Monday, November 24, 2014

Beware of Static Electricity

This evening I went to plug my phone in and there was a nice blue spark. The cold dry air in Utah increases the amount of static electricity that we humans generate. Sometimes I can't touch my dog without shocking her. No wonder she runs and hides at this time of the year.

Electronics are very sensitive to static electricity and can be ruined by it. When I first got married, I touched a corded phone and it never worked again. I could answer the phone but the dial pad didn't work and so I couldn't make any calls. I had to go buy a new one. For a $25 phone, that really isn't a big issue. For a $500 mobile phone, static electricity will make a grown man cry.

Should you find yourself shocking everything you touch, try to ground yourself before reaching for your phone or it's power cord. Try to touch the metal case of your laptop before reaching for the keyboard or mouse. Most well-designed modern electronics are meant to discharge some static electricity. Just don't assume everything is well designed.

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