Any safety tips for opening a computer monitor?

[nevermind1281]

I am going to scrap my old computer monitr.  Its 7 years old and just blew today.  I know the cathode can really shock you, but is there anything I should look out for?  Is there a way to discharge the cathode?  And another question, when working with high voltages, are you supposed to be grounded or not grounded?  In a welding class in school I am taking they say not to be grounded(we are doing arc welding right now), I always thought you ARE supposed to be grounded?

 

[STATE_MACHINE]

"I know the cathode can really shock you, but is there anything I should look out for?"

Heh, it is actually the anode that packs the punch... the way to discharge it is to get an insulated screwdriver, attach a test lead w/ alligator clip to the metal of screwdriver, attach the other end to the ground(use the metal ground lines slung across the back of CRT).  If it's been off a while there will likely be no charge left in it but better safe than zapped!

Don't worry about anything else, the caps won't kill you, although you can discharge the big ones with a resistor(1000 Ohm is OK).

As for grounding, you don't want to give the electricity a path to ground through you!! So no grounding with high voltages!!! You want to be insulated with some good rubber shoes, and put one hand behind your back as a habit so you can live to be 103! (it won't likely kill you anyway but you will remember it!)

Working with FETs or other sensitive stuff requires grounding if you're staticky, that's probably where you got that idea!

So have fun!

 

[nevermind1281]

Ok.  It blew yesterday, and it will probably sit around for awhile before I get to it.  Thanks for the help.