Build a safe and cheap ESD workstation [EVERYTHING THERE IS TO KNOW...PROBABLY!] - Page 1
Forum section: electronics / beginners

author: YouCanDoIt
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: March 13, 2024, 01:03:15 am
content: Hello to all,I have done the mistake to buy suchsilicone matsdescribedhere. Although there arepeople claimingthey are ESD safe it seems to be that the general consensus is that they aren't at all.Second mistake has been to buy awrist strap with antistatic glovesthinking that they were enough (I had no idea the ESD world was so complex and highly debated!).So, I had to revise everything and carefully investigate on what I need. But now I'm stuck on the following points.ESD mat- From what I see theSierra FT Seriesis what seems to be the best option (very large and only U$14). It also includes the gnd strap accessories and the ones I like more (one connection point to the mat instead of two different ones as somemodels). I live in Italy and although they seems to ship internationally, it is not clear if there is a minimum order of $50 (the cart says "Please sign in to see if you’re required to meet our minimum order of $50"). I tried to find alternative places, but I can't find anywhere (amazon, ebay etc). Someone know where I could look for? Even a different company would be fine. I also tried on AliExpress, but the closest I could find aretheseones (much smaller and for around the same price). From the pictures it seems to me they have a smooth surface (no anti-slip). On contrary the ones from Sierra has a nice Textured surface:Earth bounding point- The plug type are the ones I prefer because of their portability, but some people don't recommend such kinds and I would like to understand the reason.I found two types. Thefirst oneis the more common and expensive while thesecond oneis half the price (can't understand the differences):Or (even better?), a direct connection with the grounding cable:I also found this adapter in many setups, but I suppose the only difference is the ability to use more wrist straps and keep the pluggability below the table, right?Continuous monitor (or whatever they call it)- To control the antistatic wristband in real time and monitor the whole grounding system in real time. It detect and warn where there is an abnormal status in the ESD area. Such devices areexpensive, but there are also cheaper alternatives.This can be found onAEfor less than $10 while there isanother onesold from hisco for $36 (to me they both seems to do the same):Dealing with an electrical socket is scary- I spent most of the time trying to find an alternative connection, but seems to be that this is the only way to build a reliable and safe ESD workstation. Frankly speaking, I don't feel safe at all being connected to a power source which could electrocute me in case that something breaks in the system. So, I hope someone can suggest some kind of tool to prevent this. I could be wrong, but this feature should be known asGFCI protectionand is included in some of the devices of the type illustrated in point 3 (I'm not sure if these ones have this feature).Combine silicon mat with regular ESD mat- I saw many people here that place the silicon mat above the ESD mat and I asked myself more times if this was possible since each one will perfectly complement the other. After further investigations I had to see that this breaks the ESD safety. They should be used independently and for different purposes. The main question is: when using a silicone pad, at what stage we have to say "Now it's time to switch to the ESD mat" ?ESD mats get damaged easily- Inthistopic the userVSV_electronposted a video where can be seen how the mat get easily damaged by just moving the board around. Another userposteda video with some possible workarounds (for which I expressed my concerns). Any suggestion is welcome!Antistatic gloves?- I saw most of the people with similar ESD workstations working with bare hands. So, I'm wondering if their usage is useless.Many thanks to all

author: shabaz
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: March 13, 2024, 03:44:02 am
content: Hi,Decent ESD mats can be low-cost. Some sources that might (or might not!) be convenient:Conrad,Somerset Solders, andRapid Electronics.I've been using a double-layer beige mat from Somerset Solders (they are based in UK but they deliver to EU [£23.24 shipping cost] but there would be import duty : (.It's very high quality, and flexible too.Rapid and Conrad both have 'Antistat' brand mats, they should be fine (some are single layer, you'd need to check the datasheet) but I have not used them, so can only vouch for the Somerset Solders one out of these, and it's excellent, and has nice non-slip surface.If it helps to make a decision, I use the yellow style earth bonding plug at home (the same sources will sell those if you need that too), although the version I have got has one snap fastener location, and two banana sockets, which was a convenient mix for me.Regarding wrist strap, I have no recommendation. I have tried a few, and the all-metal ones bite on arm-hairs : ( so usually end up using the fabric ones.You mention silicone mat, but I don't see the need if you're using an ESD mat. The ESD mat seems heat-resistant to an extent (I have not deliberately tried to melt it with a soldering iron!) at least solder splashes have not damaged it. If there's any doubt about it's ESD characteristics, it's no good on a soldering bench because you'll always be in doubt about what's wrong, each time a circuit doesn't work as expected. ESD mats such do not get damaged easily (I'm using mine for 8+ years).

author: tatel
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: March 13, 2024, 03:59:35 am
content: https://eleshop.eu/esd.html

author: Veketti
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: March 14, 2024, 09:36:45 am
content: May I bit borrow this thread as I have a question regarding this topic. Hopefully OP doesn't mind. If using grounded ESD floor mat and table mat, is it still necessary to use ESD wristband?

author: agehall
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: March 14, 2024, 11:23:19 am
content: It all depends on what level of ESD safety you are going for. If you do commercial work and want to be 100% safe, you need it all. If you, like me, are a home gamer and have hardwood floors, you can get away with basically nothing.I have not bothered installing any ESD protection on my workbench and I know this is a risk. At some point I will fry something but so far I have not. A much more common problem for me is bad design that fries the board when I power it up.I do use a silicone mat from time to time, but for the opposite purpose - I want to have PCBs sitting on it with power connected without shorting anything.I would summarize my take on ESD as “if you get shocked a lot when touching metal objects in your home, get ESD gear. If not, you are most likely fine without it”.

author: YouCanDoIt
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: March 14, 2024, 01:57:25 pm
content: Quote from: shabaz on March 13, 2024, 03:44:02 amMany thanks for your response, it really helped to make some progress. Unfortunately. the Somerset Solders mats are going to become very expensive, but there is a local Conrand version of the store which makes the purchase cheaper and a perfect candidate.Yes, the layers are important and I want to remind to people that are reading a quote fromhelius:QuoteAll the ones you linked are 2 layers.Quote from: tatel on March 13, 2024, 03:59:35 amMany thanks friend.Thisone seems another great alternative especially because I read 400D (does it stands for 400 C°??).Quote from: shabaz on March 13, 2024, 03:44:02 amIf anti-slip effect has the same efficacy and heat resistance good enough, then yes, I also don't see the need for a silicone mat (I still would like to have a such convenient tools organizer with magnetic areas, but I can live without).Heat resistanceis factor I have never focused on because I wrongly assumed that it was standard for all the mats, but right now I am seeing that the range can go from 150C° to 450C°. I have to believe that this determine what you can and you cannot do. A 450C° heat resistance I suppose will cover all the uses without the need of an extra layer of protection.I see your mat has the lower heat resistance (60C°). I suppose this is enough to not get damaged from solder splashes, but you are forced to use an extra protective layer for soldering (hot air and iron), right?I have not been able to find heat resistance (not even in datasheets) for Sierra FT Series and many other mats while AntiStat mats declared a 180C° (not sure what they means for instantaneous temp).I foundELMEbrand to be, may be, the best option. It's a bit more expensive, but temperature resistance is 440 C°.Regarding damages (from objects moved around the mat), I suppose that what we see below (at minute 15:40) and just after 2 weeks of usage, only occurs to such kind of chinese mats (and the one I see there seems to be the same ones I found on AE). Hope this will not occur for any of the mats mentioned in this topic.Quote from: shabaz on March 13, 2024, 03:44:02 amThe two banana sockets are only needed to connect two mats, right? There's a thing that made me confused: they are available with or without resistance. I'm correct to assume that the ones with resistance are only for the wrist straps that does not have the built in 1MΩ resistance? Because at this point any cheap adapter could be fine if I just cut the right and left pins, right?Yes, the all-metal ones bite on arm-hairs and they are useless. The regular ones can be just put on and taken off with the same speed once they are regulated to the size of the wrist.Given the fact that you are connected to an AC socket, may I ask you what kind of safety measures you have taken to prevent any shock hazard?Quote from: Veketti on March 14, 2024, 09:36:45 amYou're welcome! You raised a good question! I also asked myself if ESD floor mats are useless or not once there is a good quality ESD workbench. I could be wrong, but the wrist strap is still needed, mostly because the whole ESD area must be part of the same circuit. Depending from your setup, you could try to see if esd ankle straps works better.Quote from: agehall on March 14, 2024, 11:23:19 amWhat about an hardwood sheet?Quote from: agehall on March 14, 2024, 11:23:19 amIf the only (and rare) risk was an immediate and evident failure, then I would not even thought to ESD. The real problems of ESD are intermittent-latent damages and shortest lifespan. None of these can be traced.Quote from: agehall on March 14, 2024, 11:23:19 amThe sufficient intensity to create damages is infinitesimal lower than the one can perceive human body. I would not take this as a parameter to decide.

author: shabaz
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: March 14, 2024, 03:32:12 pm
content: Hi,I think if it's solder-splash-resistant, then may be no need for high-sustained-temperature resistance, I've never come across a problem in that area in 8 years.I have attached a photo zoomed-in to the worst, highest-traffic area of the mat. You can see the grain pattern of the mat is still intact. There are some flux stains (I wiped with IPA, but didn't use anything stronger) and tiny bits of blue-tack residue in the grain. I use the blue-tack to hold parts occasionally. No noticeable scratches though, and no soldering-heat-related damage, so from a normal view the mat all looks good.I have not experienced the scraping/scratching issue in the video. Most of the time any board being worked on is in a vice (I use aluminium tool vices, which are flat and sit on the mat) so there is not much to scratch the surface anyway. Like most people I'm sure, I have knocked sharp tweezers, scalpels, metalwork, pliers etc on the mat by accident, but it's quite a tough (but flexible, since it is thin) surface.Regarding the plug, all the connections do not need to be used, some can be left spare. Some soldering stations will also provide an earthing banana socket. Personally, I just trust the earth connection is good. In other countries/locations/electrical systems perhaps that is not the case (consult an electrician if you're unsure for your location), and in offices/labs it would be tested regularly I'm sure.

author: YouCanDoIt
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: March 14, 2024, 09:30:00 pm
content: QuoteThis is a good point!Where it is not advertised the temperature (or the advertised one is very low) I see such statements:Sierra FT Series-...designed to withstand heat from hot soldering irons and molten solder...Somerset-...Matting is resistant to solder splashing and abrasion..Eleshop-...heat and solder resistant...Heat resistance: 400D (C°??)Antistat-...heat resistant to most soldering debris and hot metal parts..Heat resistance: 180C° (instantaneous temp)To note: the AntiStat mats you linked (sold from Conrad and Rapid Electronics) seems to be old versions no longer distributed. Although most characteristics seem to be the same, the only model sold from AntiStat isthisone and the only one where it is clearly stated heat feature.Elme-...high temperature resistant...unflammable (DIN 51960)...withstands more than 440°CStarTech.comesd mats-Operating Temperature: 20°C to 45°C (68°F to 113°F)To note: I initially excluded such brand from the list, but this is a famous brand with Compliance & Certifications. There are so many good reviews (although I have yet to check heat resistance)So, I am wondering if they all performs the same in terms of heat resistance and consider the advertised high resistance temperature as a way to show what is a standard feature as an exclusive feature of the brand.When using a soldering iron I don't see many problems, but when replacing an smd IC it's another story. The heated area is larger and temperature can reach 400 and more degrees Celsius. Did you found your mat to be resistant even for such high demanding tasks?QuoteThanks for the picture. It is in excellent condition. The flux stains and blue-tack residue I see is what remain after an immediate cleaning or a consequence of a too late cleaning?Cleaningis another thing I have not yet considered (and I should!). The cleaning recommendation is different for each brand. For example AntiStat brand recommends a cloth coated in a neutral solution (such as water). Any acid or alkali solvent is strictly prohibited (such as benzene, Alcohol etc). Somerset recommends a dedicatedcleaner sprayfor your mat. I have one of such cleaner spray commonly used to clean LCD screens, camera lens, keyboards, mouses, etc. It is made of 5% non-ionic, anionic and amphoteric surfactants. The instructions says to not use the solution if the target has a special coating.So, I'm wondering if it is safe or I should use an ESD mat cleaner (which I suppose should be more effective than IPA and suitable for all ESD mats).QuoteWell, this explains why the mat is in such excellent condition. You basically had only to deal with solder splashes which have more time to cool down given the distance. Moving a board directly placed above the mat is a bit more risky. There are plenty of components in a board and each one can potentially create a damage if the mat is not resistant enough. Any particular reason that forced you to use a vice rather than placing the board directly on the mat? And are you sure a vice will not break ESD safety?QuoteIf I have understood well, you're saying that whether I use an adapter (with or without built in 1M resistance) or not, the only needed thing is the wrist strap end point attached to the pin ground of the wall socket.When you say "I just trust the earth connection is good" you mean the electrical system of your house and not the ESD mat system, right? If so, I should be in the same boat since the electrical system has been renewed less than 10 years ago. However I still don't feel safe. What if something breaks in the home electrical system (or in the ESD system)? Or another device discharge to the ground while I'm connected to the mat? You don't have such concerns?I saw some people uses soldering station, water pipes etc, but theESD associationonly recommends the AC socket, so I'm afraid the only thing I can do is to follow such advice and add some sort of monitoring device between the wall socket and the ESD system (what is still a mistery!!).I want to say thanks again for your support!

author: shabaz
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: March 15, 2024, 12:19:07 am
content: Hi,You can probably go for at least a year or two, just wiping with a damp cloth from time to time before requiring anything stronger. For sure, if you don't clean up frequently, then it will get harder to clean as thoroughly over time.The mat will inevitably get splashes of IPA over time, and that doesn't seem to harm it, but I can imagine it would be good to follow the instructions for the specific mat chosen, especially if it's in a lab environment.Personally, I've seen no deterioration (I don't have the correct tools, but I have an insulation tester, and I measure an approximately similar value in the heavily-worked area as in an unused corner area. I think if you buy a decent mat, you can consider its condition and life to be a solved problem for at least half a decade to a decade.If your home electrical system is good, it's over-worrying if you think the ground connection will cause an electric shock risk. You'd feel it first with any metal appliance, e.g., a kettle. Even if there was a fault, you're protected to a degree through a 1 Megohm resistor inside the earth bonding plug.The bare minimum you need is a mat, wrist strap, earth bonding plug (if your soldering station doesn't have an earthing point built-in), and that's it (those things should come with cables, I believe; otherwise, purchase a cable, too). You could add other things, such as ESD floor mats, etc., but I don't, so I have no comment/opinion either way on that.However, I do keep ESD lab coats at home, although I only use them when assembling something critical, and have several around for anyone else nearby to wear, too, because I don't know what clothes they will be wearing. It all depends how seriously you take things, I think it's low-hanging fruit to have some ESD protection like this, it's easy to do and doesn't cost a lot. I don't overly think about it all though. I buy a decent brand mat, wrist strap, etc., and it's not worth the risk of going too cheap in this area, especially since it's a one-time purchase, for perhaps a decade.Personally, I think you're over-worrying about things, if you're considering temperature, cleaning, etc, they are not top areas of concern if you've got any semi-decent mat and you wipe occasionally. You still (perhaps) need to think about ESD-safe component storage, etc., so you should just make a decision on the mat etc., and then consider the next thing : ) so you can quickly move on to using the workstation, to make some hardware : )Regarding vice, that's the only good way that I know to support a board with no movement, if there are components or wire ends on the other side of the board, or if you're making measurements, and don't wish to accidentally short to a stray wire clipping fallen on the ESD mat.

author: BrokenYugo
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: March 15, 2024, 01:43:06 am
content: 250V though a 1meg resistor is 250uA, a quarter milliamp, maybe good for a tingle? Certainly nonlethal, though if you're buying straight from China it would be wise to open the adapter up and make sure a large resistor of sufficient voltage rating is used, if it's some little 1/4 watt thing upgrade it before use.Monitoring seems like massive overkill to me unless you're building man rated flight hardware, high reliability medical devices, etc. Not sure what the first is doing but the second more expensive device appears to be a $5 outlet tester (which are far from infallible) with an added earth jack, run right between live and neutral?

author: tatel
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: March 15, 2024, 04:44:07 am
content: Quote from: YouCanDoIt on March 14, 2024, 09:30:00 pmPerhaps Fahrenheit... I once put 5 watts through one of these aluminum-bodied resistors, rated for 5 watts... and a couple minutes after, found it had melted the handle of one of my screwdrivers down to the metallic part inside the handle. So I would say it got about 200ºC? One corner of that resistor left a brownish tarnish on the ESD mat. That way I learned at least three different things simultaneously.Thus I wouldn't say it is heat-proof, much less 400ºC-proof. You don't want to put your hot solder iron on it.But it resists solder splash like a duck's feathers are waterproof. No problem. If you do stupid things, like I did, this is not ESD mat fault. Stands for solder irons exist for a reason.QuoteI'm not sure if you mean soldering or desoldering, with iron or air station, but if you put 400ºC on your board, you'll probably will cook that area of the board and quite a few components. Unless you have quite some experience, but this usually means you already cooked some boards, I fear.A desoldering gun and or hot plate would probably be in order. With the hot plate you can put say 100ºC on your board. That temperature shouldn't damage anything. Then applying some more 150ºC locally to desolder some component with the iron/tweezers/hot air gun will be much, much easier. If using hot air, you should protect from heat the components next to the one you are replacing. You can use for that kapton tape, aluminium foil, whatever. If you use through hole components, a desoldering gun comes really handy.Anyway, the matter is to get enough heat, fast enoug,into the joints. So the solder melts before the heat can creep into the component's body, the board, etc. That way neither the components nor the board nor the ESD mat should get damaged. Check component's datasheet to see how much temperature/soldering time they are able to survive. Usually it is something like 250ºC for 10 seconds, not more. I would say your ESD mat will also survive that, no problem.But, if you are unable to put enough heat fast enough, then heat will probably creep out the joint and ruin something.QuoteA wet rag is what I usually use. Perhaps some IPA if some rosin splashed on it?QuoteConvenience? Usually while soldering, one wish to have more than two hands. I don't think a third hand should break ESD safety unless there is some plastic breaking the circuit to the mat/earthQuoteI don't think Eleshop's kit has that 1 Mohm extra resistor. The mat itself should have quite a lot of resistance (1 Mohm - 1 Gohm), and should discharge any potential quite slowly, avoiding any spark and damage. But if you want to have it, please feel free to do so.I rather prefer having that connector under the table, next to me, than where the guy in the video puts it, near the wall. I think that way a)it will impair their movements too much, and b) it will be sweeping his work surface with each movement of his right hand. I have the connector on my left. No way I'm going to connect it to my ankle, I would have to fold my back each time I need to go far from the ESD place and then again when I come back. But, probably his backbone is in better condition than mine.QuoteWell, I wouldn't trust any earth connection before checking it's really good. I mean, here many buildings are more than 100 years old. Most of them converted to 220V in the 1970s. Even if electrical installation is "new", it doesn't necessarily mean it's "good". Even if it's supposedly "certified". YMMV. Some years ago, we deployed a neighbourhood wifi network using Ubiquiti gear. It turned out that Ubiquiti gear really needs good earth connection and surge protection. First year, we lost 20% antennas, mainly for earthing problems. One of the nodes needed to have its gear replaced each 2-3 months. Neighborhood electrician lived in that building.I insisted and insisted again in having a new earth connection. And having it checked good. Problem solved.Since then, when going to a new deployment point, I always carry with me a surge protector which also has a LED to indicate earth connection is good. If that LED doesn't turn on, earth connection is bad, then node deployment gets delayed until a new/repaired earth connection is checked good. From that point, it's now rare to have any antenna suddenly dying. Speak about >95% incident reduction.You could look for APC brand. We got ours in Leroy Mierdin for about 40€. Because they also arrest surges -and it's really efficient- these surge protectors get a place in each new rural node, where summer storms and lightning strikes are a real problem. Not really needed in a city, but I have one of these at home... Anyway it's not going to protect your gear and you against a direct/near lightning strike but it will avoid damage by surges in the electrical network caused by lightning striking at some kilometer(s) away. It uses MOVs, thus you have to think on it as an expendable item that will need replacement in some time, very probably, years. But you can just replace the MOV. Do it on some schedule, before it dies and your gear gets not protected anymore.That way you will know if your earth connection suddenly fails -not really important after checked good. But, if needed for peace of mind, you'll know you have your stuff safe not just from ESD but also from surges BTW.In time, you'll probably need a lot of jacks for so many devices you'll get. You could deploy them from this protected jack strip in a star shape and have it all protected, too.QuoteNo, you are getting paranoid now. Once the current goes to earth, it's gone. Thing is,current must not go to earth through your body.Well, if you are a cow in the wild, and your forward legs are a meter or more from your back legs, and lightning strikes near enough you, then there probably will be some potential between your fore and aft, and some current would flow trough you. Probably enough to kill that cow. Or so I have been told.But you are not a cow in the wild when the storm thunders, your feet are not at a meter from each other (think of birds meeting in HV transmission lines) and 220V isn't a lightning strike. Moreover your electrical panel should have a GFCI (not sure about the acronym -we call it a differential here) that should work as soon as it detects there is less current getting out your home as is getting in.Don't do that crappy thing to get a cable directly connected to a plug in the wall. No doubt it surely will work, but you have ESD plugs for that. Put just the earth connection in a plug, get the plug into the jack. Done. Cleaner.Eleshop's ESD starting kit was good enough for me. It has all you'll need for ESD, and for 40 € it seemed good enough to me. It doesn't have the intermediate banana station, but it has a plug with conector. That plug gets into a jack strip screwed under the table. In turn, that jack strip -and others- get plugged into the surge protection strip. YMMV.One last thing: if you live in a place where relative humidity is usually at/over 70%, probability of ESD is small. If you live in a dry place with RH at/less than 50%, probability of ESD discharge is bigger. Avoid wool and synthetic clothes.

author: tooki
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: March 15, 2024, 10:30:34 am
content: Quote from: YouCanDoIt on March 14, 2024, 09:30:00 pmThis is another reason for using helping hands or an FR-4 board instead of working directly on the mat: you will run into a different problem long before melting or scorching becomes a worry. Namely, warping: the mat will expand when warm. So if you put a board directly on the mat and start heating it to soldering temperatures, the heat transferred to the mat will cause it to expand there, and since it has nowhere to go but up, the mat will arch upwards and create an unstable work surface. The mat will flatten again once cool, but you can’t work this way!400C? If you manage to heat your board to 400C, it will literally be bubbling and producing large amounts of extremely pungent smoke as the epoxy decomposes into black goo. (I’ve only seen this happen once, when an infrared preheater’s controller failed and left the heating elements at full blast.) The fact that your soldering iron tip is 320-370C does not mean that the board gets anywhere near that hot! In soldering, your goal is to get the joint tojustabove the melting point of your solder. So if you’re using, for example, lead-free solder that melts at 227C, your actual joint temperature will be perhaps 250 or 270. Similarly, since I suspect you’re talking about hot air, if you need to use 400C air, you’re likely doing something wrong. That high temperature can easily damage the board, and even more easily damage components. Your goal should be to preheat the whole board gently (e.g. to 100-150C) using gentle heat, so that you can then use a much gentler 300C or so to quickly locally heat the chip you need to remove. The preheating of the whole board prevents it from acting as a giant heatsink. For hot air, you want the board suspended off your bench, so the bench isn’t acting as a heatsink, either. (Ideally, you’re suspending the board over a preheater.)

author: YouCanDoIt
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: March 17, 2024, 06:12:57 pm
content: Many thanks to all, guys! Your shared experiences will be for sure a great benefit for everyone. You gave me so many useful info and I thought that the best thing would be to write a long comment divided into categories. I also changed the title because when an user enter such topic, he really can say to know everything there is to know.CLEANINGQuoteThanks! So, the main rule is to always clean (immediately) through wet rag/damp cloth. If doesn't work, the next choice must be done carefully. Although IPA (or lysol) has beenshowedto be safe, somesourcesstrongly discourage its usage. It seems this mainly depends from how a mat has been manufactured. I'm not sure if a generic (and expensive) ESD mat cleaner is safe on all kind of mats. So, the most wise thing to do is to follow the instructions for the specific mat chosen as said from shabaz (or ask to the distributor).Shabaz, is this the tool you use?The inability to detect the end of a mat lifespan and deteriorated areas (for whatever reason, cleaning included) is something that I have not considered. I'm wondering if I should buy one? Is it not possible to perform the same tests through a good quality DMM?HOME ELECTRICAL SYSTEM SAFETY (SHOCK HAZARD RISKS)Quote from: shabaz on March 15, 2024, 12:19:07 amQuote from: tatel on March 15, 2024, 04:44:07 amQuote from: shabaz on March 15, 2024, 12:19:07 amIf I have understood well, even if an electrical home system is certified (like mine) there's still no guarantee that "it's good", but this only applies to ESD system safety and not my health safety. At worst, some connected device can break (like happened to you with 20% of antennas lost), but no risks at all for my own safety. If I'm not wrong, 1Mohm resistor will protect me and the ESD system from any risk. Resistors can go bad, the value can shift and one could end up with an open circuit (I will enter into more details in the next section which seems more appropriate).I will have to check better my electrical panel to see if it has such GFCI thing, but what I can say for sure is that when multiple devices are connected and demanded power is more than the one we have established in the contract, the whole power supply is interrupted through an automatic switch. We can switch back again, but the whole power supply will only return and become stable when we ensure the demanded power is within the limits. Not sure if this has some relation with the safety mechanism you're talking about or it has more to do with the company not happy to provide extra kilowatts for free. I really need to check this.I think mine is more of a mental problem than else. It's just the idea (more than the real risk) of being connected to an AC socket that makes me nervous while working and in such kind of jobs calm and firmness are essential factors.So, if GFCI is the only one thing I should check in order to ensure my own safety, I'm perfectly fine and I will post here my findings as soon as I can.ESD SYSTEM PROTECTION MEASURESQuote from: BrokenYugo on March 15, 2024, 01:43:06 amQuote from: tatel on March 15, 2024, 04:44:07 amOK!No cable directly connected to a plug in the wall, but a member of the community does notrecommendssocket adapters because banana plugs do not fit securely in AC outlets and I suppose he refers to the yellow ones (the most diffused). How I can avoid such risk? I will try to find the adapter below, it should be much cheaper, but I doubt it has a resistor. The yellow ones are very expensive.So, adding an extra resistor could not be needed if the mat is "1 Mohm - 1 Gohm" (I will ensure that). If not, adding another one is recommended as an extra level of protection (for my body and the system itself). Is it safe multiple resistors? The values will become altered, is still safe?If I will end up buying an extra resistor separately, I have the option to choose a larger one (and I suppose would be better). What is the maximum range I should stay within?Yes, BrokenYugo, a monitoring system may sound overkill, but without it I'm still unable to identify failures or abnormal ESD status (unless I continuosly check with a DMM). The only reason for which I decided it's worth is because I found one very cheap.I will enter more details on the black one I initially posted (the yellow one is more expensive).Tatel, isthisthe surge protector you're talking about? From the photo and the way you described it seems to be the same.This is thelinkto the product page (and anotheronewith additional details) while this is alinkto a video showing its usage. The officialproduct pagefrom what seems to be the manufacturer (or main distributor).The internal:Do you see any safety measure? Should I still add the extra resistor? It seems to have more features, but it's not fully clear to me. Since you already have something similar, may be you can check better what can do and cannot do.DETERMINE THE NUMBER OF JACKS NEEDED BEFORE ANY ORDERQuote from: tatel on March 15, 2024, 04:44:07 amThis is another thing to take well in consideration before doing any order. If I am correct, multiple jacks are needed if multiple operators are needed in order to share the same workstation (and save money from having to buy additional single jack items later).And this becomes more evident when the system becomes more complex (like the addition of the monitoring system above).However, if the workstation is only intended for one operator (like my case) a single jack should be fine and determine the correct size of the mat should be sufficient. In my case I think I should go with 900x600, it should be enough to work with multiple boards and devices.Are these the correct things an user should first evaluate before any purchase?HEAT RESISTANCEQuote from: tatel on March 15, 2024, 04:44:07 amSo, this demonstrates that the advertised heat resistance is real. It remain to understand if it is really needed. In case of solder irons I can only think an high heat resistance can help when the iron drops accidentally from the stand.Quote from: tatel on March 15, 2024, 04:44:07 amQuote from: tooki on March 15, 2024, 10:30:34 amThis is a really good point guys and sorry for not having given enough details.I use a very old (and I suppose, of very low quality) 852D soldering station (). I'll have to buy something more decent in the future.I use a fixed temp of 389C° for every job and the melting point usually occurs after one second, more or less. With a lower value there is a much longer delay before I see some sign of melting and it makes the work harder (it doesn't fully melt). I never calibrated the station, so I'm not sure this is the real temperature.I only use welding solder combined with no-clean flux (this one in every operation).Edit: cleaned the accurate soldering-desoldering description (I was going out of topic) and moved into a more appropriatetopic.I'm unable to determine how much temperature effectively can reach the mat or the board, but I have to believe it is much less that 389C° (supposing the station show the correct value). Perhaps I should be more scientific and buy some heat measurer rather than using my sixth sense.SOLDERING DIRECTLY ABOVE THE MAT VS HELPING HANDS or VICE (HOT AIR ONLY)Quote from: shabaz on March 15, 2024, 12:19:07 amQuote from: tooki on March 15, 2024, 10:30:34 amFrom the reports I commented in the previous section seems to be that when a mat is advertised as 440C° resistant it is because it really is (I can't imagine known and reputable brands like the listed ones doing false advertising). If the problem you mentioned occurs even with a such high heat resistance I really don't know. When a brand states the maximum temperature supported I would assume they means without any physical alteration, but who know. One should verify this directly on the field to be sure.Quote from: tatel on March 15, 2024, 04:44:07 am... and helping hands are made of plastic, so I'm not sure on safety.Helping hands has always been an item I wanted, but then, once I saw the silicon pad (and ESD mat with anti-slip) I didn't found any reason to buy. I can hardly see how can help with hot air where even a small movement can cause misalignment. Anyone of you are using this tool and find it useful for some jobs?A vice looks more reliable, but a pre-heater seems the ideal solution as tooki said. I can be wrong, but with a solder iron, both vice and helper hands to me seem useless.PREHEATERQuote from: tooki on March 15, 2024, 10:30:34 amYes, I'm also convinced about this. However, I'm still asking myself if I should improve my equipment and try to get into lower temperatures.Quote from: tooki on March 15, 2024, 10:30:34 amI never used a pre-heater and I asked myself multiple times if I should.Edit: cleaned all the details (I was going out of topic) and moved into a more appropriatetopic.ADDITIONAL (AND NOT MANDATORY) STUFFESD lab coatsQuote from: tatel on March 15, 2024, 04:44:07 amQuote from: shabaz on March 15, 2024, 12:19:07 amThis is a good point. We all wear synthetic clothes and is easy to hear sound of them crackling (especially when we undress). However, I have not well clear how clothing affects the ESD system. I'm correctly to assume that they are useless if we only touch board and mat through bare hands or our skin?Anyway, they arecheapand I don't see any reason to avoid them. Many people suggests to wear the right clothes, at this point I find much easier to wear a lab coat without change clothes each time (I live where humidity is over 70% and I still hear sound of them crackling).There are also antistatic caps, but to me seem excessive. However, I have been recommended to tie back long hair as it also can become charged and create induced charges.Antistatic glovesTime ago I purchased such gloves and of good quality. Given the ESD system I'm going to build, I'm wondering if they are useless or can be considered a great additional layer of safety (or they can anyway be used in a different context).ESD Floor matsHere has been suggested that they are not needed with hardwood floors (may be an hardwood sheet for non hardwood floors?). I suppose a dedicated ESD floor would need to be grounded and this means wearing an ankle strap. This is going to be much! Unless someone can suggest something easier, I find the usage of ESD floor mats unfeasible, but if anhardwood sheetcan help a bit, then it could be worth:ESD-safe component storageQuote from: shabaz on March 15, 2024, 12:19:07 amESD sensitive components already come in antistatic bags. Do you refer to some sort of organizer where to store the entire stock of components? Is it any good acabinetmade of plastic like the below? They are not marked as esd safe.ALTERNATIVE TO WALL SOCKETBefore opening this topic I saw in the web such statement:"To prevent built-up static from transferring from you to a sensitive computer component, you'll need to discharge the static into something more durable. In most cases, this is a metal item that is either touching the floor or touching a series of items leading to the floor."So, I have done some experiments and I come out with the following two options (only difference is the shape and weight of the metal object):The measurement returned the same value in both the objects. The length of each object is customizable.I have to suppose this is completely useless, right? Other people recommended a connection to the soldering station. I posted a picture of mine and it doesn't have an earthing point built-in (I suppose that a connection to the metal case through an alligator clip is not going to work).In any case, the ESD Association recommends the wall socket and it must be for valid reasons if I only see ESD workstations only connected in this way. I posted the above picture just in case someone think to do the same.PATIENCE AND PERSEVERANCE IS THE KEY WHEN CHOOSING A MATQuote from: tatel on March 15, 2024, 04:44:07 amThis seems to be one of the best option and price can be further reduced to €25 if one already have all or some of the accessories. How much did you paid for shipping? Their estimator tool does not work and I know that for an item like this shipping costs can double the price if they use an expensive carrier.Although the real heat resistance is unclear, the damage you described could have been (probably) avoided in mats with higher resistance. Of course, what happened to you is supposed to never happen if one is careful enough, but things happens even when we take all the possible precautions.Did you had chances to see how it react to other threats?With a little more (€ 38) there is alsoElmibrand (440C° heat resistance). The company is italian and since I live in Italy shipping is just € 8.90. Both Eleshop and Elmi mats will probably end up to cost the same. How you would compare the two?

author: tatel
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: March 17, 2024, 08:54:05 pm
content: Ridiós! What a long post you wrote... Take it easy mate, it looks as if you were to work with the most ESD sensitive testicle-value prototypes in the world. I fear you are overthinking it.This is the magic socket strip we use in rural wifi nodes, or at least hist closest cousin:https://www.ebay.es/itm/404603890115"Surge protection" in that strip is just a big MOV:https://components101.com/articles/metal-oxide-varistor-mov-overview.It couldn't be any simpler yet they have worked really fine for us. You want both LEDs turned on, then you know grounding and surge protection are working.That, and the Eleshop ESD starter kit previously linked, is all I have. The yellow plug takes the cable connection from your arm/wrist, and another one from the ESD mat, and there is still a spare one for some other connection. Live/neutral plugs are plastic, only the grounding part is for real. You'll not be attached to any mains-connected plug and very little to no at all possibility to have your gronding cable getting loose and suddenly touching anything live.Unless you live in a really dry climate, I don't think you need anything more than that.

author: tatel
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: March 17, 2024, 09:34:09 pm
content: I had one of these Yihuas... got a Quicko T-12 compatible with David Alfa's firmware and happily donated the Yihua to the 19-year-old son of a long-time friend of me. That Yihua usually indicated at least 100ºC more than it was really getting at the solder head.Here's the 161 page long thread custom FW for T12 stations...https://www.eevblog.com/forum/reviews/stm32-oled-digital-soldering-station-for-t12-handle/msg5383772/#msg5383772.

author: tatel
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: March 17, 2024, 09:37:33 pm
content: And forget about grounding via any improvised metallic part screwed to the wall. Grounding to your electrical installation is much, much better... if the ground LED on that socket strip turns on, it means ground connection has < 10 ohm resistance. No one of these contraptions will get less resistance than that.Edit: LED, not leg

author: shabaz
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: March 17, 2024, 09:38:12 pm
content: I think you're over-worrying about the finer detail, when it's better to move forward and build your setup and use it : )Any decent brand ESD mat recommendations will be fine (because the decent brands would not bring their name in disrepute by releasing a product that isn't ESD-safe, or melts in normal use). No need to check the temperature spec of the mat if you buy a decent brand, and use it normally.Then, if your electrical system is reasonable (ask an electrician in your region to check your home if you're not sure), you can assume the earth connection is safe, because you'd stand greater risk of electrocuting on a kettle than from the earth bonding plug. Again, if you buy a decent brand earth bonding plug, it is safe, it has internal resistance (easy to check with a multimeter). Surge protection is unrelated, but of course good to have that for your equipment to protect them, and an RCD type of setup for some protection against live wires (but that's not related to what you're thinking is a risk of bonding yourself to earth).Regarding measuring the mat resistance, there's no need, you can trust it for a home lab. My 8-year-old mat still has a similar resistance in the well-used areas as the unused areas. I did not buy special equipment to test that, because it would be an unnecessary expense. I only measured it to demonstrate it is a non-issue, with an insulation tester that I already had for other purposes (not for testing ESD mats). For sure perhaps you may want additional reassurances one day, but it doesn't sound like a critical problem that needs solving on day one).

author: JustMeHere
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: March 17, 2024, 09:53:27 pm
content: You show a consistent 1 megaohm resistance. Think that might be its because it is intended?BTW guys, you don't want a low resistance to ground.You want something that can bleed off any extra electrons but that's it. If the wrist strap is directly connect to ground with low resistance, then you become a conductor. Touch something charged with your other hand and zap. You just passed a current across your chest.Would you hold an AC radio in your hands while standing in a bath tub? Well, when you connect yourself directly to ground without any resistance, you're basically doing the same thing.

author: tatel
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: March 17, 2024, 11:24:55 pm
content: Quote from: JustMeHere on March 17, 2024, 09:53:27 pmJust to make it clear, I didn't mean having a < 10 ohm connection between your body and earth. Wrist wrap and mat will have much more resistance than that. What I did meant is a good electrical installation ground / protective earth should have < 10 ohm, or at least I think it is what the law says here, and what will cause the ground LED on that socket strip to turn on, IIRC. I trust that LED because, otherwise, Ubiquiti antennas die so easily.

author: YouCanDoIt
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: March 18, 2024, 09:14:46 pm
content: Quote from: tatel on March 17, 2024, 08:54:05 pmYou're right friend and I have gone several times off topic. I will try to make some clean up and move some arguments to a new topic (starting from the preheater and soldering accessories). However, all of you raised so many (and interesting) points and I had to respondQuote from: tatel on March 17, 2024, 08:54:05 pmThe second link is broken. However I think I don't need the "Surge protection" you're talking about. I think you're right about the different acronym, here it is called (ironically) "lifesafer". I have checked the electrical panel and each output is protected by one of these.Let me tell you that the electrician who made the electrical system is irresponsible.So, at least in my case it's overkill, but you gave a precious tip for people without any surge protection.However, correct me if I'm wrong, unlike the continuos monitor I'm going to buy, I see at least 2 flaws:You have to constantly keep your eyes on the ground LED to detect in time any abnormal status. The CM emits a sound alarm when this happensTo me seems it only checks the ground generically without taking into account ESD parameters (the CM also allows parameter customization)Quote from: tatel on March 17, 2024, 09:34:09 pmI'm not sure sure what you mean exactly, but at some point of my previous comment I posted a picture of my 852D+ workstation and I said that I will need to buy something more decent in the future. Is your a recommendation for my future purchase or just a way to show that workstations like mine output 100C° less than the displayed value?Quote from: tatel on March 17, 2024, 09:37:33 pmQuote from: JustMeHere on March 17, 2024, 09:53:27 pmAbsolutely! I just posted the pictures to show people what not to do!! Yes JustMeHere, I was not sure on the material of the two objects, so I wanted to test the connection with the wrist strap.Quote from: tatel on March 17, 2024, 08:54:05 pmQuote from: tatel on March 17, 2024, 09:37:33 pmQuote from: tatel on March 17, 2024, 11:24:55 pmOk guys, let me see if I have interpreted well all of your recommendations. These are all the items I found and how the final puzzle should look:My concerns:In such configuration the only resistor is the one inside the wrist strap (1 megaohm), so I want to add another one. I found two types (SMDandregular). I'm a little confused. They are sold as a kit of 100 pcs with selectable resistance. I'm not sure if I'll receive 100 identical resistors with the selected resistance value or a combination. What should I buy?Where I'm supposed to solder the extra resistor?The yellow ground wire seems to be a banana plug and I'm not sure fits the white socket adapter. To the left you can see the front side, to the right how looks the ground wire sold separately.Thanks again

author: shabaz
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: March 18, 2024, 09:54:55 pm
content: That link that tatel provided contains an earth bonding plug with built-in 1 Mohm resistor, according to the description there.No need to add another 1 Mohm resistor.The antistat website has an instruction sheet, I've attached a screenshot, showing how things get assembled. Nice and simple. You could insert your checking device but if it were me, I don't see the need for it (it's up to you).

author: YouCanDoIt
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: March 21, 2024, 02:56:39 am
content: Thanks for the pictures. The connections must be checked regularly (and the instruction sheet you included reminded me), so for just 5 dollars I prefer to automate the process and stay on the safe side.Hope that tatel can fix the link so that I can give a look, but if it is the same as your posted picture, then it would be more difficult: it has to go through the monitoring device first which only accept a banana plug.I find much easier to use the yellow ground wire of the alarm system since it has already a banana jack.The pin of the ground wire (right photo) is exactly 5 mm. Do you think I need an adapter to connect the banana jack of a wrist strap?Such earth bounding plug does not have a resistor, so I must add one, but I have no idea on the correct value and where should be soldered.Anyway, the above part is the easiest one. At worst I will just need an adapter for the banana jack and I can't certainly consider a problem the soldering of a resistor.The main problem is the connection from the device into the mat.My wrist strap is different from the one I see in your diagram. Mine it is the same of my diagram (the blue one). The one in your diagram is connected to the mat through a 10 mm stud. The bundled wire of my bracelet starts with one 10 mm stud (which goes on the top of the bracelet) and ends with an alligator clip (which can be detached to expose its internal banana jack). May be I need a dual circuit wrist strap?

author: YouCanDoIt
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: April 05, 2024, 09:18:13 pm
content: Ok guys, in the spirit of sharing I post here what should be my final ESD workstation.Someone can confirm that all the connections are in the right way?There are three 1MΩ resistances and two of them are in parallel (one in the plug and another one in the cable connected to it), so I think it should be safe. if one breaks, there are still 2 in the system.All the parts (except the continuous monitor) are fromTme.eu. Prices are pretty good. It is an italian company, so it is perfect for italians, but also good for europeans.

author: Siwastaja
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: April 06, 2024, 03:31:32 pm
content: What are you doing?If you are handling some specifically sensitive special parts AND doing it in large scale production you want to take ESD really seriously.Otherwise, I won't suggest ignoring the topic, but just to take the low hanging fruit. Getting an actual ESD mat (I didn't know it is so difficult and that fakes exist; I bought mine from batterfly.com and they are fine) is pretty much enough. I also didn't know that "binding posts" can be expensive or people would waste time about pondering which binding post to get.I live in a country which uses Schuko sockets/plugs which has exposed PE connectors in the socket. I just use an alligator clip to connect to PE. Other end goes to the ESD mat. When working with components and boards, my hands naturally rest on the mat. Job done.

author: xvr
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: April 06, 2024, 05:19:47 pm
content: I'm join to Siwastaja question - "What are you doung"?Almost all modern components (including IC) has built-in ESD protection. And in a most cases these protection is quite enough to allow of handle of these components by bare hands (without any extra ESD protection at all).

author: Siwastaja
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: April 06, 2024, 05:51:06 pm
content: Quote from: xvr on April 06, 2024, 05:19:47 pmThis built-in protection is significantly less, though, than required per standards for product qualification. It's only designed to protect the part from handling in usual ESD controlled manufacturing environments, plus a little more for safety margin. If youcompletelyignore all precautions, risk ofone daycreating damage which causes weird, hard-to-debug issues is very real. This is why I suggest the bare minimum, grounded ESD mat on which the work is performed. This will be also the single most effective measure.

author: TERRA Operative
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: April 07, 2024, 04:20:53 pm
content: I have my desk-sized ESD mat wired directly to the earth screw on the nearest power outlet (Many modern Japanese outlets are the same as USA, but they have a flip-up lid with an earth screw underneath, I have them throughout my house).Then my wrist strap is connected to one of those black angle brackets with the banana jacks and studs, which is also wired to the same earth screw on the outlet.This way it is all connected in a star configuration so if something becomes disconnected, it won't 'break the chain'. I have redundancy of a sort between my wrist strap and mat.

author: YouCanDoIt
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: April 07, 2024, 06:49:49 pm
content: Quote from: Siwastaja on April 06, 2024, 03:31:32 pmThanks for joining the topic. Well, nothing very serious like the above, but serious enough to understand that handling stuff with bare hands is bad. To the above workstation I also added good quality antistatic gloves and coat. It will not cover everything, but enough.Quote from: Siwastaja on April 06, 2024, 03:31:32 pmYes, the silicone mat I talked at the beginning is not ESD safe and I would also add that from china should be avoided even the regular ESD mats. If you have read all the topic you will see that the Mat I'm going to buy is one of the best quality, so I'm fine with this.Quote from: Siwastaja on April 06, 2024, 03:31:32 pmI think I have the same sockets/plugs like yours (although not in every room of the home), Do you recommend to modify my workstation like below? Yes, the yellow plugs (the only god quality ones) are very expensive and can go up to 30€ and more. However, the only reason for which I didn't continued to find for alternative connections is because I found the yellow plug you see in the photo from the same company where I will buy the mat and for around €10. The advantage is portability, easy plug & play and an extra layer of security given by the inside 1MΩ resistor. Do you still recommend to do the modification even in such case?Quote from: Siwastaja on April 06, 2024, 05:51:06 pmIn addition to what says Siwastaja I would also add that it is the opposite of what you say, is far more of a problem now than it has ever been.Per the ESD Association:QuoteQuote from: TERRA Operative on April 07, 2024, 04:20:53 pmTerra, you're increasing my doubts.Inthistopic I see that all connections goes to the plug:Do you recommend to change my workstation like below?I'm not sure if in this way I will need some extension cable, but are you sure this is good when the ESD mat sold by the company is supposed to be connected through 2 connection points?Another concern: some users suggested to increase resistance value. While this could be good in terms of safety, I have just noticedherethat it could also reduce effectiveness. The above connection will result in 4 MΩ resistance unlike 3 MΩ of my original project. I'm wondering if I should buy the yellow plug which does not have any builtin resistance.

author: shabaz
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: April 07, 2024, 07:53:02 pm
content: Hi,You can follow manufacturer guidelines (posted in an earlier comment) regarding connections.You're over-thinking this unfortunately with assumptions with no clear reason why you think every connector on the mat has to be used (it doesn't). Just buy the equipment from a reputable seller (TME, Digikey, Conrad, Eleshop etc) and no need to stress out about it, you're spending more time deciding, than the end equipment cost.A friend required ESD kit last week, we took one look at Amazon, decided we were not sure of anything there, and simply ordered from a specialist supplier ("Somerset Solders" in this case, but there will be decent suppliers in most countries as mentioned) - the cost was still low. Less than 100 euro for the premium quality stuff, anti-allergy etc., inclusive of taxes and shipping, got her everything she currently needed, all is safe with the required resistances with no need for the user to do anything extra, and it is known that it will work for the next decade, since that's almost how long I have owned that particular mat too, and it's still functioning.Job done, all decided and ordered in 10 minutes, and that's how long it will take to put it all together when it arrives.

author: TERRA Operative
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: April 07, 2024, 11:32:47 pm
content: IMO, this is a prime case of paralysis by analysis.Just get a quality mat, wrist strap and a good grounding point and hook it up.All my connections go directly to the earth point on the mains socket, the wrist strap via one of those black brackets.As long as you have everything connected reliably to ground, it'll befine

author: YouCanDoIt
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: April 08, 2024, 04:52:27 pm
content: Quote from: shabaz on April 07, 2024, 07:53:02 pmHello shabaz, I'm glad to see you again.This is what I have done (at least I think so). Only difference is the location of the connection points in the mat:And this is how a continuos monitor similar to mine is connected (basically just like my picture above):I like much more the solution used byTERRA Operative, one only connection point on the top right:However, if you look at the constant monitor productpageit is clearly stated the following:*ATTENTION – The mat must already be earthed.You're right guys, I'm over-thinking, but you see how much is easy to do mistakes. With one only connection as suggested from Terra,both the connections are earthed at the same time by the socket plug. I'm not sure if this will result in some malfunction of the whole system, but there must be a valid reason if the manufacturer stated such warning. We don't want people reading this topic ending up with a wrong connection diagram (especially the ones that add a constant monitor to the system).

author: Gyro
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: April 08, 2024, 05:23:56 pm
content: You are, indeed, massively overthinking this. All leads, earthing points etc, have integral safety resistors so the connection 'diagram' isn't particularly relevant - it's not as if you're trying to avoid a low impedance AC ground loop.Putting it simply.1. The work surface needs to (ESD) referenced to ground.2. You want to avoid ESD discharges between the operator, connected via the wrist strap, and the devices sitting on the mat.That's it. For most people, clipping the wrist strap to a stud on the corner of the mat is most convenient. If you want to go to the added expense of a screwed on bench edge mounted strap connection point, then it makes sense to take it back to the yellow earthing plug rather than bringing it up to the mat. There is no 'right or wrong diagram' as long as '1' and '2' are satisfied.If you are worried about configuration to this level then you should maybe be considering a floor mat too.

author: m k
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: April 08, 2024, 05:51:57 pm
content: I've learned to use a wrist wrap, it's unbeaten when stuff is far apart.You can also have many of them around places, but there is also a good possibility to forget it, one way or another.One of the ways is that you forget which wrist it is and so wipe stuff away.Or have it still disconnected after the last place change.One other thing I've learned is that all these wires and hoses are mostly always somehow wrongly placed.Or if nothing else then the light is behind a shade.

author: YouCanDoIt
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: April 09, 2024, 06:11:01 pm
content: Quote from: Gyro on April 08, 2024, 05:23:56 pmDoes this means that I should buy the earth plug with integrated resistor rather than trying to reduce the total resistance of the the system through an earth plug without any integrated resistor? Connected like thisshould result in a total of 3MΩ (plug + mat connection cable + wrist wrap).Fromthistopic:QuoteCan I hope that 3MΩ will not affect effectiveness?Quote from: Gyro on April 08, 2024, 05:23:56 pmYou mean that the warning only applies when trying to avoid a low impedance AC ground loop?Please note:the one in the photo below is a different brand than mine, but it is pretty much the same. I should receive mine within days and will check if there is the same warning.Quote from: Gyro on April 08, 2024, 05:23:56 pmWell, in terms of costs there is no difference between the two method of connections below. The only reason why I prefer the second method is because I have a much larger free area, but in this way I'm going against the warning because constant monitor device and mat are earthed at the same time by the yellow plug. If you are sure I can safely ignore such warning, then I will go with second method otherwise I will fallback to the first one (which is the same of the posted youtube video).A floor mat is something that I have initially evaluated, but after I saw the need of a second connection to the ankle I said a big NO. After all, I didn't saw such connection even in factories that assembly electronic boards (only ESD workbench, gloves and coats just like me).

author: Siwastaja
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: April 09, 2024, 06:13:38 pm
content: Quote from: YouCanDoIt on April 07, 2024, 06:49:49 pmLiterally the left half of this picture does the job. Added benefit from wrist strap is small, because the range of wrist strap is limited to working within the same table, and when you do that, your hands would periodically touch the mat anyway. It's not like if you lift your hands for 10 seconds you would magically gain a large enough charge to damage anything else but some super weird specialty devices.You can use 1M series resistor if you so wish. The mat itself is resistive enough to prevent large-current ground loops between your instruments and devices under test, so I don't bother. There is no safety implication either way; every metal frame grounded device you can freely touch is connected to that very same PE, in that very same socket.

author: YouCanDoIt
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: April 09, 2024, 06:23:07 pm
content: Quote from: m k on April 08, 2024, 05:51:57 pmThanks for your comment, but I'm not sure I have understood what you want to say. The only reason I see for having multiple wrist straps is a quick replacement in case that one breaks (the wire is very fine and I can already see how it can easily break over the time). Regarding usage, it is supposed to be used only one and worn in the left or right wrist (depending if one is left-handed or not).

author: YouCanDoIt
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: April 11, 2024, 09:18:39 pm
content: Siwastaja, many thanks for your suggestion. I think that whether to use a plug or not depends mainly from the user. In my case, for €10 more, I prefer the plug and take advantage of portability and the additional resistor. However, it's good to know that the connection is still possible without plug.My main problem is the constant monitor integration which I will explain better in my next message.

author: YouCanDoIt
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: April 11, 2024, 09:21:09 pm
content: Ok guys, I'm talking with an agent of theELMA company. First of all let me confirm that the high heat resistance of their mats is real. So, as of now, I would say that their mats are the best especially for soldering.They suggested me to combine theirwrist straps. I didn't found (for my case) any desirable feature or improvement over what already provides the blue one posted at the beginning of the topic, but is durable and pretty cheap and it's always good to have a second wrist strap as spare part.The main problem I'm facing is the connection with the constant monitor. The company has their own one for which they sent me the connection diagram. It's the same of the one I posted in the YT video, just with a different mark. As seen from the pdf, there is the below bench cord to connect, but my constant monitor doesn't have such connection (just the ground wire):.Herethe same device is connected without bench cord, but with the statement "*ATTENTION – The mat must already be earthed.". I suspect this has some relation with such cable. I could be wrong, but I interpret this as "The bench cord is not needed, but the mat must already be earthed."I'm stuck on how I should modify my connection scheme without the bench cord. The company can't help unfortunately.

author: tooki
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: April 12, 2024, 09:59:19 am
content: Quote from: YouCanDoIt on April 09, 2024, 06:11:01 pmFactories and workshops built for electronics use typically have conductive floors, which are then used in combination with conductive ESD footwear that, together with ESD workbenches, largely eliminate the need for wrist straps, etc.The ankle straps you’re talking about are probably the foot grounders you can wear to enable the use of ordinary (non-ESD) footwear. If you use proper ESD footwear you do not need that. Note that the strap on a foot grounder doesn’t connect to the mat, it slips in your sock to make contact with you.

author: YouCanDoIt
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: April 12, 2024, 05:25:12 pm
content: Quote from: YouCanDoIt on April 09, 2024, 06:11:01 pmWell, this changes everything. It remains to see how much safety provides the addition of a floor mat. I suspect it would be very minimal, but I could be wrong.Quote from: tooki on April 12, 2024, 09:59:19 amI don't think it is like so.A wrist strap is still needed along with all the other stuff and this is clearly showed in all connection diagrams:

author: tooki
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: April 12, 2024, 07:21:34 pm
content: Quote from: YouCanDoIt on April 12, 2024, 05:25:12 pmFeel free to think that, but you’d be wrong:ANSI/ESD S20.20 Paragraph 6.2.2.2 Personnel Grounding Guidance“ESD protective flooring used with approved footwear, may be used as an alternative to the wrist strap system for standing operations.”(http://www.esdsystems.com/pdf/0211use.pdf)FAQ: DOES AN ESD FLOOR DO THE SAME THING AS A WRIST STRAP?“ESD floors in combination with ESD footwear provide the same connection to ground as a wrist strap. Used properly, ESD flooring provides mobility without the restrictions of tethering.”(https://staticworx.com/faq/esd-floor-wrist-strap/)That is one of the big reasons companies like ESD floors: they work without the user having to remember to connect anything, and continue to work while carrying things, pushing carts around, etc. — the only key is that the footwear, carts, chairs, etc. must all be ESD versions.Note also that you said you didn’t see ESDmatsanywhere. Right. That’s why I said ESDfloors— an ESD floor is the entire floor, so it just looks like a normal floor. In fact, you can convert a normal floor simply by applying an ESD coating to it. You may have seen an ESD floor without realizing it. An ESD mat accomplishes the same thing, but only on a limited area. The main reason for ESD mats when used on an already ESD-safe floor, by the way, is to prevent fatigue.

author: YouCanDoIt
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: April 13, 2024, 12:48:04 pm
content: You're right, as long as the operator doesn't lift both their feet at the same time and does not seat (in this case a wrist strap isrequiredand I suppose the ESD mat too, the real ones, not the cheap silicon ones as I would like). i think it depends mainly from how an operator feel more comfortable, but I must admit that now I am in doubt. I don't like to stand up and this would require all such expensive stuff which will result in only one (and questionable in terms of percentage) advantage: increased safety. With ESD flooring I still have doubts about the body skin excluded from the system.What I find essential is a constant monitor and its integration does not seem easy (I'm still trying to understand whatthat cable is doingand why a source says to connect it while another source skip the connection). Not sure on how would be possible to connect this device to ESD flooring, all connection schemes shows ESD mats.

author: tooki
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: April 13, 2024, 06:33:56 pm
content: Quote from: YouCanDoIt on April 13, 2024, 12:48:04 pmYou shouldn’t be lifting your feet off the ground when sitting, anyway. It’s not ergonomic.The upshot is this: as long as you remain constantly grounded, whether via a wrist strap or conductive floor or mat, you’re good. (The link above doesn’t want to load right now so I can’t see it, but I’m skeptical of the absolutes (must, required, essential, all, etc.) you throw around so much.)Quote from: YouCanDoIt on April 13, 2024, 12:48:04 pmI have no idea what you mean here.Quote from: YouCanDoIt on April 13, 2024, 12:48:04 pmEssential? Hardly. That’s the one thing I’ve never seen anywhere yet. They exist so someone must be using them, but I wouldn’t say they’re common, never mind “essential”.Regardless, you’re overthinking all of this by about a million times.

author: Gyro
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: April 13, 2024, 07:41:17 pm
content: Maybe the thread title should be changed as it doesn't match the way it has turned. Constant monitoring of the wrist strap connection is neither cheap nor normal practice in industrial (let alone home) situations. Periodic visual inspection and resistance check with a is generally considered perfectly adequate.

author: m k
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: April 13, 2024, 09:15:34 pm
content: Back in the day a good practice was to put crocodile clip away and install banana jacks everywhere.Then the other end of your wrist wrap is hanging loose.Around home environment I usually disconnect the wrist side.

author: YouCanDoIt
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: April 13, 2024, 10:37:02 pm
content: Quote from: tooki on April 13, 2024, 06:33:56 pmYes, but some people seem to this inadvertently, at least the articles says so (at the time of writing the link is working).Quote from: tooki on April 13, 2024, 06:33:56 pmI mean to say that the body should be part of the whole circuit, but unlike a wrist strap, there's no direct connection with the skin when using and ESD floor and I'm wondering where does go the electricity accumulated in the body. I'm surely missing something obvious here.Quote from: tooki on April 13, 2024, 06:33:56 pmQuote from: Gyro on April 13, 2024, 07:41:17 pmPerhaps you're right. Companies (and also article published by normal users) tend to use often such words and I should be a bit more suspicious than I normally am. I should have better clarified and say that a constant monitor is essential if someone want to avoid to continuously inspect the equipment. When a wire starts to break and the connection becomes unstable it is not easy to detect through a visual inspection. Same for resistors and in this case a DMM is needed for verification. In addition to that it should be noted that such events can occur at any time, even while working on a system that passed an inspection (I believe "constant monitoring" perfectly describe all of this).An entry point device is cheap and I think it's worth as long as an user needs to do frequent tasks, otherwise it's a waste of money. I didn't checked what advanced monitoring devices do, but the target of this topic is only a single user, not a factory with plenty of workers.Gyro, the inclusion of a cheap constant monitoring matches the thread title, but I think you're right, it is now turned into the troubles I'm having with its connection scheme. I'm just posting my findings here because I'm not sure if I should buy a different constant monitor or not. Once I sort this out I will try to not forget to clean up some useless and off topic stuff.Quote from: m k on April 13, 2024, 09:15:34 pmThis is what I'm doing. Do not be fooled by my posted diagrams showing crocodile clip (to the left side it is shown an adaptor and the crocodile clip is intended to be removed).

author: YouCanDoIt
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: April 13, 2024, 10:59:03 pm
content: Ok guys, these are my new findings. I found the same device with another different mark and this one include a more detailed connection scheme:It has the same hole (although not easily visible here):Even in this case, there is no connection to this hole. However, step number 6 states thatwhen a mat exceeds 7 meg, the connection should be done like illustrated in fig. 2. Isuspect(and I could be perfectly wrong) thatthis is where the connection to this hole comes into play. I still have to sort out what such "7 meg" means (I can't find anything related on the mat specs).What this connection does is still unclear, pheraps it connects to an earth point inside the device?