Prevent Electrostatic Discharge Damage
Many router hardware components are sensitive to damage from static electricity. Some components can be impaired by as little as 30 V. You can easily generate potentially damaging static voltages when you handle plastic or foam packing material or if you move components across plastic or carpet. To prevent intermittent or complete component failures, always take ESD precautions:
To minimize the potential for ESD damage, observe the following guidelines:
- Always use an ESD wrist strap or ankle strap, and make sure that it is in direct contact with your skin.
For equipment safety, periodically check the resistance value of the antistatic strap. The measurement should range from 1 to 10 Mohms. - When handling any component that is removed from the chassis, make sure the equipment end of your ESD strap is attached to one of the electrostatic discharge points on the chassis, which are shown in Figure 1 and Figure 2.
- Avoid contact between the board and your clothing. ESD emitted from clothing can damage components.
- When removing or installing a component, always place it component-side up on an antistatic surface, in an antistatic card rack, or in an electrostatic bag (see Figure 21). If you are returning a component to the factory, immediately store the component in an electrostatic bag.
