Re: [PLUG] Odd hardware problem

["K.S. Bhaskar" <bhaskar@bhaskars.com>]

I got curious (my original degree was in electrical engineering - over
30 years ago, so with a seven year half life of knowledge, I may not
remember much, especially with senility creeping up on me) because I
know of static buildup in air (lightning storms in the desert come to
mind).  It occurs to me that even if a static charge builds up in the
air, it would build up near the vacuum nozzle *after* the air has
blown by the electronics and grounding the vacuum cleaner and nozzle
should keep any static buildup from traveling backwards in the air
flow.  So, I asked friend Google, and it appears that (e.g.,
http://www.office1000.com/discount/vacuum-cleaners-anti-static-hepa.html)
anti-static vacuums just  ground the user and the vacuum cleaner.
Also, if the air is even slightly moist (e.g., normal Philadelphia
outdoor air; with a humidifier indoors in winter), there should be
enough conductivity to prevent static build-up.

Any physicists in the audience to shed more light on the topic?

Regards
-- Bhaskar

On Jan 23, 2008 10:05 PM, Matthew Rosewarne <mrosewarne@inoutbox.com> wrote:
> On Wednesday 23 January 2008, Tom H wrote:
> > I,ve been an Electronics Tech for 20+ years.  I've vacuumed out tons of
> > electronics equipment and never have seen or heard of killing something
> > just by vacuuming it out.  Theoretically, compressed air can also pose the
> > same danger of static generation, that's why we have an ionized air gun at
> > work for cleaning Printed Circuit Boards.
>
> There are "anti-static" vacuums, which seem to be used mostly in industry,
> that are apparently for cleaning electronics.
>
> I would *guess* the reason for compressed air not posing the same sort of
> danger to be the much smaller amount of air and shorter distance it has to
> travel, not to mention the lack of an electric motor and moving parts.
>
> But the static field from a vacuum can be easily demonstrated using the
> traditional elementary school science teacher demonstration methods. :>
>
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