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2-15
Cisco Nexus 3000 Series Hardware Installation Guide
OL-25338-04
Chapter 2 Installing the Cisco Nexus 3000 Series Switches
Grounding the Switch
For preventing ESD damage, follow these guidelines:
• Always use an ESD wrist strap and ensure that it makes maximum contact with bare skin.
• ESD grounding straps are available with banana plugs, metal spring clips, or alligator clips. All
chassis from the Cisco Nexus 3000 Series switches are equipped with a banana plug connector
(identified by the ground symbol next to the connector) somewhere on the front panel. We
recommend that you use a personal ESD grounding strap equipped with a banana plug.
• If you choose to use the disposable ESD wrist strap supplied with most FRUs or an ESD wrist strap
equipped with an alligator clip, you must attach the system ground lug to the chassis in order to
provide a proper grounding point for the ESD wrist strap.
Note This system ground is also referred to as the network equipment building system (NEBS)
ground.
• If your chassis is not grounded by its connection to a grounded rack, you must connect the switch
to an Earth ground. See the “Establishing the System Ground” section on page 2-12 for installation
instructions and the location of the chassis system ground pads.
Note You do not need to attach a supplemental system ground wire to the system ground lug; the lug provides
a direct path to the bare metal of the chassis.
After you install the system ground lug, follow these steps to correctly attach the ESD wrist strap:
Step 1 Attach the ESD wrist strap to bare skin as follows:
a. If you are using the ESD wrist strap supplied with the field-replaceable units (FRUs), open the wrist
strap package and unwrap the ESD wrist strap. Place the black conductive loop over your wrist and
tighten the strap so that it makes good contact with your bare skin.
b. If you are using an ESD wrist strap equipped with an alligator clip, open the package and remove
the ESD wrist strap. Locate the end of the wrist strap that attaches to your body and secure it to your
bare skin.
Step 2 Grasp the spring or alligator clip on the ESD wrist strap and momentarily touch the clip to a bare metal
spot (unpainted surface) on a grounded rack. We recommend that you touch the clip to an unpainted rack
rail so that any built-up static charge is then safely dissipated to the entire rack.
Step 3 Attach either the spring clip or the alligator clip to an earth ground (grounded rack or the screw holding
a grounding lug to the chassis):
a. If you are using the ESD wrist strap that is supplied with the FRUs, squeeze the spring clip jaws
open, position the spring clip to one side of the system ground lug screw head, and slide the spring
clip over the lug screw head so that the spring clip jaws close behind the lug screw head.
Note The spring clip jaws do not open wide enough to fit directly over the head of the lug screw or
the lug barrel.
b. If you are using an ESD wrist strap that is equipped with an alligator clip, attach the alligator clip
directly over the head of the system ground lug screw or to the system ground lug barrel.