More 3D Upgrades

[The Hat]

My Ender2 was very short on extras when Purchased (Cheap and cheerful) and has no switch on the mains power, so when the power plug is in the wall it stays permanently on regardless of whether I’m using it or not, the Mother board is switchable dough.
I found a switch and socket from an old PC power supply and designed a case to fit round it, now I have independent power control to the Ender2. I also made up a pair of LED lights in a box for above the printer, and then added an adjustable directional shade for good measure, just more easy upgrades.

I was also having a problem with a lot of my Micro cards, more times or not when I removed them from the printer, I ended up touching the brass contacts with my fingers and that rendered them unusable. (Lost 5 in 6 Months)

So, I added a piece of heat tape to the end of them and that prevented them from been mishandled and accidently damaged, I didn’t lose any more cards till I took a photo of this one, again I touched the brass contacts and it now fails to work...

click to enlarge..

My ideas work sometimes but only if I care to use them..

 

[Nifty]

Great job!

Regarding the micro SD cards: I touch all the parts on mine, including the contacts, and have never had a problem. Maybe you just have a more electrifying personality?

 

[Redbrickman]

Lots of static will kill them, I'm guessing you have some sort of foootwear that charges you on the carpet as you walk around. If I wear some types of trainers I light up everything I touch with disastrous effect on circuit boards etc. I now have a habit of grounding myself on the radiator pipe in my work room before touching any sensitive electronics.

The Hat - Another thing - 3D printers can have a build up of static and the card may be getting zapped as you get it near to the card slot.

Because the Creality card slot is rubbish and often breaks down I fitted a card adapter to mine from the start. More robust and easier to handle...

Like this one only with an SD slot

https://amzn.to/2K2KWBD

 

[The Hat]

Thanks guys for the advice, but despite most of the precautions I still have the problem, but yet don’t have an issue with any other devices, only these small Feckin Micro cards.

I went to the trouble of installing two of these card readers, but they didn’t help with the static issue, I even used a USB stick device to plug directly into the printer, so I wouldn’t have to handle the cards, but the Printer wouldn’t read the card from the Micro USB socket.
click to enlarge.

So far, the piece of tape is still working successfully, but never say never...

 

[PeterBJ]

I have worked at a paint manufacturing plant and all clothing had to be cotton, so woollen or synthetic fabrics were not allowed and our safety footwear were conductive with a resistance of approximately one Megohm. This was to prevent build-up of static charges that could pose an explosion hazard. @The Hat Could your clothing be the source of static charges?

Even static discharges that are so small that they cannot be felt can ruin sensitive semiconductors.

I have not ruined any standard SD cards, but I have had a few Canon cartridge chips go bad, maybe from a resetter running low on battery or maybe from static discharge?

 

[The Hat]

@PeterBJ, That would certainly make sense, except for one thing, these Micro cards are the only things that have been damaged by static, I’ve just given my son a hand building his new computer over the weekend and we had no problems with wayward static.

The only difference is in the house we have wooden floors but in my shed I have a piece of foam backed carpet where the printers situated, that’s the only explanation I have for the build of static.

What you reckon...

 

[stratman]

I’ve just given my son a hand building his new computer

Translation:

problems with wayward static

My reading of this issue discusses that the industry does test for electrostatic discharge (ESD) effect with these cards/drives, which are reported to be fairly hardy to ESD. However, the issue is not the card/drive but whatever device you insert the card/drive into that is more likely damaged by the ESD. YMMV, obviously.

A specifically manufactured device to allow for safe ESD prior to handling electronics would help, as would @Redbrickman 's low tech, cost free method of using something in your environment. A more high tech is here. The anti-static wrist strap band may be sufficient for your needs. Cheaper than buying new cards/drives constantly. Yes, you still need to remember to use it first.

 

[PeterBJ]

The only difference is in the house we have wooden floors but in my shed I have a piece of foam backed carpet where the printers situated, that’s the only explanation I have for the build of static.

I think the carpet could very well be the cause of the problems with static electricity.

In winter with low air humidity walking on a woollen or synthetic carpet can charge you to 10 kV or more. If you touch something connected to ground you can draw a spark of 10 mm or a little less than ½" or even more. Touching electronic components if you are charged to several kilovolts could easily cause damage even if you don't touch leads or terminals.

Is your problem with static electricity worse in winter when humidity is low?

 

[The Hat]

Is your problem with static electricity worse in winter when humidity is low?

Nope, ironically most of the static problem occurred when the humidity was up at 90%, and its only now coming down to near normal levels, so far touch wood, the tape on the top of the cards seems to be working, and I’ve had no more fatality’s since.

but whatever device you insert the card/drive into that is more likely damaged by the ESD. YMMV, obviously.

The cards work perfectly in the PC and I can load on a file and then use it in the 3D printer, the only time the issue arises is when I return the card back to the PC for reuse, its only then it becomes unreadable and get very hot to touch....

Translation:

? ?...

 

[stratman]

the only time the issue arises is when I return the card back to the PC for reuse, its only then it becomes unreadable and get very hot to touch....

In this circumstance, is the card still be readable by the 3D printer, or is it unreadable in ANY reader/device? The idea here is to isolate where the issue arises.

? ?...

A play on words. You gave your son, the computer wizard, a "hand" building his computer. Another word for "clapping", as in the emoticon , is "hand", as in to give an actor a hand (clapping applause) for their performance.
I thought it was nicer than LMAO