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Operating Environment
Electrostatic Discharge
12 TSQ Quantum XLS and TSQ Quantum GC Preinstallation Requirements Guide Thermo Scientific
Electrostatic Discharge
Electrostatic discharge (ESD) can damage the electronic components of your TSQ Quantum
XLS or TSQ Quantum GC system.
TSQ Quantum XLS and TSQ Quantum GC instruments are designed to withstand ESD up
to 15 kV (air discharge) and 8 kV (contact discharge) with all panels in place. However,
removing the panels and handling the PCBs without proper precautions might damage the
electrical components or cause them to fail prematurely.
Static electricity can develop in a variety of ways. Some examples follow:
• Walking across a carpet in a room that is at 20 percent relative humidity can generate as
much as 35 000 V of electrostatic potential on the surface of your body. A similar trip in a
room at 80 percent relative humidity generates about 1500 V of electrostatic potential.
• Sitting and working in a chair padded with polyurethane foam in a room at 20 percent
relative humidity can cause as much as 18 000 V of electrostatic potential to develop on
your skin. At 80 percent relative humidity, the electrostatic potential can be as much as
1500 V.
• Working in laboratory coats and clothing made of synthetic fibers can cause static
electricity to accumulate on your skin.
• Using Styrofoam™ cups and packing materials results in a considerable electrostatic
charge.
The discharge of static electricity is not perceptible to humans until the potential is at least
4000 V. However, a discharge of electrostatic potential as little as 50 V can damage many
electronic components. While ESD damage can be catastrophic and cause your system to
cease functioning, more commonly, ESD damage might cause latent problems that are
detrimental to sensitive electrical components, causing premature failures.
As a precaution, Thermo Fisher Scientific recommends the following practices, especially
when operating your system at the lower end of the relative humidity specification:
• Use a static-dissipating floor covering (such as tile or conductive linoleum) in the room
that houses your instrument.
• Use laboratory chairs covered with natural fibers or other static-dissipating material.
• Wear a laboratory coat and clothing made of natural fiber or other static-dissipating
material when you are operating the instrument.
• Keep Styrofoam cups or packing materials away from the instrument.
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