always thought that not touching any conductor on a circuit would protect it from ESD... i was wrong...thanks to you, i'm aware of it.

I'im thinking about putting a sheet metal on the table (for a mat) ground it & connect the esd wrist strap to that sheet metal & putting the whole setup in the kitchen or in the bathroom to get access to a grounded outlet, will also need an esd safe soldering iron... do i forget something ?

I'm thinking about making an esd wrist strap using a wire and a 100k resistor (heared about it from the net) and the strap from a watch... Do you think it will work well ? Do you think it's worth it ?

Any suggestion is welcome.

Thanks !

cnc2.

[H.O]

You should always be careful but it's not really THAT complicated. Do you have a stainless sink in the kitchen? If so, just do the assembling on it and you'll be fine. If you don't have a stainless sink just touch the water tap from time to time.

If you avoid rubbing your feet against the carpet and touching the components without discharging yourseelf you'll be fine. Again, be careful, think about what your doing but do it - don't overdo it ;-)

/Henrik.

[kreutz]

Originally Posted by cnc2 Thanks a lot Kreutz for the help & info you provide ! Man the "esd.pdf" contains enough info to turn me paranoiac i've hered that some electronic components were sensitive to electrostatic but never got aware of it, i always thought that not touching any conductor on a circuit would protect it from ESD... i was wrong...thanks to you, i'm aware of it. I'im thinking about putting a sheet metal on the table (for a mat) ground it & connect the esd wrist strap to that sheet metal & putting the whole setup in the kitchen or in the bathroom to get access to a grounded outlet, will also need an esd safe soldering iron... do i forget something ? I'm thinking about making an esd wrist strap using a wire and a 100k resistor (heared about it from the net) and the strap from a watch... Do you think it will work well ? Do you think it's worth it ? Any suggestion is welcome. Thanks ! cnc2.

Here , where I live, most of the year we have over 70% relative humidity, that controls static buildup. We don't have carpet on the floor in the working areas, so that controls another source of static. So most of the time the ESD rules are a little relaxed when working in non Air Conditioned areas, or in A/C areas with humidity control. In winter (if this could be called a winter with over 60 degrees F), the relative humidity descend below 50%, and then static buildup becomes a problem even in those areas.

During the whole year, when working on a non anti-ESD workstation or workbench, I use a disposable wriststrap*, and touch a grounded surface from while to while just to make sure everything is OK. 1 Mohm in series with the wriststrap is the standard. Even adjusting screwdrivers (trimmers) are supposed to be covered with static-dissipative material.

As Henrik said, do not exaggerate, but take ESD seriously.

*Make sure the wriststrap grounding cable is connected to ground and measure its continuity, every time, before using it.

[cnc2]

Thanks guys for making it clearer, you've killed the paranoia in me

Henrik, we have one of those stainless kitchen sinks and if i'm not wrong the water tap and water pipes going uderground provide an always grounded area and i'll be connecting my wriststrap to the tap + esd safe soldering iron & i'll be ready to go...do i forget something ? (the only wrong thing with this idea is that it isn't mine ).

Kreutz, the relative humidity in here now is below 50%(from a weather website) so i'll go on the SS kitchen sink and make myself a wriststrap the way you told me to do it and connect it to the water tap.

Thanks guys you've cut my expenses to half and made me learn a lot.

Thanks !

cnc2.