# Dissipating static shock from clear plastic DC run inquiry



## Rayne (Mar 9, 2014)

I know the PVC grounding topic has been beaten to death, revived, and beaten to death again, but this is not one of them…I hope. I have some 2-1/2" clear plastic pipes (designed for dust collection) that I will be using to get to my workbench for easy sanding and cleanup(I'll post a setup later on). The Plastic pipe run is 9', will use 2 plastic couplers to join the 3 - 3' pipes, and 2 - 2-1/2" hose (1 for the shop vac, the other to my workbench). Would the following picture help dissipate the static charge from the pipes and the hose if I used this method (the screws are penetrating the pipes in the picture)? Just enough so I won't get shocked or the hairs on my arms stand straight up like Spiderman.

2nd question. If this method could work to dissipate the charge, does the cooper wire need to be bare or can I use an insulated wire and only expose the copper at the screw posts? (asking because I have copper grounding wire, but it's entirely insulated and would be a pain to remove the entire length).


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## tomd (Jan 29, 2008)

Maybe it's just me but I have been using PVC pipe for 15 years for my dust collector which has a total of 50 feet of 4" PVC and have never experienced a shock or hair raiser as you say.


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## wormil (Nov 19, 2011)

I think you invited a certain dead horse over for dinner and a beating.  I'll get the popcorn.


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## Rayne (Mar 9, 2014)

> Maybe it s just me but I have been using PVC pipe for 15 years for my dust collector which has a total of 50 feet of 4" PVC and have never experienced a shock or hair raiser as you say.
> 
> - tomd


As it is now, I can turn it on, walk near the shopvac setup and the hose will raise the hairs of my arm. Since the new setup will be clear plastic, it will be even moreso like that.



> I think you invited a certain dead horse over for dinner and a beating.  I'll get the popcorn.


Yeah…there was always that possibility, but the static charge is real and was hoping for a solution to dissipate it as it's quite annoying.


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## TheFridge (May 1, 2014)

I didn't really believe it until I ran a trailer full of lumber through my system. It tasered me. I took a video of me leaning a piece of brass against it and a spark jumping to it for a couple secs before petering out. It was awesome. Wish I know how to post to YouTube to show it off.

I don't see why wrapping or tying a bare wire to the pipe wouldn't work. I'd assume it's the same principle as a high voltage cable. Need a drain wire.


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## Rayne (Mar 9, 2014)

> I didn't really believe it until I ran a trailer full of lumber through my system. It tasered me. I took a video of me leaning a piece of brass against it and a spark jumping to it for a couple secs before petering out. It was awesome. Wish I know how to post to YouTube to show it off.
> 
> - TheFridge


Is your video format not compatible with YouTube? There's an upload button in the upper-righthand side of your YouTube home screen to begin the upload process.


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## OSU55 (Dec 14, 2012)

> I think you invited a certain dead horse over for dinner and a beating.  I ll get the popcorn.
> 
> - Woodknack


That debate is not whether static elec is generated but whether it is enough to be dangerous. I grounded mine for the same reason the OP is going to - its annoying whether dangerous or not.


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## firefighterontheside (Apr 26, 2013)

What I can tell you for sure is that when I first turned mine on I could see arcs of electricity inside my metal blast gates. After I ran insulated copper from gate to gate and all the way back to the blower, the arcing never happened again.


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## splintergroup (Jan 20, 2015)

The discharge is not dangerous to your person, but very annoying and could cause you to "twitch" while doing a cut or other operation.

What may work better than the wire (it should be bare along its length) is to wrap a spiral of aluminum adhesive backed duct tape and ground at convenient points.


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## TheFridge (May 1, 2014)

> I didn't really believe it until I ran a trailer full of lumber through my system. It tasered me. I took a video of me leaning a piece of brass against it and a spark jumping to it for a couple secs before petering out. It was awesome. Wish I know how to post to YouTube to show it off.
> 
> - TheFridge
> 
> ...


I am illiterate when it comes to some things. Will try it out.


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## TheFridge (May 1, 2014)

This is after a run of lumber with With system off.


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## Andybb (Sep 30, 2016)

> This is after a run of lumber with With system off.
> - TheFridge


Look at you with the youtube post. I was hoping for a dramatic lightning bolt kinda spark!


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## Rayne (Mar 9, 2014)

There were enough replies that it could work, so I went ahead and did it. It was cheap ($5) and easy to do. I haven't put it through the paces yet, but will tomorrow. If you see anything glaringly wrong, let me know please.


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## Rayne (Mar 9, 2014)

> This is after a run of lumber with With system off.
> 
> - TheFridge


That is absolutely crazy. Never seen that much static buildup to create that kind of arc in a normal DC.


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## TheFridge (May 1, 2014)

> This is after a run of lumber with With system off.
> - TheFridge
> 
> Look at you with the youtube post. I was hoping for a dramatic lightning bolt kinda spark!
> ...


How do you think I discovered it had that much static built up  I took the brunt of it before the video.


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