[dorkbotpdx-blabber] 2 wire soldering irons and static?

[Jesse Mejia]

oh yeah - good call, i hadn't thought about that.

-j

On Fri, 31 Jul 2009 14:50:10 -0700
  Eric Garner <garnere at gmail.com> wrote:
> also, be aware that you expose yourself to danger of electrocution
> unless there's a resistor in the ground path. most anti-static wrist
> straps have an integral 1 meg (sometimes 10 meg) resistor in them so
> static can be bled off but large currents cannot use you as a path 
>to
> ground.
> 
> -eric
> 
> On Fri, Jul 31, 2009 at 2:41 PM, Greg Grunest<greg at grunest.com> 
>wrote:
>> A couple of thoughts...
>>
>> First, what about running a ground wire from your sink to a place 
>>where you
>> could easily "ground" yourself while soldering?  Umm, before you 
>>actually
>> touch the ground wire though, make sure to measure the voltage 
>>potential
>> between the "ground" wire and your AC neutral line.  I've seen 
>>upwards of 30
>> volts doing that before.
>>
>> I worked for a lab any years ago and we had anti-static mats.  They 
>>weren't
>> necessarily cheap ($100 or so) but you didn't ground them to Earth 
>>Ground,
>> you ground them to your equipment while testing or doing rework and 
>>then to
>> yourself (via wrist strap).  The idea is that you, your test 
>>equipment and
>> what you're working on are all at the same potential so there's no 
>>dangerous
>> discharge.  That might work for you.
>>
>> Lastly, I've done tons of soldering with old style 2-wire soldering 
>>irons.
>> I don't know that I ever statically zapped anything with one.  I 
>>have melted
>> chip casings before with high wattage irons but that's entirely a 
>>different
>> problem.
>>
>> - Greg
>>
>> P.S.  They do make transistor sockets
>> (http://www.oselectronics.com/ose_p85.htm - just a random link from 
>>Google.
>> I don't know anything else about the company.) or you could just use 
>>a 6-pin
>> dip socket, it will hold two transistors.
>>
>>
>> -----Original Message-----
>> From: dorkbotpdx-blabber-bounces at dorkbot.org
>> [mailto:dorkbotpdx-blabber-bounces at dorkbot.org] On Behalf Of Jesse 
>>Mejia
>> Sent: Thursday, July 30, 2009 5:16 PM
>> To: A discussion list for dorkbot-pdx (portland, or); 
>>coldham2 at mac.com
>> Subject: Re: [dorkbotpdx-blabber] 2 wire soldering irons and static?
>>
>> I don't have anything grounded in my apartment.. so no lamp option. 
>>I
>> supposed I could touch the soldering iron to the drain pipe under my
>> kitchen sink?
>>
>> Yeah it's probably just paranoia. I typically use sockets anyway.. 
>>but
>> I'm about to solder a bunch of rare transistors - obviously no 
>>sockets
>> for those guys. /me shrugs.
>>
>> -j
>>
>> On Thu, 30 Jul 2009 16:53:06 -0700
>>  coldham2 at mac.com wrote:
>>> Jesse,
>>>
>>> Maybe you should use a socket for those rare expensive chips? Or you
>>>
>>> could heat up your soldering iron with a wood fire. ;) Don't
>>> discharge static from a hot iron with your finger, though. Maybe you
>>>
>>> have a grounded metal lamp or something near your work area that you
>>>
>>> could touch the iron to before touching a pin, if you are feeling
>>> paranoid. I'm usually not that careful, but I also tend to break
>>> stuff. I never have fried a chip in that particular way, though.
>>>
>>> Collin
>>>
>>> On Jul 30, 2009, at 4:34 PM, Jesse Mejia wrote:
>>>
>>>> Has anyone blown up sensitive ic's using a 2 wire soldering iron? Or
>>>> soldering in a house with non-grounded outlets?
>>>>
>>>> After hearing some stuff about that I'm considering moving my
>>>> soldering stuff away from my house. . . unreasonable paranoia?
>>>>
>>>> -j
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> 
> 
> 
> -- 
> --Eric
> _________________________________________
> Eric Garner
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