Anti-static precautions for posted electronics

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Random Person

Hi guys. If I sold some components on Ebay and shipped them to the
sender, would an aluminium foil wrap suffice as an anti-static bag? Or
are the chances of electrical discharge so small that it would be OK to
just wrap the thing in brown paper and post it off (padded envelope, of
course)? To be honest I don't see how a random spark can get enough
voltage to cause dielectric breakdown of the envelope material and
short out the circuits.
 
Random said:
Hi guys. If I sold some components on Ebay and shipped them to the
sender, would an aluminium foil wrap suffice as an anti-static bag? Or
are the chances of electrical discharge so small that it would be OK to
just wrap the thing in brown paper and post it off (padded envelope, of
course)? To be honest I don't see how a random spark can get enough
voltage to cause dielectric breakdown of the envelope material and
short out the circuits.
Click to expand...


Wrapping the device in paper should be good enough...
however...to avoid damage...the item should be mailed in a box rather
than a padded envelope
 
Hi guys. If I sold some components on Ebay and shipped them to the
sender, would an aluminium foil wrap suffice as an anti-static bag? Or
are the chances of electrical discharge so small that it would be OK to
just wrap the thing in brown paper and post it off (padded envelope, of
course)? To be honest I don't see how a random spark can get enough
voltage to cause dielectric breakdown of the envelope material and
short out the circuits.
Click to expand...

Putting it in and taking it out of your padded envelope are
dangerous actions !

So, yes. Wrap it in proper antistatic packaging material first.
Or at least use aluminium foil.
 
Hi guys. If I sold some components on Ebay and shipped them to the
sender, would an aluminium foil wrap suffice as an anti-static bag?
Click to expand...

No, the bag needs not only to be electrically conductive,
but resistive as well. The charge needs be equalized
slowly, if present.
Or
are the chances of electrical discharge so small that it would be OK to
just wrap the thing in brown paper and post it off (padded envelope, of
course)?
Click to expand...

Manufacturers have already set the precedent, that htey use
anti-static is significant in anyone seeking resolution for
a problem with a part not shipped in anti-static packaging.

To be honest I don't see how a random spark can get enough
voltage to cause dielectric breakdown of the envelope material and
short out the circuits.
Click to expand...

It is not expected that anyone be able to predict static
discharge damaging events- that's exactly why there is
antistatic packaging, to prevent those events someone/anyone
_doesn't_ forsee. The risk is not so much while the part
is just sitting there in the packaging, but being inserted,
removed and whole package moved. A static charge can very
easily jump through a paper envelope, have you never noticed
how shuffling across a carpet then touching a grounded
object, produces the arc before you actually make physical
contact with whatever you were about to touch?

You/whever might get lucky most of the time and have no
problem using non-static-dissipative packaging, but it IS
there for a reason and if there were ever damage, the packer
is responsible for it.
 
is just sitting there in the packaging, but being inserted,
removed and whole package moved. A static charge can very
easily jump through a paper envelope, have you never noticed
how shuffling across a carpet then touching a grounded
object, produces the arc before you actually make physical
contact with whatever you were about to touch?
Click to expand...

Whoo...that's a good point not taken into consideration by my previous reply
 
Random Person said:
Hi guys. If I sold some components on Ebay and shipped them to the
sender, would an aluminium foil wrap suffice as an anti-static bag? Or
are the chances of electrical discharge so small that it would be OK to
just wrap the thing in brown paper and post it off (padded envelope, of
course)? To be honest I don't see how a random spark can get enough
voltage to cause dielectric breakdown of the envelope material and
short out the circuits.
Click to expand...

Condsider how it would be shipped retail and emulate that.
 
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