When Static Electricity happens, it’s not a pretty sight. The sparking and popping that go along with it can be a little disconcerting, and when your eyes are sensitive to static, it can be nearly impossible to find a work station that doesn’t leave you red-faced and with a touch of hives. Fortunately, there are ways to keep your electronic equipment from sparking and popping at lightning speed so you can continue doing your job without fear of ruining the project or attracting unwanted attention from your co-workers. There are several different types of static electricity. You may have heard about electrostatic discharge, which is the kind that strikes directly between two devices such as cellphones or personal digital assistants (PDAs). It’s also known as ESD because that’s what it’s usually described as; however, other terms such as electrostatic shock or static discharge might also be used. Not all static electricity is the same though. Depending on the length of time between charges, the rate at which they happen, and where they occur, there are various forms of static electricity. Your body is highly resistant to static buildup but if you’re working with electronic components for prolonged periods of time – either at home or in an office – some precautions should be taken to keep yourself and your equipment safe from harm.
What is Static Electricity?
Static electricity is the buildup of electricity in your body due to rubbing, contact with various materials, or other causes. When there’s enough static electricity between two physical surfaces, sparks and pops can occur. Electrostatic discharge (ESD) is the name given to this type of electricity. The only way to prevent ESD is to keep yourself and your equipment as far away from each other as possible.
How Does Static Electricity Occur?
As you might’ve guessed, the cause of static electricity is the same as with electricity – contact with a metal surface. But because static electricity is weaker than electricity, it can remain connected to a metal surface for longer periods of time, and the charge will remain in the body. This means that if you touch an object with bare hands that has been in a workshop for a long time, you won’t experience the faintest spark. But for people who are particularly sensitive to static, this can lead to what’s called “static electricity shock.” Learn more about anti-static wipes for electronics here.
What Can Cause Static electricity?
Increased body resistance, contact with various materials, emotions, Lack of preparation, and Certain skin conditions. Increased body resistance: You may notice that when you touch an object with bare hands, there’s more resistance than when you touch gloves or a pair of leather gloves. This is because your body has more capacity for holding energy and you’re dealing with more force when you touch an object. Increased contact with various materials: Whether you’re working with metal, wood, plastic, or stone, you’re likely going to come into contact with some form of material. Whether it’s during project setup or while you’re working on the job, you’re likely going to touch metal, wood, plastic, cables, and electronics of some sort at some point. Excessive emotion: While static electricity is less likely to occur when you’re calm and collected, you don’t want it to build up in the first place. If you’re operating heavy equipment or handling electronic components with a lot of power, you can risk generating too much static electricity by being too emotional or excited.
Preventing Static Electricity
One way to prevent static electricity from happening in the first place is to keep yourself and your equipment as far away from each other as possible. This is because static electricity build-up between objects in close proximity can result in very high current build-ups that can accidentally discharge,i.e. cause damage, to both your equipment and other nearby parts. If static electricity does happen, the best way to remove it is with a pair of iron-on wool gloves.
How to Remove static from Electronics with Electrostatic Discharge Wipes
Electrostatic discharge wipes are typically used in professional instrumentation and testing facilities to prevent damage caused by static electricity. These gloves are inexpensive and provide excellent protection against static electricity. You can purchase them at electronicsupply stores. Keep these gloves in your toolbox for when you need them. They’re inexpensive, effective, and easy to use. – pry off the old electrode with a pair of tweezers – remove any battery or metallic objects from between the electrodes – replace the electrode with the new one – smooth the gloves to remove any particles of metal or other materials from the gloves – smooth the gloves to remove any excess moisture – store the gloves in a plastic bag and keep them in a dry place – use the gloves to remove any excess static electricity from your equipment – store the gloves in a plastic bag and keep them in a dry place – use the gloves to protect your eyes from static electricity generated by your equipment – store the gloves in a plastic bag and keep them in a dry place – use the gloves to protect your eyes from static electricity generated by your equipment
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