Hello,

Where do I connect my anti-static wrist band to when I'm building a circuit on my breadboard ?

Thanks

PJ

 

Where do I connect my anti-static wrist band to when I'm building a circuit on my breadboard ?

Any convenient ground. I was recently working with some EPROMs and I was using a 5V regulator as my "grounding" point because it was easier to attach the clip to.

 

When you say convenient ground does this mean -when I'm using a battery - that I can connect the strap to zero volts ? And where do I connect it when I'm using a PSU with a constant voltage of 9 volts ?

 

When you say convenient ground does this mean -when I'm using a battery - that I can connect the strap to zero volts ?

In that case, you should connect the strap to earth ground.

And where do I connect it when I'm using a PSU with a constant voltage of 9 volts ?

Ground would be the typical place.

What you're trying to do is to prevent large static voltage discharges from damaging sensitive components. You can do that with ESD straps or ESD finger cots or ESD tweezers/tools or simply grounding yourself before touching components.

Before I got my strap out, I was touching the 5V regulator tab with a finger while I was handling the EPROMs.

 

If concerned about ESC, you should be working on an anti-static mat and connect the wrist-strap to that before you do anything.
That mat should be connected to earth-ground, such as the AC safety ground (not neutral) 3rd prong connection.
This can be done using an AC plug with the wire connected only to the ground terminal.

 

hi PJB,
Is it a commercially made wristband or homemade.?
E

 

It depends on your location and when your house was built.
If there is a metal cold water pipe, you can put a clamp around the pipe.

So ideally, you go from your wrist band to the mat, to the workbench, to the cold water pipe. Or you could mount a banana post on the workbench and plug the wrist band on to the post.