Quite a few years ago, I bought (I think from Jameco) one of those yellow, plastic plugs with the three lights that tells you if an outlet is wired correctly and safely. However, this one had a female receptacle for the banana plug on the end of the wire from an anti-static mat/wrist strap. It connects to ground. I can plug the plug into an outlet, check the lights to make sure that it is wired correctly and grounded, plug my anti-static mat/wrist strap into the yellow plug, and feel (somewhat) safer.
I think they still sell it. Dan Allen KB4ZVM K-2 S/N 1757 > > From: Rick Hampton <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > Date: 2006/06/08 Thu PM 04:38:07 EDT > To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] > CC: Jesse & Nicky <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>, elecraft@mailman.qth.net > Subject: Re: [Elecraft] ground static elec > > To reinforce Don's comments, I've lived in several houses, none of which > I wired, and found broken ground wires, broken neutral wires, broken hot > wires, outlets with the hot and neutral wires reversed, and outlets with > the ground and neutral wires reversed. I strongly suspect that if > reverse wiring the hot and ground weren't a self-limiting entry for the > Darwin Award, I'd have seen this one too. > > Rick's Rule of Electrical Work: Double-check EVERYTHING. NOTHING is > safe until proved safe. > > Rick Hampton, WD8KEL > > Don Wilhelm wrote: > > Jesse, > > > > If your 'table mat' is really an anti-static mat, it should have a 1 megohm > > resistor built into the attachment cord - check it with your ohmmeter. > > > > It is OK to attach it to a utility grounding point - I remove the plate > > mounting screw on a standard receptacle and attach the wire there (but make > > certain it is actually grounded first by checking continuity to the ground > > pin on a 3 prong socket - in the US, the center rounded pin should be > > ground, but if you are not certain about it, check with an electrician or > > someone who does know 'which pin is what' on the receptacles - there is > > dangerous AC voltage on the pins - BE SAFE! There are testers that simply > > plug into a receptacle and show if the ground is connected and if the > > receptacle is wired properly, I suggest that you obtain one and check before > > sticking any probe into the rectangular holes in the receptacle. If your > > household wiring conforms to code, any metal parts associated with the > > wiring should be grounded, but never trust it until you verify (by testing). > > I wired my house myself and have a lot of confidence in the wiring, but I > > still check to be certain - stuff can happen over time and ground > > connections can loosen on occasion. > > > > 73, > > Don W3FPR > > > _______________________________________________ > Elecraft mailing list > Post to: Elecraft@mailman.qth.net > You must be a subscriber to post to the list. > Subscriber Info (Addr. Change, sub, unsub etc.): > http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft > > Help: http://mailman.qth.net/subscribers.htm > Elecraft web page: http://www.elecraft.com > _______________________________________________ Elecraft mailing list Post to: Elecraft@mailman.qth.net You must be a subscriber to post to the list. Subscriber Info (Addr. Change, sub, unsub etc.): http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/subscribers.htm Elecraft web page: http://www.elecraft.com
