This is what counts as packaging these days?

[jgreco]

That's what I've always done as well, touch the case, and the PS case, before doing any work. Haven't messed with bare components since I was replacing 8250 chips in my Amiga that the lightning killed.

You actually need to be grounded. You need to not just touch the case, but to be in contact with it, and the case itself needs to be grounded. Otherwise all you're doing is temporarily equalizing potentials, and the moment you're out of contact, the differential starts to build again.

 

[jgreco]

I was grounded, if it makes you feel better. Wrist strap to PSU screw, with the power off and the IEC 60320 C13 cable plugged in.

Makes me feel about 80% better.

I should get a proper ESD mat, though. Not really to protect the hardware, but I do need a larger thing protecting my desk from damage caused by the heavy chassis that inevitably end up on top of it.

And then back down to only about 60% better.

 

[gpsguy]

While that may be true, my guess is that @jgreco wants to minimize the risk of server failure, due to a system that's been subjected to ESD. If he's needs to travel 8+ hours to the colo site to repair a server or worry about breeching his SLA, he'll play it safe.

For many of our home users, if the ZAP their CPU or another component, it might cost them some $$'s (or €'s, etc) to replace the components. Yeah, it might be an unexpected expense, but replacement is fairly easy.

Even if we don’t feel/or see a spark, damage can still occur. One might need a scanning electron microscope to find/see the damage.

My father (deceased), was an EE by trade and a SME on ESD. Many of the circuits he designed went on a one-way trip to outer space. It amazes me that Voyager 1 and 2 are still functional, after 38+ years in space.

Assembled boards are far less sensitive to ESD than bare components.

 

[Jailer]

I actually totally believe that. The amount of ESD resistance modern components exhibit is remarkable, but the flip side is that ESD is an insidious thing, and damage can be relatively obscure. Once zapped, it is very hard to know with certainty that the gear is truly reliable anymore.

Very true. A bit different of a situation but I once experienced a lightning strike that presented itself as a "slight crackle" through the speakers. I normally shut down during a storm but this one came up suddenly and I didn't have a chance to shut down. It took out the dial up modem so it was replaced and I was back in business. About a week or so later I started getting pixelation while gaming followed a day or so later by a total lock up of the computer from a dead video card. The rest of the computer survived unscathed and ran for several years afterwards.

Static electricity is all bad.

 

[jgreco]

While that may be true, my guess is that @jgreco wants to minimize the risk of server failure, due to a system that's been subjected to ESD. If he's needs to travel 8+ hours to the colo site to repair a server or worry about breeching his SLA, he'll play it safe.

Well, yes, but then again you have to realize that the steps I'm advocating here are entry level. You don't actually have to work real hard at it to get a fairly robust environment. Use fabric softener on some appropriate clothing. Get an ESD mat, an ESD wrist strap, ESD gloves, and appropriate grounding. It is all of maybe $30-$40. You'll be fine if you use the stuff. It's cheap insurance.

If you want to get more serious about it? The shop benches here are custom built out of Desco Micastat 10295 ESD laminate, topped off with ESD mats (don't want to scratch the laminate!). The shop bins are Akro Mils 30210esd (etc) on grounded backplates. The bench has banana jacks for wrist straps. There's special ESD cleaning solution for the mats and a different ESD cleaner for most other things. We use an ESD-safe DataVac blower rather than compressed air for cleaning. And did I mention that I wear Red Wing 2241 and encourage anyone else to wear ESD footwear as well?

When you handle $2500 CPU's and deal with other crazy expensive stuff, you want to be Careful-with-a-capital-C. Intel don't RMA for stupid.

For many of our home users, if the ZAP their CPU or another component, it might cost them some $$'s (or €'s, etc) to replace the components. Yeah, it might be an unexpected expense, but replacement is fairly easy.

Sure, but then they may as well also use non-ECC RAM, or other potentially risky things. I mean, really, we know that "most" of the time non-ECC is probably fine, except for those cases when it isn't, and, well, acts of God just happen and you can't do jack about them, and if it results in the loss of a pool, so what.

Even if we don’t feel/or see a spark, damage can still occur. One might need a scanning electron microscope to find/see the damage.

And that, of course, is the reason to take the cheap insurance. Since you cannot predict what the outcome of the random damage will be, ideally you try real hard not to do it in the first place.

My father (deceased), was an EE by trade and a SME on ESD. Many of the circuits he designed went on a one-way trip to outer space. It amazes me that Voyager 1 and 2 are still functional, after 38+ years in space.

I was actually at the Air and Space Museum yesterday admiring some of that stuff.

 

[Bidule0hm]

Even if we don’t feel/or see a spark, damage can still occur. One might need a scanning electron microscope to find/see the damage.

And ironically the SEM will destroy the chip with ESD because of charge build-up... :D

 

[anodos]

And ironically the SEM will destroy the chip with ESD because of charge build-up... :D

Well, then it's an extremely effective way of confirming damage.

 

[Linkman]

You actually need to be grounded. You need to not just touch the case, but to be in contact with it, and the case itself needs to be grounded. Otherwise all you're doing is temporarily equalizing potentials, and the moment you're out of contact, the differential starts to build again.

If it helps, the PSU is plugged in, and I attempt to remain in contact as much as possible, barring needing two hands for the work; and I know it's not ideal. I did retain that much knowledge from my EE degree.

Did not know or appreciate that the ESD items you mentioned were really that inexpensive though, might change the calculus the next time I need to build a box or swap components.

 

[jgreco]

Did not know or appreciate that the ESD items you mentioned were really that inexpensive though, might change the calculus the next time I need to build a box or swap components.

Yes, please. They're not high quality items, but static electricity "doesn't give a damn"

 

[miraculix]

...inside a filtered room.... using a hazmat suit...

"Finally, be sure to strap the ESD sensitive device tightly to your wool blend sweater using liberal amounts of Kapton tape before moving between workstations."

Sorry couldn't resist. Memories of lab briefings and dry geek humor during old startup days.

 

[nightshade00013]

Well I know you guys have moved on to ESD and such but I want to throw out there some good news info. HGST drives that are barebone are packaged excellently. Good heavy electrostatic bags on each drive that is sealed, placed in the plastic end support carriers that are generally found in retail drives and placed in true box rather than some plastic air cushion sleeve.

As far as my electrostatic handling, I make sure I have the shaggy dog rubbing himself on the carpet and walking past me every so often for a little extra pep in my step.

Then when the bag comes off I don some nitrile gloves to keep the oils and acids off the pcb's and make sure I am constantly well grounded. Generally the PSU is plugged into a battery backup though turned off with it's own master on the PSU.

 

[jgreco]

"Finally, be sure to strap the ESD sensitive device tightly to your wool blend sweater using liberal amounts of Kapton tape before moving between workstations."

We briefly tried using a grounded electromagnetic crane to safely move gear around the shop, which was great for heavy routers and switches, but computers never seemed to boot afterwards and CRT's displayed strange wavy colors.

 

[Agrippa]

I just sit at my favorite computer chair with the cloth seat and arm resets, which sits on the shag carpet, and I'm at my dining room table since I need some space. I place the motherboard on the table (still in the ESD bag) and the cat walks up to me and rubs against my leg and I pet him a few times ensuring I zap the cat's ears a few times.

Well, naturally, that all goes without saying. For as with cars, hearts and Frankenstein's Monster, so too does a motherboard require an initial spark to get things going. Of course, the power supply usually provides this. However, after having lain dormant in a warehouse for a prolonged period of time, a new motherboard benefits greatly from a healthy inaugural zap of energy – jolting it into action. To that end, the classic cat carpet combo is crucial.

After all, that is what everyone does. Right?

 

[u6f6o]

@Ericloewe May I ask if the build and components work well for you so far? Aside from the chassis, I chose the same components (even the RAM has a Q at the end ;) ) and would be interested in your findings.