Grounding a dust collection system, stuff I should know

http://home.comcast.net/~rodec/woodworking/articles/DC_myths.html
This link will tell you that it is impossible to ground an insulator. It will further tell you that there has never been a recorded incident of an explosion or fire in a home dust collection system that was cause by static. I do think static will be on the plastic pipe and it will give you a tingle. It is like scooting your rubber soled shoes on carpet int he dry weather and touching a light switch or door know. All the things I have read tell me that the best way to stop the static is to wrap the pipe in foil wrap like heavy aluminum wrap such as we cook with. I think it would be best held in place with contact cement but I think this is probably not used often because it is also more difficult and time consuming. We all want it done and over NOW! IF there is a need to “ground” a PVC pipe what should we do with the Clear Vue brand cyclone dust collectors. Look those up on the internet and check them out. Should we wrap the cyclone on one of the better systems on the market. Bill Pendtz designed a dust collection system after health problems and Clear Vue uses it. Read all the things on Bill Pendtz you can find too. It is all over the internet.
Good luck on the endeavor. I am sure you will get a bunch of people commenting and as many opinions. Just remember that opinions are like belly buttons. We all have one.

If you run some of this on the surface then connect a wire to a source of ground this will dissipate the static charge. Copper tape with conductive adhesive

-- OK, who's the wise guy that shrunk the plywood?

BobM001,

I’m running metal ducting, but for those running PVC will certainly benefit from this. That looks like just the right stuff to prevent clogs within the PVC vs bare copper wire run within. Great idea!

-- Randy-- I may not be good...but I am slow!

After reading the article in the first two comments, I’m back at my original standing, I’m not going to do anything but ground the collector itself and maybe the trashcan separator.

I had always thought the risk of explosion in PVC was remote at best, but after being bombarded on another forum a while back about the whole grounding issue, and then seeing a bazillion threads on it, I figured it may have some merit.

Turns out I was worried about nothing.

If it turns out that the PVC shocks the crap out of me all the time (which I can’t see happening, as I don’t plan to fondle it all too often), I might get ambitious and run a strip of aluminum tape down the side of it or something (may even use copper if I’m feeling generous).

But for now, I’m going to just empty the can of affix a metal lid to it at night (held down with something, of course).

Thanks, this was much more helpful than what I was expecting!

-- Kenny