>
> > I recently purchased a new chair and one of those plastic mats that you
> > place over the rug. Last night I went to grab my mouse and the screen
> > froze...
> >  Question, Is there any way to reduce the static electricity buildup that
> > apperently is building up on my mat and chair?

Yes: Discharge yourself by touching grounded metal, first.  Increase the
relative humidity in the room to at least 35 % (single-glazed windows may
"sweat", causing condensation and moisture problems).   Avoid synthetic
fabrics, notably nylons and acrylics (I suspect your mat is solid acrylic!)
Use antistatic liquids or dryer towelettes on your laundry.

> >                                                Do they make special mats
> > for computer chairs that are anti static?

Yes (expensive).  Note that an expensive antistatic mat is pointless if you
have insulating wheels or other components in your chair and rubber-soled
(or otherwise insulating shoes).

> >                                           What about using an anti static
> > spray on the mat and chair to reduce this?

I suggest a fine, light, spray using a spray bottle containing a commercial
fabric softener such as "Fleecy".  The active ingredient is a "quaternary
amine", and very little is needed, so use 10 % diluted in water, or less.
Too much will just make a gummy "dust magnet".  It will evaporate slowly,
so you will need to re-apply - although maybe not more than once this winter.

> >                                            What about grounding
> > Straps being  placed into the mat?

To be effective, the mat has to be grounded (either by virtue of its large
area and some means of discharge such as high enough humidity, or a
connection to ground).  To protect YOU, it should also have a resistor
of AT LEAST 10 MegOhms in SERIES.  This is to avoid electrocuting yourself
if, say, a frayed wire in your desk lamp touches the metal housing and you
grab it and 110 Volts AC.

> Yes to all of the above. A true anti-static mat should include a strap
> since the mat by itself is an insulator.

Think of the mat as a "poor conductor", as it must conduct to bleed off
the static charge - but not too fast, or a sudden discharge could damage
sensitive components.

>                                          Grounding straps can be
> made or purchased to discharge from "mat" to ground. Anti-static
> sprays for furniture work great. Also, consider Bounce sheets when
> drying laundry. Otherwise, simply discharge yourself prior to using
> your computer by touching something metal. And last if you make a
> groundstrap you can ground it on the faceplate screw of your wall outlet.
>
> -yui shin

Seeing as you are going to be "part of the circuit", make sure that it is
truly grounded (people sometimes get the wires mixed up), and you have a
10-20 MegOhm resistance.

> >
> >  It was a fairly expensive chair and floor mat so I hate to have to return
> > it.
> >
> > Thanks;
> >
> > John Zyla
> > [log in to unmask]

Boyd Ramsay

[log in to unmask]

                         PCBUILD's List Owner's:
                      Bob Wright<[log in to unmask]>
                       Drew Dunn<[log in to unmask]>