How do people kill their keyboards with static?

[BillyK]

I have seen this a few times now but i just don't understand. How can you get a shock from quite thick plastics? and then shock DOWN the keyswitch (thick plastic)...

Any explanation would be great

[Muirium]

As far as I know, static electricity is such such high voltage that it can travel across the surface of insulating materials like plastic, likely following microscopic details like condensation drops. Once it finds a conductor inside, it's straight off to the keyboard's controller, which is pretty much doomed in that moment.

Fortunately, static electricity is also such low current that carpet isn't quite as notorious a killer as lightning bolts. You feel it, but it's not powerful enough to do you the kind of harm it does to microelectronics.

[oTurtlez]

The average static shock has a charge of around ~50,000 volts And the average lightning bolt is only about the size of your pinky finger.

[BillyK]

I know the dangers of static all too well, I have worked in electrical engineering for a few years, but I have NEVER had static travel through something like plastic.

The only way i can see if happening is on really cheap keyboards with the thin nasty plastic.

[cookie]

The only board I had regular static shocks was the apple aluminium keyboards... Those shoks didn't harm the kb but they were verry annoying!

[Muirium]

Metal case for maximum protection!

[Peter]

It happens because people are not using a real keyboard !

IMG_1891.JPG (390.08 KiB) Viewed 5712 times

[Muirium]

Metal case plus earthed caps for maximum protection!

[Findecanor]

What if the wall socket doesn't have ground?

[cookie]

Holy shit, ist that thing actually grounded?

[Muirium]

Metal case plus earthed caps and real power sockets for maximum protection!

[Peter]

Holy shit, ist that thing actually grounded?

Not really, because :

Post by Findecanor » 50 minutes ago
What if the wall socket doesn't have ground?

We don't have earth on 230V in Denmark either, but it is recommended for computer-equipment
and they sell special sockets for it ..

ESD/Surge Protection Diodes
http://www.infineon.com/dgdl?folderId=d ... 7ea80c3a79

[Muirium]

Big dumb assed British plugs, where earth comes as standard.

For maximum protection!

[RC-1140]

Peter: Most of the Danish power outlets I've seen look like this:



But maybe older outlets don't have the ground contact.

Here in Germany these are the only power outlets you'll find in walls:



And these are the corresponding plugs:



Called Schuko (pronounced like "shoe co"), which is short for "Schutzkontakt", which means "protection contact". The plug is actually a slightly universal plug, as it fits German power outlets (which have the ground contacts on the top and the bottom) and e.g. French ones, which have a pin on the power outlet which fits into the hole on the plug.

[Peter]

Yes, all the newer outlets look something like that, but there is usually only 2 wires, so no earth .
It is not required on 230V equipment here, we just have the 3-hole outlets to make it simpler to plug things in
that come with 3-legged plugs ..

[JBert]

At least your plugs look happy:


(From Wikipedia: AC power plugs: Danish plugs)

[nanu]

Without modding each keyboard, do you think it may be sufficient to get a metallic strip as a wrist rest, or something to that effect?

[cookie]

Honestly, is this really neccessary?

[Muirium]

I'd just swap the carpet. Solved!

Static is a real problem when it reliably shows up. It is indeed fairly static that way. Earthing is good, and should save the keyboard, but you'll feel the sparks every time. Ouch.