Quote:
Originally Posted by Lee
If I tie both the mount (probably one of the threads that hold the base plate on the pier) and some conductive flooring to the same ground point, then myself stay on the said conductive flooring, wearing ESD shoes, then I and the mount, and this equipment, should stay at the same potential, shouldn't we, and ESD disasters should be minimised.... Does this sound right?
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Hi Lee,
This is correct.
You should identify one physical point which you can call the "ESD Common-Point Ground".
Your mount, any ESD protective flooring or mats, any metal bench tops should
be referred to it.
However, for safety purposes, each connection referred to it should be via a 1 MOhm
(i.e. 1 million ohms) current limiting resistor.
For example, a mat will have a strap with a 1MOhm resistor in series that goes to the
ESD Common-Point Ground. This is referred to as "soft grounding". So this is "Step 1".
For "Step 2" you should then bond the single ESD Common Point to your local
protective earth (i.e. the green and yellow wire).
For safety purposes, do not have any parallel paths that bypass the soft-ground
connection.
It is important in the above that you do "Step 1" first. Then you do "Step 2".