ESD, Do You Know What It Is?

E.S.D. or Electromagnetic Static Discharge is the same thing as static electricity.

And it will kill a component faster than any thing I know of.

This is an excerpt from the Self Computer Repair Unleashed 2nd Edition Manual for Electromagnetic Static Discharge

"1.Static Electricity and Electromagnetic Static Discharge

What is it?

• Static electricity is electricity that is all around you, when you move you collect the electrons. On dry or low humidity days you can actually feel the electricity, run a comb through your hair and the hair stands up when you move the comb away.
• When it is discharged, is when the damage is done, if it is discharged to a ground no damage is done, well you finger tip might get a slight shock but that is all.
• If it discharges through an electrical component such as a computer component the amperage/voltage though extremely small is high enough to damage the component.
• This is called Electromagnetic Static Discharge.

How to keep it from damaging your components

• To protect components from damage you need to ground the computer chassis and yourself.
• If you remove a part from a computer you need to place it in or on something that will draw static electricity away from the component such as an anti-static mat or anti-static storage bag or box.
• All ways touch the computer chassis (bear metal) before touching a component. The chassis will absorb a lot of static electricity."

For those that do a lot of repairs or want to be sure Electromagnetic Static Discharge doesn't kill your electronic parts:

Anti-static Mat	Anti-static wrist strap

A little attention to detail and some anti-static protection will get that new high value part in to your computer with out damage, however ignoring the fact that static electricity exists and will damage the part, that will cost you in the long run.