Electrostatic Alarm

The Electrostatic Alarm Z201 is a portable, battery-operated instrument, incorporating the latest technology, to indicate the presence of approaching static electricity. It is designed to provide a quick and convenient method of locating static charges and their approximate charge levels. It is primarily intended for use in static-safe handling areas, as an early warning system to alert the personnel nearby.
The hazard may be in the form of personnel who are generating static or personnel who may be holding a charged object without observing the standard safety procedures for handling static sensitive devices.
The instrument incorporates a unique self-resetting feature and therefore requires no manual adjustments or zeroing. It can be kept 'ON' for continuous monitoring of critical static-safe areas, thanks to its remarkably low current drain of only 1 ma.

THEORY OF OPERATION

A static charge on an object produces an electric field whose strength is an inverse function of the distance from the charge. A given magnitude of charge always produces a given field strength at a given distance. The unique sensor of the instrument actually responds to this electric field. However, more specifically, it senses only changes in the electric field, so to detect a charge there should be relative motion between the instrument and the charged body.