Re: [PLUG] Laptop reboots -- Comcast or static or age?

[Paul <paul@dpagin.net>]

> Purchase a grounding strap.
>  -or-
> `Build' a grounding strap by screwing one end of a piece of wire to a known ground (screw-plate of a properly wired outlet) and the other end stripped and wrapped around your wrist.  This bleeds off all static to ground.
Um, it might be a good precaution to add a resistor.  I'm not sure of 
the ideal value for the resistor, but the resistor will limit the amount 
of current that can flow through the circuit.  That's important because 
the circuit includes your body!

I did an experiment in which I tied a copper wire around my ankle and 
let the other end drag on the carpet.  It worked.  With the wire 
everything was OK.  Without the wire static charge would build up to the 
point that I would get an audible zap and a light show whenever I 
touched something.

The idea is to balance the difference in charge between your self and 
the object (in a controlled manner).  It is not necessary to use an 
electrical system's earth ground.  For example, when passing a piece of 
RAM to another person touch the person's hand with your own hand before 
handing off the RAM.  In the same way you can balance the charge between 
your self and a PC by touching the frame first.

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