[BobM]

I went over a friend's today to spin some vinyl and listen to some music (at least he was a friend when I went over, but maybe not after I left). He wanted to hear my Hagerman Trumpet phono stage against his preamp. Well, I got up off the couch to lift the tonearm and SSSNNNNAAAAAPPPPPP!

I actually saw a blue spark hit the record. One channel of his cartridge is now toast. We swapped out another cheapo cartridge he had lying around and it works fine. The left channel of his Grado Sonata is fried.

Make sure you destatic yourself before you play with anything on your system. Touch a doorknob or somethig to discharge.

I'll definitely chip in on a replacement cartridge for him, but I felt really bad (and so did he).

Sorry Andy,
Bob

[Wayner]

Static can have several million volts...almost zero ma, but I never heard of someone toasting their cartridge....wow!!!!!! Also, certain socks on particular carpets will really make sparks. I have a wool/synthetic blend blanket for when I die in front of the TV that will display a light show when it's folded back up..it's really very luminous in the dark.....sorry dude!

Wayner 

[richidoo]

Thanks BobM and Wayner. A couple weeks ago a friend and I were soldering together a circuit in a room with W/W carpet, on a wooden door, plastic sawhorses, steel chairs, but the feet had rubber cups and nylon covering.  2 heat vents blasting straight down on us.  Just moving would charge us up. We were invincible, no fear of static!! haha

We zapped an opamp, but didn't even know it until after assembly and it didn't work, wasting a week to get a replacement before we could listen to it. We never felt a zap, but it could have happened after it was already installed by just touching a wire. Amazingly, those warnings really are correct, static does kill chips!
Rich

[Tweaker]

I started my computer the other day without touching it. Reached down to press the power button to boot it up and a huge blue spark jumped from my finger to the button, which was still about a quarter inch away. Booted right up.
During the winter months I always have to touch something metal on my equipment rack to discharge before touching my upsampler. If I don't I can cause it to stop working until I unplug and plug it back in. This is the worst winter I can remember here in the PNW for static. It's been an unusually dry and cold one. I stopped wearing a certain pair of shoes at work because of it.

[satfrat]

I spray my chair and living room rug with Static Guard, it will stop the pop.  It's not a miracle worker but it does help that audio breakup everytime your butt rubs against that chair. 



Cheers,
Robin

[Crimson]

Humidifiers are our friends. 

[lonewolfny42]

Wow Bob....an expensive visit to Andrew's .

Thanks for the info....