Non ESD-Safe Soldering iron to ESD-Safe

[tronxkid]

I have finished reading a DIY tutorial about making a non esd-safe soldering iron to an ESD-safe soldering iron by just grounding the soldering tip. ??? ??? ???

My question is DOES IT really make an ESD-Safe Iron? and Please share your thoughts about this method or any other method for Non ESD-Safe -> ESD-Safe

Tronxkid

[c2cthomas]

Would need to take a look at the article to be sure about it - but IF you can keep the ground connection to the tip secure it should be ok. You might need to have a bleeder resistor in the circuit tho.

[tronxkid]

I haven't bookmarked it and its nothing complex. No circuit, no temperature or voltage controller. Just ordinary 2 wire soldering iron with 3-core wire which ground wire is connected to the tip.

Originally Posted by c2cthomas

Would need to take a look at the article to be sure about it - but IF you can keep the ground connection to the tip secure it should be ok. You might need to have a bleeder resistor in the circuit tho.

[sofaspud]

You could have a metal ground point on the bench that you touch the metal soldering iron shaft to before use. No worrying with rewiring a soldering iron. IMO component storage and handling protocols are more important than the iron.

[c2cthomas]

Originally Posted by sofaspud

You could have a metal ground point on the bench that you touch the metal soldering iron shaft to before use. No worrying with rewiring a soldering iron. IMO component storage and handling protocols are more important than the iron.

Yeah - like an ESD mat and wrist strap!
AS8 ? PVC ANTI-STATIC ESD MAT W/ GROUND CABLE 27" x 40" | eBay

I can't vouch for this one - the good ones are expensive!!!!

[tronxkid]

Hmmm.. I have a question may be a very foolish one. but I think its good to clear all doubts.

Why should we buy ESD-Safe soldering stations or irons If we can simply make a NON ESD-Safe iron to a ESD-safe iron?

I have bought 2 good anti static mats which are quiet cheap and glued it to the table.
http://rcm.amazon.com/e/cm?lt1=_blan...ins=B000A3PL38

and a anti static strap. http://rcm.amazon.com/e/cm?lt1=_blan...ins=B00004Z5D1
I think I'm FULLY GROUNDED

[c2cthomas]

Originally Posted by tronxkid

Hmmm.. I have a question may be a very foolish one. but I think its good to clear all doubts.

Why should we buy ESD-Safe soldering stations or irons If we can simply make a NON ESD-Safe iron to a ESD-safe iron?

I have bought 2 good anti static mats which are quiet cheap and glued it to the table and a anti static strap.
I think I'm FULLY GROUNDED

Repair centers that are certified as being ESD compliant must use certified equipment. DIY doesn't.

Good to see you have the anti-static mat and strap. You might want to read up a bit about proper ESD handling of components. Even a little bit of static discharge can damage a solid state device. Thus storing and handling components properly is important.
Electrostatic-sensitive device - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Some photo's of ESD damage http://images.search.yahoo.com/searc...&va=esd+damage

[firechief]

Does the iron have a 3 prong plug? If so measure from the tip to the third prong with an ohm meter. If it says 0 ohms then that is all there is to it. (most are). I have spent decades working in esd certified work places, I think that these days the semiconductors rarly suffer esd damage. Not the issue that people try to make it out to be.

[tronxkid]

Originally Posted by firechief

Does the iron have a 3 prong plug? If so measure from the tip to the third prong with an ohm meter. If it says 0 ohms then that is all there is to it. (most are). I have spent decades working in esd certified work places, I think that these days the semiconductors rarly suffer esd damage. Not the issue that people try to make it out to be.

Yes it has a 3 prong plug and handle of the iron made with some plastic.

[Matt.B.H.]

Some MOS devices can have their gates destroyed by mere mains borne noise and hum at a soldering iron tip. Merely grounding/ earthing the tip is not the answer. You will need to use a series resistor somewhere between 470K and a meg. This will limit the current of any possible static discharge.

I have actually modified a couple of irons using a 470k 2W resistor and have never blown a gate with them yet. I used to have a 110v iron for site use(in the UK 110 is the only sensible thing on site) that iron would regularly blow MOS stuff from leakage and or hum at the tip until the resistor ground mod.

Cheers Matt.