>So I assume that I was not at all lost with I was doing.
>But all this does not solve my problem.
>Due to the density of the tester circuit adding a bunch of resistors (even
>in DIL packages) is a relatively heavy impact on the size of the board, but
>if I can't find any other solutions that's what I'm gonna end up doing...
>If using a resistor is the only feasable option I have, what I want to know
>is how small a value can I use???


OOOkay. now I understand, and for this application, there may be some help.
Depending on the number of conductors, it is possible to use a relay to
ground one input of the tester until the test begins.. If your tester plugs
in to this side first, then they will discharge the cable capacitances to
ground. Then when the test begins, you can release the relay, and it's not
in the way for testing.  Ideally you would use relays on both sides, but
that might be prohibitively expensive.

If you have to stick with resistors, go as large as you can. The thing is,
you can never say how large a whack you're going to have to take.. I made a
home-made ESD tester a while back that might (with the help of a scope) get
you where you need to go.. I used a 12V CRT power supply, 15kV output
(module, surplus) to charge a 200pF cap made out of 0.062" PCB material
through a 60 meg resistor. This whole thing sits on a sheet of PCB material
about 1' x 2'
The thickness of the pcb material is such that it arcs over when you obtain
about 2000V. This provides crude regulation. A 1500 ohm resistor between
that cap and a probe, lets you feed calibrated "zaps" into your gear.
Schaffner makes the "pro" version, but be prepared with your bosss's credit
card!

If you use a fast storage scope on your chip inputs, then you can watch
what happens.  The cap and R were chosen to be real close to the standard
human body discharge model. This isn't any kind of maximum. I've personally
thrown a lot hotter spark than that does, just by wearing the wrong shoes.
Hint: There's a REASON that the vegas slot machine crowd taps the metal
machine case with a quarter before touching it, and it isn't for luck!

Additionally, since this is industrial gear, you can educate your user to
use a ground strap, which will help.

You also have to worry about cables that might be carrying a charge between
the conductors, (they actually make a fair capacitor that way) and longer
cables are obviously worse. Further, some insulation is triboelectric, so
if Mr Tester drops a coil of cable on the floor, he can induce a spike that
could still kill your inputs. This is probably stretching it for
triboeletric insulation, but it's a possibility.

So this is a lot different than if you had some device out in the field
used by Joe public as he shuffles across the casino carpet in his
plastic-soled shoes, causing all the ladies fur coats to look like rabid
raccoons on a bad hair-day..
There is hope.

:)