Re: How to make USB ports more zap resistant?

From: JAD (kapasitor_at_earthcharter.net)
Date: 01/15/05 

Date: Sat, 15 Jan 2005 05:53:20 -0800

"larry moe 'n curly" <larrymoencurly@my-deja.com> wrote in message
news:1105769966.026982.67090@c13g2000cwb.googlegroups.com...
> Several months ago, a port on an NEC-based USB card failed (a
section
> of its LM3526 power controller & overcurrent protection chip blew),
and
> just recently the same happened to an ALI-based USB card. I'm
pretty
> sure I didn't zap either card with high voltage because I always
touch
> the outer metal shell of the USB connector to bare metal on the
> computer case before plugging it in.
>
> Each USB port has a 100-220 uF aluminum capacitor across its +5V and
> ground lines, and the NEC-based card also had a ceramic chip
capacitor
> in parallel. Is there anything I can change or add to protect USB
> ports better? Does it help to use tantalum or low ESR aluminum
> capacitors? I installed tantalums on my other USB cards just after
the
> NEC card blew.
>
 is this with various USB devices or one in particular? I have yet to
do harm to any USB port, on even my oldest machine. All kinds of
different devices- DC's, printers, keyboard/mice, speakers, sound
devices, USB LAN converters etc.

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