How do I ground my ESD mat to avoid shocking computers?

"The ESD association sets the standards for removal of static in electronic manufacturing. 99% of the US manufacturers and 75% of electronic manufacturers world wide use ANSI/ESD S20.20-2007 (written by them)as THE gold standard. For more on their mission visit esda.org

The reason they recommend attachment to an electrical ground is the anti static mats have a very high level of electrical resistance. About 100 Meg Ohms. Enough to slow and control the rate of static discharge and for safety! It's virtually impossible for stray voltages to come thru them or an esd wrist strap.

Radiators rust, water pipes change potential. The only truly reliable ground is an electrical ground that has been (easily) tested. Attachment to the center screw of an AC face plate cover is standard industry accepted method of grounding your mat.

Incidentally all computers are manufactured in a static controlled environment. It's foolish to risk taking the chance with static. The manufacturers don't - for a very good reason - improper static control cost them money and aggravation."

"Sorry Allan, you're wrong.

The ESD Association recommends attachment to AC electrical ground. The standard method of attachment is to attach the ring terminal from the mat to the center screw of the grounded AC face plate cover.

On occasion attaching to a water pipe or ground rod is a safety hazard and may cause an electrical shock due to the difference in potential between that of the electrical ground and that of the earth ground."

"Steve was right when he stated,:

""The reason they recommend attachment to an electrical ground is the anti static mats have a very high level of electrical resistance. About 100 Meg Ohms. Enough to slow and control the rate of static discharge and for safety! It's virtually impossible for stray voltages to come thru them or an esd wrist strap.""

It is important as other have said not to hook yourself directly to ground. That's why these wrist straps and bench mat cords have resistors in them, to limit the current if you do get across stray voltages."

"I've done a lot of research in the last couple days and gotten several responses from different sources. There seem to be 3 major schools of thought when it comes to ESD safety.

(1) Minimal protection is required, if any at all. Plenty of people claim to simply touch objects around them and avoid moonwalking across carpet. That is sufficient to avoid damaging computer equipment.

(2) Connecting to the ground of a receptacle is normal procedure and perfectly safe. ""The ground"" of a receptacle is there for a reason, right?

(3) The only safe and reliable way to ground an ESD mat, and one's self, is to pound a stake into the ground. If this isn't possible at least connect to an unpainted metal pipe or structural material that leads to the ground. Connecting to any system where there are unknowns carries a small risk, but a risk nonetheless. Even testing the ground of a receptacle may not be accurate enough as there are too many variables.

So, it seems that for the simple RAM install on a shoe string budget, the first is just fine. Typical servicing and PC building is probably well suited for the second, especially when working in the same trusted environment. Lastly, when absolute certainty is desired, connecting to unpainted metal pipes or, better yet, creating one's own ground with a stake driven into mother earth gives the greatest assurance. Anyone doing house calls or working on other people's expensive computers might be best served by considering the last option despite the extra annoyances that go into it."

"I am an aviation electrician. I have recieved allot of training and electrostatic and electricity are kinda a big thing for me. I agree with steve to hookit up to your wall. With the way electricity works there is absolutaly no way the electricity in your house will harm you unless the ground of the house itself is faulty. E;etricity always follows the path of least resistance which is why things short out. If you have a circuit set up to where it goes from the source to a ground it is shorting itself, and if you decided to place a lightbulb in the circuit after the ground the current would still go to the ground and the lightbulb would not get any power. Also if you have the circuit where it goes from source to load, or lightbulb in this case, and then to a ground, the light blb will light. Remove the ground and there is no light, there is no current. but if you simply add a ground before the lightbulb then it will short and you will have no light. With the way an esd mat is made and allong with the strap, they have resistance, especially the wrist strap because it has a resister in it that should measure around 1 mega ohm, anyway with the amount of resistance at hand electricity follows the path of least resistance and you will be safe.

Resource

http://science.howstuffworks.com/electri...

http://www.pfeiffereng.com/Principals%20..."

If your wall plugs are not grounded, get it to a water or gas pipe or radiator. I haven't seen this type but you could run some bare copper wire through the hole and tighten it around the pipe.