What is Best Method for Grounding PVC Pipe

[Big John]

I will be installing my dust collection system soon. It will all be

6" PVC pipe. It will only get used about 1 weekend per month.

I would like to find out who has had the best luck grounding similar systems.

It seems that some run a copper wire only inside the pipe, some run a copper wire in and outside the pipe, and some have run aluminum foil tape on the inside of the pipe.

I seriously doubt dust explosions. Having personally seen these type tests done at the NFPA lab in the northeast it would be incredibly difficult to have this happen in a typical home shop.

I desire the grounding to just keep from getting shocked.

What seems to work, and what hasn't worked well?

I am interested to hear only from first hand experience.

Thanks, John

[J]

Save the aluminum foil for your hat.

-j

[Phillip Hallam-Baker]

You are not likely to be very successful in grounding PVC pipe since PVC is an insulator.

You could run tape inside the pipe but that won't do much good either since the air is still a pretty good insulator.

[loutent]

Hi John,

Here's what worked for me for the last 5+ years. I went through the "should I, shouldn't I" routine too, and in the end, I did it because it was silly not to (cost, maybe $20).

At each junction (elbow, wye, etc) I drilled a 1/8 hole in the pipe. I drew the (non-insulated) 22 g wire through each pipe and out each drilled hole. I drew each end taught and affixed with a split-shot on the outside of the pipe so the wire would not sag inside & cause clogs.

I joined the wires across each junction with a wire nut.

I grounded the entire system to a copper cold water pipe that happened to be right next to my dust collector in the basement. Then I attached it to the collector itself.

I'm not an electrician, but so far, so good. I am retired and use the system 3-4 times each week (usually several hours a week total "on" time).

I did read up on it a little, but just used what I thought was some common sense.

Lou

[Kevin Craig]

But it makes one helluva capacitor for static electricity, which is what he's concerned with.

Kevin

[Phillip Hallam-Baker]

And how do you think that adding a second plate to the capacitor is going to change matters?

The only way you are going to affect the charge on the particles is if the ground actually touches them. Thats not going to happen without a serious interference in the air flow.

[Bullwinkle J. Moose]

OH NO!!!!

[LRod]

What do you do with your dog and kids during the winter?

Do the same thing with your DC.

- - LRod

Master Woodbutcher and seasoned termite

Shamelessly whoring my website since 1999

[Patriarch]

Big John wrote in news: [e-mail]:

[Bill Thomas]

Greetings,

My dust pipe from the lathe clogged up due to the shavings catching on the internal ground wire. I removed the wire and have had not static problems. Static from the pipe itself will not bother you since the charge can not move. (For the same reason, 120V in house wiring does not bother you. The insulation keeps the charge from flowing through you.) If you do have static problems, ground the pipe surfaces you will actually touch. In your case, put the grounding on the outside of the pipe where you might touch it. This assumes you do not live where you get yourself a static charge by walking across the carpet in winter. In that case, talk to your local friends and experts about what they actually do. If static really causes you problems, investigate the anti-static information used for manufacturing and repairing electronic equipment.

S> I will be installing my dust collection system soon. It will all be

[Bruce]

On Thu, 6 Jan 2005 17:53:59 -0700, Big John wrote (in article ):

Somewhere (bills site?) I read that a business was having the same problems and wire didn't really do any good. What worked was a strip of the metal tape along the inside of the pipe and a strip on the outside, joined together (grounded) by running a sheet metal screw through both layers of tape every

10 feet or so.

YMMV -Bruce

[Phisherman]

Bill

used 6" PVC and used 2" wide metal tape. Installing the tape might not be an issue with 6" PVC but I want to use 4" PVC. Anyone know about a paint that adheres to PVC and conducts electricity?

[Greg]

You might be able to find some copper bottom paint.

[Roger Shoaf]

Here is some:

can then go whole hog and electroplate the plastic.