By the way, > how necessary is a grounding wriststrap? What _is_ a grounding > wriststrap anyway; what's it made out of? Is it possible to make one > out of ordinary household materials? > What if one disassembles the computer in the kitchen with a couple of > pots of water boiling away on the stove -- would that make the chance > of static much more unlikely (because the air is damp)? > > I have a grounding wrist strap but I rarely use it. Instead I generally sit down at my workbench, touch a metal screw on my nearby outlet strip to make my body at the same voltage potential as the house's "ground". Next I remove the keyboard screws, flip the keyboard up out of the way and then touch something metal like the harddrive case or frame stiffener or any other obviously "common" or "ground" part of the computer's circuitry. I also touch the outlet strip screw again, while doing this. Now all things are at the same voltage potential.
I proceed to work on the computer and periodically touch the metal outlet strip screw and computer frame to keep all things at ground potential. Remember, you will constantly change the electric charge on your body as you wiggle in your chair, scuff your feet on the floor, slide your arm across the bench top etc. So, I constantly keep "equalizing" the charge on me. the computer. I do it almost instinctively or automatically as I am very much aware of the voltage potential difference that exists all over the place. When cat jumps on my lap we generally exchange electrons at a level of several thousand volts. When I touch most anything metal after walking across the carpet there is a brief, several thousand volt, equalization period until we are at the same voltage potential. The object is to simply keep you and the "common" or "ground" part of your computer at the SAME potential, and ideally at the same potential as the common earth ground that your house wiring is connected to. The house's ground wiring is kinda the "lowest common denominator" so to speak. Greg ---------- Duo/2400 List, The friendliest place on the Net! A listserv for users and fans of Mac subportables. FAQ at <http://www.themacintoshguy.com/lists/DuoListFAQ.shtml> Be sure to visit Mac2400! <http://www.sineware.com/mac2400> To unsubscribe, E-mail to: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To switch to the DIGEST mode, E-mail to <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Need help from a real person? Try. <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> ---------- Dr. Bott | 10/100 Ethernet for your 2400 is finally here! MPC-100 | <http://www.drbott.com/prod/mpc100.html> RoadTools $30 PodiumPad available at Apple retail stores, $20 Traveler CoolPad at Staples. Both in white for iBooks at <http://roadtools.com> Midwest Mac Parts ][ <http://www.midwestmac.com> After-market parts for Macs. ][ 888-356-1104 ][ MacResQ Specials: LaCie SCSI CDR From $99! PowerBook 3400/200 Only $879! Norton AntiVirus 6 Only $19! We Stock PARTS! <http://www.macresq.com>
