too much electricity. The danger comes in two forms: a power surge that could
fry the battery charger/AC adapter or a jolt of static electricity that could
jump from your fingers to the keyboard or laptop’s internal components.You can protect your battery charger/AC adapter from unpleasant surprises
by plugging it into a surge protector, an inexpensive accessory that should
be part of every traveler’s kit. Surge protectors can use a fast-acting circuit
breaker, or a less-expensive fuse-like component that melts or breaks to cut
the flow of power when appropriate, sacrificing its life for the device it’s
guarding. (In fact, you should consider using a surge protector for any valu-
able piece of electronics in your home or office. A $5 protector may save the
life of a $2,000 HDTV, which is about as cheap as insurance gets.)Now you come to static electricity, which is a lot more dangerous than you
might imagine. Ponder this for a moment: Walking across the carpet in your
socks in the winter can generate 35,000 volts of electricity. The biggest threat
to your laptop comes if you open its case to install new memory or add other
components. Get grounded before you open the bag and again before you
touch the innards of the machine.The generation of electrostatic voltage is affected by the relative humidity —
the lower the moisture content in the air, the greater the voltage levels. The
sock-stroll I just described could occur at a low 10 percent humidity, which is
common in cold weather; at a moister 55 percent humidity, you might gener-
ate about 7,500 volts. You can generate a spark even without moving across
the room. Breaking open plastic bubble wrap bag with a new stick of memory
or other parts can produce 25,000 volts or more at 10 percent humidity and
7,000 volts at 55 percent wetness. Among the most treacherous devices in
your home and office are plastic, vinyl, and sticky tape.There’s not a lot of amperage behind an electrostatic charge. Humans can
usually feel a static spark at levels above 4,000 volts, but your sensitive little
electronic device can be damaged by as few as 700 volts.So, what are you to learn from this? Get yourself grounded.If you’ve just walked across the room to your desk, get in the habit of touch-
ing something to discharge static electricity before laying hands on your
computer. You can touch a metal desk chair or a desk lamp. In my office, I
have an antistatic strip mounted on a corner of my desk; it’s connected by a
wire to a known ground — the center screw on a modern electrical outlet.Committing Deliberate Acts of Kindness ....................................................
In addition to preventing physical damage, you can take some steps to help
maintain the health and longevity of your laptop.18 Part I: Putting a Computer in Your Lap