Static Electricity

[rdagger]

I often get a small static shock when I touch my metal computer keyboard or the metal parts of my cab.  If I don't ground myself well prior to touching my USB Torndado spinner or my USB Happ trackball, the USB hub will got out and require unplugging.   You can actually hear a quiet popping sound from the speakers when this happens.  Any suggestions to avoid this problem.

[2600]

Ground them.  The Screw that attaches the power supply to the outside of the PC chassis should do.  The Happs Trackball has a GND Wire and you can attach a GND wire to any of the screws on the Spinner.

This topic has come up before and some say it doesn't happen to them so it shouldn't happen to you.  That's BS.

Ground them and you will be much better off.

[Hoagie_one]

static electricity is the devil.

ive seen at least two MoBo's fried to that evilest of evils

[DYNAGOD]

yuo can also buy an inexpensive discharge mat to place in front of your cab.

[rdagger]

I've already placed an 18 gauge ground wire from the spinner frame to the AC ground, but it doesn't stop the shocks or the USB hub from locking up.    

Has anyone tried a USB surge protector like this:
http://www.bb-elec.com/product.asp?sku=USBSSP&dept_id=132

I guess I could put the cab in a room that doesn't have carpet.

[DYNAGOD]

surge protector wont help..
you need to discharge before you come in contact with the cabinet or any of its metal components.

[2600]

Dealing with Gnd's someimes suck and one gnd isn't the same as another.

Really need an Earth GND as the AC GND may not cut it and shouldn't really be used anyways, depending on what you are calling AC GND.  Try the chassis, if that doesn't work, try it without the hub.  May have to GND the Hub itself.

[Tailgunner]

This topic has come up before and some say it doesn't happen to them so it shouldn't happen to you.  That's BS.

It's mostly a matter of the relative humidity where you live. I'm from the south where it's humid, and static electricity is rarely a problem. I lived out in California for a while and at times you couldn't touch anything metallic without getting zapped.

Ground them and you will be much better off.

Agreed.

[rdagger]

I'm in SoCal and the static is bad.

By AC ground I mean the third hole of an AC outlet.  

My cab has chrome T-molding and I can actually ground myself pretty well by touching the molding before touching the controls.  I ordered a USB surge protector from TrippLite.  The salesperson said it would work.  I  know the odds of it working are low, but I figure it's worth a shot.

[Tailgunner]

I'm in SoCal and the static is bad.

By AC ground I mean the third hole of an AC outlet.  

My cab has chrome T-molding and I can actually ground myself pretty well by touching the molding before touching the controls.  I ordered a USB surge protector from TrippLite.  The salesperson said it would work.  I  know the odds of it working are low, but I figure it's worth a shot.

How old is your house? The majority were I lived in Cali (Ventura) were pretty old and all of the ones I lived in had ground issues with the outlets. Usually I'd find the outlets had been replaced with three prong outlets, but the ground wasn't hooked up to anything.

Building on your t-molding idea, try setting something metallic near your cab. Touching it before touching the cab will disipate any charge you're carrying and the cab won't be taking the shocks. Another alternative, play barefoot. You don't build up any static charge when you're barefoot.

[SOAPboy]

http://www.the-console-corner.com/anti_static_wrist_strap.htm

use it while working on anything that can die..

personally i never use one.. ive not once killed hardware due to static.. BUT some people are just prone to it..

grab one, itll save your hardware some day..


~i know i know, its what your looking for or an answer but i just thought i should say something~

[paigeoliver]

I have lived in like 15 places at least and I have never lived anywhere that has three prong outlets.

[SOAPboy]

I have lived in like 15 places at least and I have never lived anywhere that has three prong outlets.

every place ive lived had em.. even this old raggy apt..

[Sylentwulf]

I've never seen anywhere but a summer home that has no three-pronged outlets. Even the 30 year old mobile home we lived at was fine.

To TEST that they actually ARE grounded and hooked up properly, you can go to home depot, and get a $5-$10 outlet tester that will tell you if it's grounded correctly, AND if the white/black wires are hooked up right or backwards.

[danny_galaga]

I have lived in like 15 places at least and I have never lived anywhere that has three prong outlets.

every place ive lived had em.. even this old raggy apt..

ah, but have you SEEN how many machines paige has? to house them he lives exclusively in castles, and we ALL know how antiquated castle wiring is  

[rdagger]

How old is your house? The majority were I lived in Cali (Ventura) were pretty old and all of the ones I lived in had ground issues with the outlets. Usually I'd find the outlets had been replaced with three prong outlets, but the ground wasn't hooked up to anything.

My house was built in 32, but the electric is all new wire and is in the original solid steel conduit with a main house ground to the cold water pipe and to a 6 foot buried copper stake.  I think the static shocks are a result of the weather and the carpet.   I suggested to my girlfriend that we should replace the carpet with hardwood floors.  She is upset because she has been asking for hardwood floors for a long time and it takes an arcade game problem to motivate me.

[Tailgunner]

My house was built in 32, but the electric is all new wire and is in the original solid steel conduit with a main house ground to the cold water pipe and to a 6 foot buried copper stake.  I think the static shocks are a result of the weather and the carpet.   I suggested to my girlfriend that we should replace the carpet with hardwood floors.  She is upset because she has been asking for hardwood floors for a long time and it takes an arcade game problem to motivate me.

Cool, my last house out there still had knob and tube wiring in places. (bare copper wire strung between  porcelan insulators)

Have you lifted the carpet anywhere in the house to check? Most older homes out that way already have hardwood floors, so you might get away with removing the carpeting and refinishing the existing flooring.

[paigeoliver]

I have lived in like 15 places at least and I have never lived anywhere that has three prong outlets.

every place ive lived had em.. even this old raggy apt..

ah, but have you SEEN how many machines paige has? to house them he lives exclusively in castles, and we ALL know how antiquated castle wiring is  

I actually live in a two bedroom apartment. I have 14 games in here and it isn't even cramped.

Current layout has a big 4 player konami cabinet in my bedroom.

Gameroom has Super Neo 29 Candy, Stunt Cycle, Space Wars, Galaga mame, Multi-Williams, High Impact, Road Blasters and Sega Turbo

The combined living room kitchen area has Star Wars and STUN Runner cockpits, a Magical Touch countertop, a Gorf mame cocktail, and my 4 player Pong upright.

I also have a bunch of stuff in the basement.

I have a spot open in my bedroom for a Monaco GP mini as soon as I find one.  And I have two spots open in the kitchen living room area still. Well, those spots have stuff in them now, but it is unimportant stuff.

[danny_galaga]

wow, you get an award for most dedicated cab nut!! i spose youve got a bartop on top of the toilet cistern  

[paigeoliver]

Nah, the only bartop I have is on the coffee table.

But along time ago before I had ANY Mame cabinets I had an industrial flatscreen touchscreen kiosk computer.  Which looked like an LCD panel on a pole with a little keyboard below it.

I had it set up in the bathroom for about a week until it dawned on me that I really DIDN'T want people sitting on the john operating a touchscreen!

[Druin]

Replace bathtub with a shower stall and make room for another cabinet.  Remove stove and replace with cabinet, use small electric/camping style stove or toaster oven instead.  Alternatively replace the stove with a second beer fridge.

[rdagger]

The problem is solved.  I tried a USB surge protector and like predicted it did nothing.  I got a tester and tested all the jacks in the house and they are all properly grounded.  I ended up grounding the spinner with a solid 12 gauge wire to the house ground and the problem is gone.  I still get shocked when I touch the spinner, but the USB hub no longer crashes.