Hey everyone! I'm curious about your experiences with 74HC family ICs. Are they really that sensitive to electrostatic discharge (ESD)? I just picked up a few because my local store was out of 74LS ones. Do you think I should invest in an ESD mat and wrist strap?
1 Answer
From my experience, I haven't found the 74HC ICs to be too sensitive to ESD. That said, getting an ESD mat and a grounding wrist strap is a pretty cheap precaution. It might save you some headaches down the line! But I could be misinterpreting your concern. Worth considering!
I get that, but the cost of those setups can add up. I'm looking at a grounding wrist strap that costs around $110 before taxes! I really want to avoid spending that much unless I'm going to be frying these chips with every touch, especially since I deal with a lot of static where I live.