Anti static grounding

[Hackpenguin]

Hi,I'm wanting to put a anti-static mat in my garage. I have this power strip with a ground LED and it doesn't light in the garage. But when I goto my room, it lights up. I need advice on how to fix this problem

 

[audioguru]

You do not have static electricity in your garage because it probably has no carpet to generate the high voltages. Or your boots conduct any static to the concrete floor but your slippers do not on the carpet or floor in your room.
Or in your room maybe the ground wire on the electrical receptacle is disconnected.

EDIT: Maybe I understand the problem backwards. Maybe in the garage the ground wire on the electrical receptacle is disconnected.

 

[Hackpenguin]

Well... I want to be safe than sorry

 

[audioguru]

Static electricity never kills anybody. Its current and duration are almost nothing. But if your electrical receptacle is connected wrong or has a disconnected ground wire then that is very dangerous.
Do you have static electricity in your garage? It might blow up any gasoline fumes.

 

[Reloadron]

Hi,I'm wanting to put a anti-static mat in my garage. I have this power strip with a ground LED and it doesn't light in the garage. But when I goto my room, it lights up. I need advice on how to fix this problem

When you mention ESD mat are you meaning you want to install an ESD workstation in your garage as in on a hobby bench? As to why the ground LED indicates a problem in your garage and not inside the home is beyond me without looking at things. Age of home? Attached or detached garage built when? The year the work was done will be the year it should have complied to code. Do you rent or own? ESD workstation mats and wrist straps do not connect directly to ground but generally are grounded through a 1 Meg Ohm resistor built into the ground strap. The acceptable ground can be any of several sources but the idea behind ESD mat and wrist straps is not personnel protection but rather component protection of ESD susceptible parts. ESD grounding should be in compliance to the NEC (National Electric Code) or any local codes which may apply. If the outlet grounding in your garage does not meet NEC code it should be brought up top code by someone qualified to do so and garage power should be through a GFCI (Ground Fault Circuit Interrupt) breaker or outlet. That being an issue of personnel safety.

Ron

 

[GromTag]

A power strip with ground fault LED. The room Earth GND connection at outlet may be faulty, try some other outlets with that same power strip in other areas throughout the house and observe the results, Then becomes a search and find via the Breaker box terminal control lever for any problematic rooms if more than one.

:An Example for locating possible faults without removing anything:

Lets say there are more than one outlet showing fault, then a breaker lever for that room or outlets is switched off in this event example, and lets say you may find in this example 3 or so outlets that have this fault and a single breaker is switched off, all the problematic outlets are now off in tandem (adjective) / all the noted outlets are now powered off, is a leaning solution to comprehending the fault is likely the breaker box area or that line is an add in with no link to Earth connected, If it is only one outlet, then the Earth wire may be loose not not exist per that outlet.

As stated GND fault is dangerous.

Notes The Breaker box contains dangerous voltages + currents via the MAIN breaker indicator, some can be from 100 Amps (older homes) to over 400 Amps easy, then from there the rails are split off via the secondary breakers to rooms, appliances and such.
If not familiar with High voltage, Would not advise on entering the casing to observe any potential faults there OR with the outlets, as I have no clue of your understanding of the Mains, as also my understanding is limited.

Overall recommend a quali tech.

 

[Carolie]

I never met with this problem before... sorry. But I also want to know how to handle this problem as I also have a power strip from bestek with protection and grounded LED indicators. Up to now, the power strip works well for me. If you have the answer, let us know as well. Thanks.

 

[Reloadron]

I never met with this problem before... sorry. But I also want to know how to handle this problem as I also have a power strip from bestek with protection and grounded LED indicators. Up to now, the power strip works well for me. If you have the answer, let us know as well. Thanks.

The original poster stated his location as Canton, Il. Knowing that makes it easy to know he is talking about power receptacles used in the US. Bestek, the mentioned power strip, makes a wide range of power strips distributed in the US as well as other locations. Many power strips have lights which indicate if the power at the delivery point is correctly wired. Additionally home owners or apartment dwellers can purchase various testing devices from home improvement stores such as Lowes or Home Depot in the US or for that matter Amazon, here is one such example. Gardner Bender GFI-3501 Ground Fault Receptacle Tester & Circuit Analyzer, 110-125V AC, for GFCI / Standard / Extension Cords & More, 7 Visual LED Tests.

For those familiar with US standard wiring they can address the problem(s) and those not familiar with wiring and do not understand it the best option is to call an electrician or qualified personnel to address the problem. Early US residential wiring did not include a Ground and early wiring was called Knob and Tube consisting of only a Hot and Neutral line. Commonly found in homes built before 1950. Simply put there is no third wire ground.

How to handle the problem if a test indicates a problem? That depends on what the actual problem is. My advice would be to have a competent electrician look at the problem. Not everybody understands residential wiring and those who have no understanding of it would do well to get competent help addressing any issues. If an expensive solution is suggested I would seek a second and third opinion.

All of this does get away from the original topic.

Ron