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ajz

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STATIC!
« on: January 18, 2019, 05:37:57 pm »

STATIC - STATIC!
I have just moved my photo room/area to new quarters and am experiencing slight "static" whenever I touch the MacPro base, etc. Room humidity is in the range of 29 to 33% which is about where I would like to keep it. I have large external hard-drive RAIDS from OWC in a metal case which contains all of my 10,000 +_ photos. The carpeting does not have any static treatment (forgot that item). My P800, 24" MacPro and the OWC Drive sit on a glass table with metal legs. I ground myself prior to touching anything. Seems there is no problem with the P800 nor the Mac, so far, as I try to be careful. I do not touch the OWC Drive case - just in case.

I would appreciate any suggestions/thoughts as to reducing or eliminating this problem.

thanks,

ajz
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Bart_van_der_Wolf

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Re: STATIC!
« Reply #1 on: January 18, 2019, 06:18:26 pm »

STATIC - STATIC!
I have just moved my photo room/area to new quarters and am experiencing slight "static" whenever I touch the MacPro base, etc. Room humidity is in the range of 29 to 33% which is about where I would like to keep it.

Hi,

If you don't mind my asking, why do you want to keep it that low? Between 40% and 60% is considered a healthier range, moister air is easier to heat, and it less likely to result in static discharge.

Cheers,
Bart
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degrub

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Re: STATIC!
« Reply #2 on: January 18, 2019, 11:44:51 pm »


Raise the humidity to around 50%. That will help with bleeding off charge on surfaces.

Walking across the carpet, taking off a jacket or sweater will leave isolated charge on your body. Go barefoot or wear 100% cotton socks to reduce the accumulation. Don’t wear polymer soled footwear on the carpet.

What is under the carpet - wood or bare, unsealed concrete ?
You may be able to find a spray on static dissipating liquid for the carpet. Or replace the carpet with natural plant fiber rugs.

A device with a three prong plug will imply that the surrounding case is connected to electrical safety ground in the US. That should reduce the chance of damage to internal components from charge on your body.

What are the feet of the table frame sitting on ?
Glass needs the higher humidity to allow surface charge to bleed off.

Portable memory and devices are probably at highest risk if conductors (contact points on connectors particularly) come into contact with your body skin.

Raise the humidity and treat / remove the carpet as a start.

Commercial buildings are designed to control humidity at around 50%. Equipment operating in those buildings expects somewhere near that value but will usually operate  between 10 and 90 % relative humidity, non condensing.

So is there a specific need for such a low humidity ?

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BobShaw

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Re: STATIC!
« Reply #3 on: January 19, 2019, 05:55:45 pm »

In addition to what others have said, are you sure that it is static electricity and not an actual electric shock from a faulty power supply? I ask because it seems the only one device has the issue. Do you have an ELCB?
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ajz

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Re: STATIC!
« Reply #4 on: January 20, 2019, 10:17:06 am »

Thanks for all of the good suggestions - especially the bare feet!

My photo room/studio is at the end of the house, so the forced air has to travel via a slab duct system to the farthest room loosing moisture along the way. most of the house is at 45 to 50%. All outlets are reliably grounded, I have the Mac and the RAID plugged into suppression device. The glass table has metal legs and sits on a fully carpeted room.
Not sure what was referred to as a "ELCB".
A small room humidifier may be helpful.
Somewhere I recall a lower humidity helps to prevent the P800, 3800, etc. from having head clogs - however both of these, for me, have never had any such an issue.

Much appreciated.

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degrub

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Re: STATIC!
« Reply #5 on: January 20, 2019, 10:20:01 am »

does the mac pro have a 3 prong or two prong power cord ? i assume you are in the US ?
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ajz

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Re: STATIC!
« Reply #6 on: January 20, 2019, 02:56:46 pm »

3 prong.
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degrub

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Re: STATIC!
« Reply #7 on: January 20, 2019, 05:30:35 pm »

can you replicate the "slight discharge" with the MacPro unplugged ?

The only location likely at "earth" potential  in that room is  a bare metal spot on one of the 3 prong plug devices or perhaps unsealed concrete floor. Everything else you can touch will  be floating a some potential (voltage) relative to that. You body can well be 4-5KV above any of those potentials just from walking across the rug in insulating polymer shoes. Each step is separating charges and accumulating them on your body. At that level, the discharge is just perceivable. It would only be harmful, possibly, through bare metal contacts to solid state devices.

Raise the humidity and after 24 hours it may go away.
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BobShaw

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Re: STATIC!
« Reply #8 on: January 20, 2019, 11:27:44 pm »

Not sure what was referred to as a "ELCB".
Earth Leakage Circuit Breaker - a device installed either in the switch board or a portable unit that is used to significantly prevent death from electric shock by turning off the power in the time it takes for one heart beat. Perhaps there much less need because you have a 110V supply in the US?

I was surprised that you had not heard of them, so I did some research on death by electrocution in the US. You will be comforted to know that you are 100 times more likely to die from a gunshot than an electric shock.
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degrub

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Re: STATIC!
« Reply #9 on: January 21, 2019, 10:16:57 am »

we call them GFCI - Ground Fault Circuit Interrupter.
They are only required for wet locations (near sink/bath, etc) and outdoor portable device usage in the US.
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