How do you discharge static?
- Thread starter friendlyvolc
- Start date
In order for the ESD footwear to work, the floor needs to be treated with ESD wax which is conductive and grounded.
These are carbon gouging rods. Welders use them for removing metal, or removing welds. I picked them off the floor of a welding shop. Copper clad.
I use them for dummy loads to test amplifiers (longer ones, 8 ohms).
But I also keep one beside my table. I pick it up and touch my spindle with it. It safely discharges static before I touch anything else. I use it during winter months.
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55Redneck
Canadian Redneck
No Ken, not just in the chair, it's everywhere like getting out of my truck and getting zapped when closing the door, touching a door knob ect. Some days are worse than others, I live in a very dry climate so I guess that doesn't help much.
Before playing a record, I use a carbon fiber brush to sweep the dust off of the record's surface. If I hear loud popping sounds as I do, I touch the bristles of the brush to the metal plinth of my turntable, then try brushing again. If I still get pops, it's time for the ZeroStat gun. Once I'm done using it, I try brushing the record again, and usually the popping has (mostly) subsided. Generally, I only need to use the ZeroStat gun with colored vinyl, as it seems more prone to static buildup than black vinyl.
-Adam
-Adam
friendlyvolc
Active Member
I need to touch something else before the turntable because the fine folks at Technics made my whole turntable out of metal including the off switch. The Sorbothane mat is stuck to a brick wall, so the static goes nowhere else. I've actually temporarily shorted my tube amps touching my turntable with a charge. Once I've discharged myself (sounds kinda rude, I know) there's still residual static on the record when I lift it off, but it doesn't affect my system. I will investigate getting a Zerostat gun. I bought the newest Audioquest carbon fibre brush with the gold sides, but I'm not sure it's really an improvement over the old one. Interestingly, even though Portland is known for being rainy, it's residual humidity is quite low. It's a rainy day and the humidity is only 75%.
Ohighway
Wannabe Minimalist
Yeah they don't like that. Not one little bit. I accidentally shocked our dog yesterday when I went to pet him. He immediately arched his back downwards then walked away at a partial squat so my hand couldn't touch him anymore. It was hilarious.
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FauxHall
Super Member
I wear rubber-soled fuzzy slippers around the apartment. If I touch the tonearn, that can send a jolt of juice through the TT to the amp and out the speakers.
So what I try to remember to do is take off one slipper and step on the tile floor before touching the TT.
Like so!
So what I try to remember to do is take off one slipper and step on the tile floor before touching the TT.
Like so!
RyFi
Active Member
RyFi
Active Member
I think folks thought you were asking for advice. I like your solution. Is it the sorbothane or because it's touching the conduit? I have a partial metal equipment rack that does the trick but it still makes me nervous for my equipment.
RyFi
Active Member
Your static issue does surprise me as I lived in Portland for almost 20 years and spend a lot of time there still and never had a static problem. But now I live in what is seemingly the driest most static prone place on earth (not really). A few years ago I fried a bookshelf system with one shock from my finger. No big loss but hurt like hell. Then a couple years ago I thought I fried some expensive tweeters from the same thing but I got lucky. Thank god for fuse protection!!!
I recently ordered a hygrometer and a humidifier from Amazon but the shipment has been delayed because it isn't essential or whatever. I get it. Weird times.
For static on records I went a different way. I had a zerostat but it didn't always work and eventually broke (bought used on ebay) so I went industrial. I bought an industrial aerostat ionizing air blower. They're used in the manufacture and assembly of circuit boards etc. I got it used cheap from Hillsboro, OR actually. Shipping was more than the unit. It works very very well. Only on for a few seconds when in use. Pass both sides of the record under the blower for a few seconds and static is gone.
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merlynski
Curmudgeon Electronicist
I was the 'Static Cop' at one place I worked (high tech manufacturing). Part of my job was monitoring compliance with static control procedures. One time I observed several Managers (above first level foreman, including my Foreman's boss' boss) with their hands in and on a video tape machine in a production and test area. They were ungrounded in an area where company policy required everybody follow static safe procedures. I wrote them up and put it in my weekly compliance report. The top Manager in the group actually told my foreman that he appreciated the honesty and forthrightedness. Not my usual experience with upper-middle management. Unfortunately, most of the rest of mangement there covered up problems, so they never got discovered or fixed. We were working on a brand new commercial broadcast video recording machine with bleeding edge technology and their bad management killed the product, the new technology, and eventually the company. The machines we were making cost a quarter of a million dollars each and they had to take back and refund the money for the first 100 machines they sold, because they didn't work to spec. Six more months of engineering probably would have resolved the issues, but management decided to stick to their original release schedule even though the engineers and techs told them the product was not ready to go. 
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merlynski
Curmudgeon Electronicist
In other news, I had a brand new $3000 computer die 15 minutes after setup from a static discharge to a keyboard. I returned it under warranty and they discovered they had forgotten to install a grounding clip from the chassis to the rear connection panel. It was repaired at no charge to me (new motherboard).
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friendlyvolc
Active Member
The Sorbotahne takes the first hit and because it’s against the brick, the shocks go nowhere. Also, it’s an easy target to remember. It does zap, but it can’t hit my gear. The conduit happens to be behind my turntable and it was easier to wedge the disc behind it against the wall than driving a hook into brick. The conduit makes it look “tech”, though.
Here’s the thing, at home, I have hardwood floors and I never get shocks when I touch my VPI Scout. But that has a plastic shut off switch on the motor and the plinth is made of MDF and the platter is acrylic. The Technics at work is a solid hunk of metal.
friendlyvolc
Active Member
Wow that Aerostat looks the business! I love stuff like that. I’ll check them out since they’re near by.
Now I have a project, run a wire to my outlet ground and find something to make a touch pad. Maybe a 1K resister in line.Not good! Could easily damage your components or speakers. Ask me how I know
merlynski
Curmudgeon Electronicist
1 MEGΩ is a typical value to go between a hard ground and a static discharge point like a mat or wristband, and reduces the current flow to a safe level.
When you make a static spark to a metal object that is not grounded you are actually charging that object with the energy from your body. It sparks because it accepts the charge quickly. You and it end up charged to the same voltage level.