How can I create a grounding plug for my antistatic devices

[midiman]

Hi I want to know how I can ground my ESD equipment by way of using my mains points.

eg I have seen a grounding plug for sale that allows you to clip on your ESD devices. You plug it into a wall socket and it uses the earth point to discharge.

The problem is they are not cheap and there must be other ways of doing the same job.

I was thinking about getting a kettle lead or old power cord. Cutting the lead and leaving a length of the earth. Then attaching my devices by means of a crocodile clip to the exposed Earth wire.

Would this work?

Thanks

 

[malcolmsanford]

American????

 

[Deleted member 26818]

Hi I want to know how I can ground my ESD equipment by way of using my mains points.

eg I have seen a grounding plug for sale that allows you to clip on your ESD devices. You plug it into a wall socket and it uses the earth point to discharge.

The problem is they are not cheap and there must be other ways of doing the same job.

I was thinking about getting a kettle lead or old power cord. Cutting the lead and leaving a length of the earth. Then attaching my devices by means of a crocodile clip to the exposed Earth wire.

Would this work?

Thanks

Doing such, would probably contravene just about every Safety Code or Regulation going.
Having a piece of equipment that has potentially live conductors, connected to a source of supply, would not be considered very safe.
If you were to attempt something like this, I would suggest using a re-wireable fused plug, removing the fuse, and then terminating a single sheathed conductor to the earth terminal.

 

[midiman]

UK Plug system.

The live wire and neutral would be removed from the plug.

Only the earth would be connected and then I would connect my devices to the earthed wire coming from the back of the plug.

 

[malcolmsanford]

could you post a link to what you have found that is expensive

 

[malcolmsanford]

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Anti-Static-Grounding-Prevents-Antistatic/dp/B004I6M8P2

Is this it, it's just 12.99 and a safer and better way to do it than your think of.

 

[midiman]

Yes thats the one. I thought there may be cheaper ways of doing it.

 

[Adam W]

I don't think £11.40 is too much to pay for the right tool for the job; you're paying for something with a BS number which is a guarantee of safety which you don't get from something you've made yourself.

 

[BlueToBits]

It seems to be a little more than just 3 press studs connected to the earth pin. But at the end of the day, it does seem to be expensive for just a 13A plug with 3 x 1 Megohm resistors in it. probably because they don't sell many. I would probably knock up one myself, but that's me. I wouldn't suggest poking wires or croc clips into kettle leads was a good idea though. (he says, with just such a thing sitting on the other side of the work bench.:blush5: )