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Date:      Sun, 25 Oct 2020 23:02:45 -0500
From:      Valeri Galtsev <galtsev@kicp.uchicago.edu>
To:        Ralf Mardorf <ralf-mardorf@riseup.net>
Cc:        freebsd-questions@freebsd.org
Subject:   Re: What is the "better / best " method to multi-boot different OSes natively WITHOUT VirtualBox(es) ?
Message-ID:  <79CA7927-080F-4596-96CB-CEFB2322F062@kicp.uchicago.edu>
In-Reply-To: <20201025225215.65cfca64@archlinux>
References:  <CALMiprbGBaSJQUAA=1HDZAjvsVNK7dqB_5mBb5DKzV16F3hxHg@mail.gmail.com> <20201024111010.5c867e8540a369b826d26703@sohara.org> <20201025065025.6a13dc89@archlinux> <24469.26288.47199.882303@jerusalem.litteratus.org> <20201025135437.35b592a5@archlinux> <c8cbc8c1-2e05-d57f-41de-8e393fa8fc90@holgerdanske.com> <20201025225215.65cfca64@archlinux>

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> On Oct 25, 2020, at 4:52 PM, Ralf Mardorf <ralf-mardorf@riseup.net> =
wrote:
>=20
> On Sun, 25 Oct 2020 11:39:48 -0700, David Christensen wrote:
>> On 2020-10-25 05:54, Ralf Mardorf wrote:
>> Please explain how galvanic isolation relates to electrostatic
>> discharge mitigation.
>=20
> That's a misunderstanding.
>=20
>> Please explain the risk(s) associate with antistatic wrist straps.
>=20
> IMO it's a risk for a human being to wear an antistatic wrist strap,
> when getting in touch with gear that is connected to the mains.
>=20
> IMO if the gear isn't directly connected to the mains, because an
> isolating transformer grants galvanic isolation, an antistatic wrist
> strap isn't a risk for a human being.
>=20

Well, anti-static strap is used when one is working on fully =
disconnected from power equipment on the bench which is metal or =
slightly conducting mat which is connected to the =E2=80=9Cground=E2=80=9D=
 which is specially arranged thing I will not go into discussion about. =
In this setup there is no danger to person using this strap. Several =
people disregard using strap, and single conducting mat. However, they =
have set of habits (often from their ham times - radio amateur that is). =
These habits will be: putting static sensitive boards on anti-static =
bags, and touching bag before picking up the board, then touching metal =
chassis before installing board=E2=80=A6 works the same way as strap.

> An antistatic wrist strap protects the gear against static charge, but
> might be risky for a human regarding potential equalization, assuming
> something should be fishy, such as a hot metal case. Once the human
> touches the hot metal case a fault current breaker should detect that
> something is missing, but galvanic isolation is way more secure than a
> breaker that probably is missing that something is missing.
>=20

If anything is plugged to AC, there always is stray capacitance, and =
through that capacitance the voltage of hot lead can be on some pieces =
inside device. Of course, stray capacitance is small, acts as big value =
resistor, however =E2=80=9Cdischarging=E2=80=9D even that small resistor =
through some high impedance pin of (static sensitive) board can be fatal =
for some IC (integrated circuit) on the board. Can be safe but not =
always is for a human accidentally touching that spot. Incidentally, I =
did myself several times stupid thing: touched 220V (AC) hot lead and =
got shock. Neither led to gross consequences, but it could=E2=80=A6 I =
was very young then.

So, we do our best to work inside equipment when it is fully =
disconnected from AC. Pull out all AC cords!

> Actually the fault current breaker should already do it's job, when =
the
> metal case is hot, already before a human does touch it. If it =
doesn't,
> then touching the metal case might be dangerous with or without
> wearing an antistatic wrist strap.
>=20
> However, galvanic isolation is absolutely safe, unless getting in
> contact with both conductors, which is impossible in our scenario and
> even very unlikely when repairing gear.=20

Hm, if galvanic you mean DC isolation (i.e. AC transformer), then I =
disagree. In case of AC stray capacitance (which always exists) conducts =
some of AC line voltage to "DC isolated" part of equipment. Only optical =
isolation is full isolation, but we didn=E2=80=99t learn yet how to =
transfer sufficient power using purely optical connection. In general, =
DC isolation, like transformer, is safe, but transformer has stray =
capacitance, and what usually saves the day that low voltage part kind =
of shunts what comes through stray capacitance by not to small =
resistance. There may be less usual situation when highly isolated from =
everything piece of equipment has big capacitive coupling to =
=E2=80=9Cground=E2=80=9D which can be charged gradually through small =
stray capacitance of transformer (rectifier of one sort or another will =
be in play, call it =E2=80=9Cstray rectifier"). Even though it falls =
under what you call =E2=80=9Cgalvanic isolation=E2=80=9D, it represents =
big danger for a human, as big capacitor can sustain significant current =
for long enough time to do harm to living being.

My apologies, if I misunderstood you.

Valeri

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