How to ground a desk (or make it anti-static)

[petteyg359]

I have an IKEA FREDDE desk. If you look at the picture, the frame and the top side panels are metal. My cats like laying on the top shelf. Whenever they move around, it is producing enough static charge to go through the frame and arc over to my USB hub (near the back cable routing hole, and not actually even touching the frame). I am guessing it is the shortest path to ground, though it is getting there via an expensive motherboard . I will constantly get that little Windows noise that it gives when a USB device "malfunctions", though nothing has broken (yet?). Is there any safe way to connect the desk directly to ground (e.g. via the wall socket) that doesn't have a risk of electrifying the desk frame (and subsequently electrifying my cats)?

 

[(G{in}[AK)TION]]

you could try to run a ground wire from the desk to the computers power supply where the screws are on the back. There is this part i know of thats like a washer that allows you to attach a wire to it. you could use that to attach to the power supply screws.

 

[Mr.Scott]

Wire to the ground pole on an outlet would be most efficient.

 

[(G{in}[AK)TION]]

Wire to the ground pole on an outlet would be most efficient.

i was actually thinking that, but is it really ok to do by standards?

 

[petteyg359]

i was actually thinking that, but is it really ok to do by standards?

Assuming you don't expect lighting to hit your house directly on that grounding wire, and that your wiring is okay, I don't see why not. But the only pre-made plugs I found that are two plastic prongs and metal only on the ground are $15 each. Know of any cheaper? I'd like whatever I do to look nice and be portable. I can get one of the wrist wraps with a wire on it for cheap, and put it around the metal leg of the desk so it conducts through that, but connecting that to the outlet is where I'm not finding anything that isn't ridiculously overpriced.

 

[trents]

Take an old three prong extension cord and remove the hot wire male prong (no pun intended) but leave the neutral and ground. Cut the female plug off and strip back the insulation from the ground wire (if it is insulated) and attach it with a screw or something to the desk.

 

[petteyg359]

Take an old three prong extension cord and remove the hot wire male prong (no pun intended) but leave the neutral and ground. Cut the female plug off and strip back the insulation from the ground wire (if it is insulated) and attach it with a screw or something to the desk.

I'd rather not have any metal at all on the hot OR neutral prongs (cat hair and dust and random the-world-has-it-out-for-me arcs). Also, I have a 240v line conditioner next to the desk and half the plugs on it are standard NEMA 5-15; I don't want somebody who doesn't know better (or me if I'm ever more than half asleep) plugging the desk into that Still no luck finding a plug with plastic hot and neutral prongs.

 

[(G{in}[AK)TION]]

I found this thing called a probe lug. that you could try using for linking the desk to the screws that hold the power supply in place in your computer.

I asked my dad about your problem and he said that he had a similar issue. He would put a little bit of downy diluted with water and sprayed on the source of the static electricity. Did it once a week.

 

[NiHaoMike]

Ground the desk to the outside of a cable TV connector instead.

 

[petteyg359]

So I ended up getting this strap, putting it around the metal arm of the desk, and clipping it to the grate where the 900D would support a top-mounted power supply. No more audio cues from Windows that funky **** is going on over the USB cables, so I think it works. My cat thinks it's a toy, though. Sproingy wire bounces when he pulls on it...