PVC and dust collectio safety

I have been stetting up my new shop over the past few months and have researched dust collection on the net and by reading a few books on the subject. This morning I found this article on the Wood Whisperer site.

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basically states that there is almost no chance of a fire/explosion from using ungrounded PVC ducts with your dust collector.

cm

Reply to
cm
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Because the hose and or PVC pipe will discharge static electricity, I have been zapped on numerous occasions, I suggest you not have open flammables close to a possible static electricity discharge location.

Additionally, almost no chance does not exclusively mean no chance. Almost any home or shop has no chance of a fire or explosion whether it has a dust collector or not.

Common sense precautions should always be observed.

Reply to
Leon

Leon,

I agree with your comments. Very good point on the flammables.

One of the books I read suggested it is not worth the chance to use PVC ducting. I would say it is very safe along with some grounding.

Reply to
cm

Oh no! not the PVC grounding thread again...

Wrecker A: It is safe if you ground it.

Wrecker B: You can't ground PVC, it is an insulator.

Wrecker C: Don't listen to B, mine is grounded and I've never been shocked.

Wrecker B: C has been very lucky.

Wrecker D: I worked for Norad after I graduated from MIT and we were not allowed to use PVC because of the explosion hazards.

Wrecker E: B & D are overstating the risk, in the past 200 years Lloyds has never paid an explosion claim for a home workshop using PVC dust collection.

Wrecker F: What is ABPW? and why can't I get to it.

There, that should about cover it.

Reply to
Limp Arbor

Wrecker Rob: I was dreaming about Swedish girls, and then thoughts about ungrounded PVC destroyed it all, in one loud boom.

Fixed you post. ;-)

Reply to
FrozenNorth

Reply to
Pat Barber

I think the chances are slim but possible depending on the circumstances. Half of my 20 flexible hose is grounded and I get zapped on occasion. For that matter I get zapped every time I get out of my truck during the winter months.

Reply to
Leon

Even at the gas station while other people are pumping gas? And you haven't spontaneously combusted?!

Reply to
Steve Turner

I am not sure how old you are but I recall numerous news reports of fires at the pumps caused by a static discharge. Pumps in Houston warn to not fill loose gas cans inside a vehicle.

Reply to
Leon

LOL...

Angela likes to study curled up on the couch in the den with this warm fuzzy, synthetic-fur-like blanket. Now, with this cold snap, the air is dry. She got off the couch and shed the blanket and reached for the aluminium mac keyboard. The sound of that static crack, and Ang's reaction certainly had the Swedish twins button up in record speed.

Reply to
Robatoy

My wife just plays with her iPod Touch 32GB, while wearing sweats. ;-)

Reply to
FrozenNorth

I wouldn't dispute that, but no I hadn't heard any such reports and I figure if they were "numerous" I would have heard of at least one. Anyway, my (implied) point was that the odds of an explosion in the presence of static electricity and gasoline vapors would seem far more likely that one in a wood shop, but how's about we just forget I said anything and we'll put the lid back on this can of worms...

BTW, I just turned forty-mffmefmfs... :-)

Reply to
Steve Turner

I've seen video of the exploding gas at the pumps. Usually caused when in the winter someone sets the pump to fill, gets back in the car to keep warm, then gets out and grabs the pump handle. I think that is one reason self service pump do not have the locking fill handle.

Reply to
Ed Pawlowski

In all the western states I've driven through Washington, California, Idaho, Nevada, Utah, Arizona, Colorado, Montana, New Mexico, Texas, etc), I've never seen any non-locking fill handles, in fact I've never seen even one! I assume you're talking about the three position ridged thingie with the metal spring loaded fliper thingie thaqt allows you to "set and forget"? Can't be sure about Oregon as they don't allow self serve.

Reply to
Doug Winterburn

Lucky you. In CT or MA you won't find one where the thingie has not been removed. I hate holding the thing in freezing weather or when I could be cleaning the windshield. You can jam it with the gas cap though, but only in a slow position.

I did have a near accident though some years ago when self service first started. The person before me put the handle back in the locked on position. I picked it up and turned the switch on and gas started to spew. I was able to stop it quickly, but enough spilled that it could have been serious had a smoker been right there. Pumps have since been redesigned.

Reply to
Ed Pawlowski

Which is why I keep a piece of velcro on the lid holder on the gas cap.

Reply to
J. Clarke

In CT some pumps have 'em, some don't, even at the same station. I've been assuming that they just got busted off and nobody replaced 'em.

Reply to
J. Clarke

In Houston? You gotta be kiddin' me. Can't you pretty much squeeze water out of the air down there?

That kind of stuff is a regular occurrence for us in AZ. We've got a humidifier that we run in the winter just to avoid being shocked when touching any metal.

Reply to
Mark & Juanita

While I agree that an explosion from saw dust and a static spark is unlikely, the work shop does have volatile substances that could ignite. My original point to my post was to point out that saw dust in the dust collector is not the only thing that could be ignited by a static spark.

Forty What? LOL

Reply to
Leon

That makes sense, all of that. I recall pump handles not having a lock and then a few years ago the lock levers began to reappear. In Houston I think all pumps have the lock and we are seeing an increase in fires at the pump.

Reply to
Leon

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