hello
i am reading the beginners section and i feel totally lost!! however....
I do some electronic stuff at home, mainly hobby work, but i do work with live circuits and other components that are sensitive.
i work in my room and i just found out its the worst possible senireo. i have a carpet floor and a plastic table top.(the kind you bring for outdoor stuff which you buy from home deopt.) i heard that wearing rubber shoes helps so you dont pick up any static charge from the carpet but when i wear the shoes and while wearing them i rub it on the carpet i see it picks up a charge bec i shock myself against some metal. the plastic isnt either too good bec when i clean it with a paper towel (rubbing the surface) i hear and feel the static build up like when you wave you hand over a wool sweater!!
i know that really you are suppose to get the proper ESD matting but i dont have the money for that. im looking into cheaper alternatives.
here is what i found:
1)i found that wood is not conductive so it wont short your components out but it doesnt dissipate the electricity. which i dont know why that is a problem? if it isnt conductive what is it dissipating? there is no biuld up?
2) using waterproofing roof material also works. more specifically, butyl-rubber sheet. i read that it is conductive so all you need to do is earth it to the earth plug on your outlet.
3) now i know that Dave hates this option but what about the rubber PVC you could buy for plumbing? its not dissipating but it isnt conductive either.
at the end of the day i was planing on making a wooden workbench and since i already have a roll of the PVC plumbing roll i was going to use that to put over my carpet.
please let me know your thoughts as i am kinda oblivious to this topic.