Topic: dealing with static electricity

[MattD]

With the weather getting drier and colder, I need to think about this again. I have a problem with tripping the protection circuit of my Mytek Stereo96 DAC when I touch the unit after walking across the rug or when wearing a sweater.

This is a problem I had last year and ended up having to send the unit in for repair after it failed to turn back on. While they fixed it, they didn't resolve the issue. What can I do? I'll check to see that the chassis is grounded, but I'm pretty sure it already is. Maybe it's the volume knob itself - the knob is plastic with a bare metal setting behind it.

Thanks for the help!

[mfrench]

is it a two wire power lead, or, grounded three wire?
my immediate gut feeling was to suggest a chassis ground lead to the outlet.

[MattD]

It's 3-wire (one of those standard IEC computer power supply style). I'll run a multimeter between the ground and any bare metal I can find and see what that turns up.

[mfrench]

you'd think that with a three wire power lead, that everything would already be grounded.

Multimeter - best call.

[guysonic]

Static dischare from fingertips sometimes can travel directly through the switch into the control circuitry regardless of metal shielding surrounding the panel, and chasis grounding does little or nothing to help. 

Suggest simply discharging your hand by touching an outside metal chasis before touching any of the controls. 

Of course wearing leather sole shoes, cotton clothing, and keeping at least 40% humidity helps lower static potentials in the environment.

[Jimna]

my solution is a remote.

[Chilly Brioschi]

 keeping at least 40% humidity

Go to 45%-55%
You'll breathe easier as well

There are anti-static sprays for the carpet, if you don't mind the chemicals.

If the unit is properly grounded, and well-designed, it should not fail from a static discharge to the case or a control shaft.
You may want to inquire of Mytek why this could have happened.