Static Discharge and Circuit Boards

[MMayberry]

I recently sent my dead EZ-8 to John B. for repair.  He replaced it under warranty  ;D  with a note that he thought static discharge might have done the deed.  I don't consider myself a total noob when it comes to handling boards, but I'm looking for information on how I could have prevented this and -obviously- I don't want it to happen again.  I am your typical garage haunter, concrete floor, wood work bench environment.  The board had nylon spacers on each corner and was sitting on my workbench.  The only thing I can think of is I might have touched another energized item and the EZ-8 at the same time.  Should I ground boards somehow before working on them?  What are the "rules?"

[JonnyMac]

Static is one of those peculiar issues that is hard to nail down, but we can take certain steps.  Before you're working with a board, especially on a dry day, make sure you touch something metal that is grounded before picking up the boards.  You can get an anti-static mat for you workspace, too.

The key is awareness.  Dry days are the worst because there's little moisture in the air to carry off the static charge that accumulates on our bodies from normal, day-to-day activities.  Don't let it consume you, but don't take it for granted, either.  Several tragic fires have been started by a static discharge igniting fuel fumes when filling a car. 

If you notice yourself getting "zapped" a lot on a given day use extra caution when handling PCBs.

[bsnut]

I am going to add on to Jon's point here. What you can do is, to use a static wrist strap, which one end of this strap is connected to ground on your work bench or the anti-static mat which is also connected to ground. Another thing to remember is to not scratch your head or pet your pet's while working with PCB's. All this will help reduce any problems with static electricity when working with PCB's  

[JackMan]

All forms of electricity can do very strange things at times which seem to defy logic. About 30 years ago I witnessed a very intense episode of "ball" lightning which is a very powerful form of static electricity, very strange indeed. I have gotten into the habit of reaching across and simply touching the conduit that is connected to the receptacles at my work bench before handling any boards or components, not 100% fool proof but a good habit none the less.

[leving]

Clothing can also make a big difference with regards to static buildup.  I have seen someone wearing a nylon jacket, great for creating static buildup, spark a small propane fire while refilling a tank and another spark a flash drive after he thought he was grounded.  That was 1200 pictures gone in a microsecond.  That said, wearing wool or nylon should be avoided while working on electronics.  Stick to cotton.

[bsnut]

Clothing is big part, that's why I wear cotton. Also humidity plays a big part in static electricity. That's why, you keep the humidity around 50%. That means, you don't want "dry" 20% days.

[MMayberry]

All good tips.  That's what I was looking for, thanks everyone.

[bsnut]

I am glad these tips will help you and everyone else understand the hazards of static electricity and how to protect the PCB's that you are working with.