Electrostatic Discharge, Generating Static

Maintenance & Service Guide

Presario 1200 Series

Models: 1230 and 1232

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Electrostatic Discharge

A sudden discharge of static electricity from a finger or other conductor can destroy static-sensitive devices or microcircuitry. Often the spark is neither felt nor heard, but damage occurs. An electronic device exposed to electrostatic discharge (ESD) may not be affected at all and will work perfectly throughout a normal cycle. Although, it may function normally for a while, then degrade in the internal layers, reducing its life expectancy.

Networks built into many integrated circuits provide some protection, but in many cases, the discharge contains enough power to alter device parameters or melt silicon junctions.

Generating Static

The table shows how different activities generate static electricity and at different electrostatic voltage levels.

Typical Electrostatic Voltages
	Relative Humidity
Event	10%	40%	55%
Walking across carpet	35,000 V	15,000 V	7,500 V
Walking across vinyl floor	12,000 V	5,000 V	3,000 V
Motions of bench worker	6,000 V	800 V	400 V
Removing DIPS from plastic tubes	2,000 V	700 V	400 V
Removing DIPS from vinyl trays	11,500 V	4,000 V	2,000 V
Removing DIPS from Styrofoam	14,500 V	5,000 V	3,500 V
Removing bubble pack from PCBs	26,000 V	20,000 V	7,000 V
Packing PCBs in foam-lined box	21,000 V	11,000 V	5,000 V
NOTE: 700 volts can degrade a
product.

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