nickj718

iTrader: (1)

I think we should all cool our jets and wait to see what Rafi says when he gives us the green light.

The only reason why mines shipped is for the pure fact I was data logging for him and will be after I get it back from him.

I shipped USPS and insured for 1k

I8ABMR

I have a feeling that the weather this time of the year has many Fs down for a bit so the ECU business at RR racing will be BOOMING !!!!!

lobuxracer

iTrader: (2)

ESD is a minor issue as long as none of the pins come in contact with the wrapping. Preventing that is easy. the biggest concern is having the connector shell cracked by bouncing around in transit. I make cardboard surrounds for the connector shells so it is harder for the packing material to touch a pin and for the device to crack the connector shell in transit.

Yes, ESD is a big deal, but ESD control isn't rocket science.

I've only been working on electronics for 37 years and suffered through ESD training when it was brand new. I've also proved the importance with empirical experiments using an oscilliscope and a tile floor with rubber soled shoes. Just lifting a foot will generate a 4kV spike.

Fsport2UR

I do agree with this. ESD is not rocket science. BUT, most 99% of the people out there do not know anything about ESD. How many busted Supra/SC300 ECUs you see and hear about floating around supraforums and Supra groups...my friend has 3 right now because people sold him junk. I really don't think the average person does not follow "dont touch the pins or have anything touching it". A simple statement of "Preventing that is easy"...I would honestly say isn't straight clear advice when talking about pins that are prone to static discharge, all the while there are many protectors that the average person can think of that just so happen to be not ESD safe. Having experience in the electronics field, my answer would be ESD foam placed on the pins in transit(which is what we used in the past few companies I've worked with). You would think this would be common sense and not rocket science...but theres a reason electronic companies have these regular training sessions, even for the janitors...because even the most trained people just tend to forget and not think about what theyre doing sometimes. So I don't expect the average person off the street to know any better. While some say, its no big deal, but I can show you a picture of what approximately 10,000 units look like that are considered trashed because of ESD mishandling in a factory. At the last plant I worked at, ESD was not just about what might come in contact with the pins, it was more about the environment that could generate a charge, including thin air. So, even if I put ESD foam on the pins of a ECU, I still sure as hell wouldn't think it is now ok to place it in a container of packing peanuts which is extremely high in static and just keep believing the ECUs casing or shell is ESD proof enough to protect it. I don't know the in's and out's of a Toyota/Lexus ECU, so I wouldn't know how ESD prone they are. Given that we all don't know, why not take that extra precaution on a $2000 piece of electronics.
The solution is simple and not that difficult, put the ECU in a $2 ESD bag and surround it in cheap anti-static wrap to ship.

lobuxracer

iTrader: (2)

I think you'd be shocked at the extremes Toyota calls normal for electronic device protection. When you can hook up your battery terminals backward and not damage your ECM or any of the other 23 ECUs in the car, you know they've gone a long way to be sure their boxes are difficult to kill.

Supras and SC300s (and a wide range of ECMs from the 90's) all suffer from bad electrolytic capacitors. To say ESD was the culprit is missing a bigger picture.

I also have my issues with shorting all the pins together. It just means you'll be able to zap more inputs/outputs with a single touch.

Fsport2UR

Sure, what ever you say Lance. As if I am giving out some really costly bad advice.
First you state, just make sure nothing touches the pins. And now you say, Toyota takes extra precautions to shorting out their ECU(which I am sure they do)..but makes me think, it is ok to touch the pins. With 37 years of dealing with electronics, you also know you either follow ESD or you don't.

Ironic really, I actually recall someone on the MKIV Cali email messageboard about doing a reverse terminal short to reset the ECU on the Supra. This was back about 2000 or so. And you gave that person **** about doing it, and how it could possibly destroy the ECU. I just find it odd you bring it up now to prove a point.

JT2MA71

iTrader: (7)

^^ This!^^ I too, like Justin work for Boeing and have taken a few ESD related classes. Keep in mind, not all damages caused by electrostatic discharge are the same. Some happen instantly, some degrade the components causing them to fail later. Make sure to touch the top of the engine (the least you can do and it's free ) to discharge any static charge you may have before handling the ECU and follow proper packing and label the box with proper stickers, not that the shipper may actually care :/

lobuxracer

iTrader: (2)

No, I actually said don't let the connector shell hit anything. Lexus of Roseville shipped me my steering ECU and because they failed to protect the shell, it moved around in the box provided by Lexus (with zero ESD protection of any kind) and cracked the connector shell. Luckily it didn't compromise the seal so it didn't need to be replaced, but I was a bit pissed off the shell was cracked.

I'd bet money there is no ESD packaging if you buy an ECM from Lexus. The 2013 steering ECU came in a plain cardboard Lexus box with nothing added including padding of any kind. Just my experience so far.

And, yeah, I gave the guy a bunch of crap because they have diode arrays inside their ECMs to protect against inverting the power source accidentally. It doesn't mean they diodes won't pop to protect the rest of the unit. If you like, I can post pics, but this isn't the thread for it.

tas02

iTrader: (2)

Thanks Lance & Ron (JT2MA71) & Fsport2UR for the advice & solutions. I was totally clueless on this issue.
I went to Office Max, Office Depot, USPS, UPS & 2 FedEx's today, none had any pink bubble wrap. The 2nd FedEx did have a box setup with adjustable anti static padding & an envelope designed specifically for shipping electronics, which I'll be using.
Dennis

smiley424

Ok, so what are the dimensions of the ecu so I can buy the correct size End bag?

Compthis

iTrader: (1)

Packed and ready to ship.

tas02

iTrader: (2)

^^^^^^^
Hey Compthis, where did you score that setup??

STLblueF

iTrader: (3)

+1. I'm looking for something similar

ISFPOWER

iTrader: (20)

does anyone know if staples or fedex office have the pink wrap/foam?

Compthis

iTrader: (1)

I passed by Canada computers and they gave me two static bags for free and fedex had that box. The box is made by Uline