Winter Static and Engine Performance

It's most likely that the static discharge caused the microprocessor to restart.  I'd try to avoid doing it in the future, but if they're still working, I'd say you dodged a bullet.

Thanks John,

I would think that would be a common occurence in colder areas like the east coast in winter. Makes me wonder if I have a grounding issue . . .

I've seen them restart in the past, never give it much thought if they keep working.

Guess the smart thing to do is power down before touching anything.

You could buy an ESD static discharge wrist strap, and attach it to a known good ground.

Typically, I try to touch something beside the locomotive first.  Try touching the outside rail.

Thats what I did last night. Got zapped there too but at least it wasn't the engine.

Don't you need a really long wire to work around the train room with a wrist strap on?

That is interesting the it transferred from the AC side and effected the processor.  Especially since the engine is grounded on the track.  Which is what you would touch to discharge your self.  G

A big enough "jolt" can affect things quite far away and not really connected.  I learned a lot about lightning protection building avionics.  Consumer electronics has nothing like the protection that hi-rel products have to have as far as lightning/static protection.

Interesting John. I'm still building avionics at Raytheon in CA on the mechanical side. Guess I'll have to check with our EMI guy -- whoever he is these days -- on grounding and track. I never did become adept in that subject.

Gee Scott, I worked on several project for Raytheon in Wichita.  I was the project engineer on the JPATS trainer fuel measurement system, and also on the Hawker Horizon biz-jet.  I was a consultant to Smith's Industries, they did the fuel systems on those products.

Something to consider.  I grew up in Montana and it would get very cold there in the winter.  A secondary effect was a sharp decrease in moisture in the air, both inside buildings and outside.  Put on a pair of leather bottom shoes, shuffle your feet on carpet and you could generate a good static charge on yourself all day.  A common practice would be to have a humidifier installed to reduce this effect. Not suggesting you install one, just some "food for thought".

I find a derailment spark will also cause locos to start up, usually in conventional.  I assume surge or static from the spark causes it, and that there is no difference between the risk from dry air staic or from derailment spark.