Featured: Bertech ESD Anti-Static Table Mat Kit at Amazon.
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MOSFETs and LDMOS devices have become the heart of many modern solid-state amplifiers, and they share a weakness: their gates can be damaged by static discharge you may never feel. A device can be weakened without failing outright, only to give out later under power. A grounded work surface and wrist strap are simple, inexpensive protection. Bertech makes ESD anti-static mat kits built for exactly that job.
What is in the kit
Bertech says its general purpose kits include an ESD anti-static mat, an ESD fabric adjustable wrist strap and a grounding cord. The mat is described as a single layer homogenous polymer mix with ESD properties, 0.094″ thick, and the kits are made in the USA. Bertech offers a wide range of sizes, starting at 16" x 24", and says the mats are low cost, durable, easy to cut and reversible.
Why static matters for amplifier builders
Static builds up on people and tools just from moving around, and it can discharge through a sensitive part the moment you touch it. Bipolar RF transistors and tubes are less sensitive, but MOSFET and LDMOS gates are thin insulating layers that static can puncture. The danger is highest when devices are out of the circuit, such as when you unpack new parts, match them, or install them.
An anti-static mat drains charge slowly and safely to ground rather than letting it discharge in a sudden spark. The wrist strap keeps you at the same potential as the work surface, so charge does not jump between you and the part.
Setting it up properly
- Ground it. A mat that is not connected to ground does little. Connect the grounding cord to a proper ground point following the kit's instructions.
- Wear the strap whenever you handle static-sensitive devices, and plug it into the mat's grounding point.
- Keep parts in their protective packaging until you are grounded and ready to install them.
- Keep ordinary plastics off the mat, since many of them hold charge.
Keep the mat clean, too. Dust, solder splashes and scraps of wire insulation on the surface get in the way of good contact, and a quick wipe-down every so often keeps it working the way it should.
Know its limits
Bertech gives a suggested service temperature of –20°F to +160°F for this vinyl material. A soldering iron tip is far hotter than that, so keep the iron in its stand and do not rest hot parts on the mat. A wrist strap is also only for working on unpowered, low-voltage equipment. Never wear one while working on live mains wiring or high-voltage supplies, including tube amplifier plate circuits.
And a reminder whenever amplifiers are discussed: external linear amplifiers are not legal for use on CB radio. Protecting expensive power devices is part of building any legal amateur equipment carefully.
Where to get it
Check current price and availability: Bertech ESD Anti-Static Table Mat Kit at Amazon.
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