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First of all, what does ESD stand for: Ebay Sales Director?, E-mail Spam Detector?, Electronic Spoof Detection? nope, it stands for Electro-Static Discharge or more commonly referred to as static electricity. You remember when you were a kid (or maybe you're still a big kid) and you rubbed your feet along the carpet then you snuck up behind someone (usually a younger brother or sister) touched them, and zap!!! What you did is build up a static electric charge on your body and then you discharged it by touching the other person. Well, the same thing can happen to electronic equipment and components.
If you purchase any electronic components or even electronic equipment you should be aware that they are susceptible to static electrical discharge. Did you know that you can build up a charge of several hundred volts? If you happen to touch a piece of electronic equipment and discharge that electricity, you will most likely fry the electronic component. If you're a buyer or seller of electronics, then you need to be aware of ESD safety procedures.
Sellers need to handle electronic components using ESD procedures to avoid damaging the delicate electronic components. Today's modern electronics operate on only a few volts and aren't designed to handle high voltages discharged through them. When an individual handles electronic components and systems, they need to ground themselves to avoid building up a static charge. This is most frequently achieved by wearing a conductive wrist strap that has a length of wire that can be connected to either the component you're working on or a central ground. By doing this, you ensure that there is no voltage build-up in either yourself or the component, hence no static discharge.
When you purchase electronic components, your seller should also place the electronic component or system into an ESD bag. These bags are designed to prevent static charge buildup while handling the package. This avoids any potential static discharge during handling and shipping. You don't need to take any special precautions when handling a component in an ESD bag. If you receive an electronic component that hasn't been placed into an ESD, you should be wary of the seller's knowledge regarding ESD, and it is possible that the component could be damaged.
When you go to install the electronic component, you should exercise ESD handling procedures while handling the system and components. If you don't have an ESD wrist strap, you can use this simple procedure to safely discharge any buildup without damaging the electronics. Before you begin to disassemble or assemble the electronic system, just touch a metal portion on the chassis of the item. This will safely discharge any build-up and now you can safely handle the electronic components without damaging them. If you happen to get up and walk away from your work area, you should repeat the static discharge procedure because you might have built up a charge while walking.
So the next time you go to purchase an electronic component or system, ask the seller if he is aware of ESD handling procedures and whether or not the components are going to be shipped in ESD bags. If not, that doesn't mean the seller has damaged the merchandise, it just means the seller is unaware of proper handling practices. You should check the seller's feedback, if the seller sells electronic components and has a lot of positive feedback, then it's a good bet that the seller doesn't damage the product during handling. But it also doesn't mean the part you purchase won't get damaged. It's a safe bet to purchase electronics from a seller that handles their products using ESD procedures and states it in their auction listings.
If you have found this guide helpful, please VOTE on it below. If you have any comments, questions, corrections or suggestions feel free to e-mail them to me. I'm always interested in improving my guides.
If you purchase any electronic components or even electronic equipment you should be aware that they are susceptible to static electrical discharge. Did you know that you can build up a charge of several hundred volts? If you happen to touch a piece of electronic equipment and discharge that electricity, you will most likely fry the electronic component. If you're a buyer or seller of electronics, then you need to be aware of ESD safety procedures.
Sellers need to handle electronic components using ESD procedures to avoid damaging the delicate electronic components. Today's modern electronics operate on only a few volts and aren't designed to handle high voltages discharged through them. When an individual handles electronic components and systems, they need to ground themselves to avoid building up a static charge. This is most frequently achieved by wearing a conductive wrist strap that has a length of wire that can be connected to either the component you're working on or a central ground. By doing this, you ensure that there is no voltage build-up in either yourself or the component, hence no static discharge.
When you purchase electronic components, your seller should also place the electronic component or system into an ESD bag. These bags are designed to prevent static charge buildup while handling the package. This avoids any potential static discharge during handling and shipping. You don't need to take any special precautions when handling a component in an ESD bag. If you receive an electronic component that hasn't been placed into an ESD, you should be wary of the seller's knowledge regarding ESD, and it is possible that the component could be damaged.
When you go to install the electronic component, you should exercise ESD handling procedures while handling the system and components. If you don't have an ESD wrist strap, you can use this simple procedure to safely discharge any buildup without damaging the electronics. Before you begin to disassemble or assemble the electronic system, just touch a metal portion on the chassis of the item. This will safely discharge any build-up and now you can safely handle the electronic components without damaging them. If you happen to get up and walk away from your work area, you should repeat the static discharge procedure because you might have built up a charge while walking.
So the next time you go to purchase an electronic component or system, ask the seller if he is aware of ESD handling procedures and whether or not the components are going to be shipped in ESD bags. If not, that doesn't mean the seller has damaged the merchandise, it just means the seller is unaware of proper handling practices. You should check the seller's feedback, if the seller sells electronic components and has a lot of positive feedback, then it's a good bet that the seller doesn't damage the product during handling. But it also doesn't mean the part you purchase won't get damaged. It's a safe bet to purchase electronics from a seller that handles their products using ESD procedures and states it in their auction listings.
If you have found this guide helpful, please VOTE on it below. If you have any comments, questions, corrections or suggestions feel free to e-mail them to me. I'm always interested in improving my guides.
Guide created: 10/10/06 (updated 05/15/08)
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