So how do you go about Discharging a Monitor?

Magister

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Kinda wondering how other people go about doing this? I've only done this twice and both times the monitor had no charge in it. So I never got the thrill of hearing the popping sound when the end of the screwdriver touched the metal clip behind the suction cup. I have this really long flat-head screwdriver thats dipped in a plastic coating with a wired wrapped around it with a clip on the end of the wired. This seems to be the way a lot of people do it. Sort of the poor man's way of Discharging I've heard. I know my way sounds a little extreme since I've seen videos of people doing it will a tiny screwdriver and a small piece of wire. Electricity is not my friend, so I take no chances.
 
Kinda wondering how other people go about doing this? I've only done this twice and both times the monitor had no charge in it. So I never got the thrill of hearing the popping sound when the end of the screwdriver touched the metal clip behind the suction cup. I have this really long flat-head screwdriver thats dipped in a plastic coating with a wired wrapped around it with a clip on the end of the wired. This seems to be the way a lot of people do it. Sort of the poor man's way of Discharging I've heard. I know my way sounds a little extreme since I've seen videos of people doing it will a tiny screwdriver and a small piece of wire. Electricity is not my friend, so I take no chances.

Ive done one and it had sat so long it had no pop either but nevertheless your doing it right however make sure you test the continuity of your discharge tool with a multimeter to make sure current is flowing correctly through it.
 
I use the screwdriver method, but I usually let a monitor sit for a few days or weeks until I'm ready to work on it, and I don't hear the pop. Even on a freshly charged tube, it's not very loud or thrilling.
 
I discharge monitors all the time with a screwdriver. Bob roberts has a good cheap setup that includes a screwdriver ground flat at the top with a hole drilled through it. Just stick a wire in a few wraps and a little bit of soldier and an alligator clip. Or you can make your own.

It is also very important to discharge the tube several times before sticking the anode back in there or you might be in for a surprise of the high voltage variety.
 
Long screw driver with a jumper cable clipped to it. Electric taped for good measure. LOL.


dead serious.

Only heard a faint pop once or twice. Never any cool sparks or loud stuff.
 
Kinda wondering how other people go about doing this? I've only done this twice and both times the monitor had no charge in it. So I never got the thrill of hearing the popping sound when the end of the screwdriver touched the metal clip behind the suction cup. I have this really long flat-head screwdriver thats dipped in a plastic coating with a wired wrapped around it with a clip on the end of the wired. This seems to be the way a lot of people do it. Sort of the poor man's way of Discharging I've heard. I know my way sounds a little extreme since I've seen videos of people doing it will a tiny screwdriver and a small piece of wire. Electricity is not my friend, so I take no chances.

ton of how to vids

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bDAiLtTDuf4
 
I usually do it with a metal kitchen knife (no ground wire alligator clipped to the chassis or any sissy shit like that) while standing bare-footed in a metal tub of water. But I'm really gonna have to give the whole "cock method" a shot, maybe tonight after I've had a couple drinks!!
 
I discharge monitors all the time with a screwdriver. Bob roberts has a good cheap setup that includes a screwdriver ground flat at the top with a hole drilled through it. Just stick a wire in a few wraps and a little bit of soldier and an alligator clip. Or you can make your own.

It is also very important to discharge the tube several times before sticking the anode back in there or you might be in for a surprise of the high voltage variety.

I bought Bob's kit a while back and it's worked fine. I used the same method of the grounded screwdriver many times before that, but never had a more or less permanent discharge tool prior to that.
 
I had been using a 12" Craftsman screwdriver with a piece of 10 gauge wire and two heavy-duty alligator clips. But I wanted a dedicated tool for this as I'm using it more and more, so I got a new 12" Husky brand screwdriver from Home Depot.

Not realizing how hard the metal was, I attempted to drill the hole and broke a drill bit after managing to drill a couple millimeters into it. Then I actually melted the next drill bit and re-filled the hole with metal! I managed to git-r-done with a 1/8" masonry bit - went through like butter compared to all the other bits I tried.

I guess I should have read Bob Roberts' page a little more carefully:
http://www.therealbobroberts.net/safeback1.html
 
i've had great success in discharging a tube by picking it up and leaning the hole in the tube back against my belt buckle...it only takes a fraction of a second, but it's a fraction of a second that you'll remember for a very long time
 
So how do you go about Discharging a Monitor?

HV probe is how I roll these days. Its nice to have that meter so you can see whats going on. I also check the fuses on the chassis before pulling the chassis. If its got a blown fuse I know its likely to have a nice charge waiting in the filter cap.
 
The worst is when you have a G07 that blew the fuse. You have to short out that filter cap, good god it scares the hell out of my everytime I do it. You get a nice "CRACK" out of a strong charge on a monitor, when you do it on that filter cap, it usually leaves smoke on the board. Crazy to watch, I hate hearing it it's so bad. Luckily I haven't been zapped through my leg with that like people say happens a lot, I've been bit by it a little bit on those but I dont' think I've ever got hit by that filter cap.
 
The worst is when you have a G07 that blew the fuse. You have to short out that filter cap, good god it scares the hell out of my everytime I do it. You get a nice "CRACK" out of a strong charge on a monitor, when you do it on that filter cap, it usually leaves smoke on the board. Crazy to watch, I hate hearing it it's so bad. Luckily I haven't been zapped through my leg with that like people say happens a lot, I've been bit by it a little bit on those but I dont' think I've ever got hit by that filter cap.

I learned this the hard way. Was pulling a chassis and the filter cap shorted to the frame. Scared the crap out of me but I was lucky not to get hit by it. This is why I now check that fuse before pulling out a GO7 chassis.
 
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