# Sparks when vacuuming sawdust



## jaidee (Oct 16, 2010)

Hi Y'all,

In my garage shop I was cleaning up after a short cutting project. I use a Vortex bucket connected to my shop vac to extend the life of the HEPA filter. While vacuuming up a small pile of sawdust I started getting static shocks and noticed small static electric arcs appearing along the hose. I know that this is not a good thing and that is why dust filtration systems are heavily grounded. But I don't have the room or money for a dedicated filtration system. For now I am using my shop vac/Vortex hooked up to each machine as I use it to keep the dust down. I haven't noticed this problem when it's hooked to a machine but I'm not usually watching it while I'm cutting/routing/jointing, etc. Any thoughts on how I can ground this set-up so I don't wake up in the hospital burn unit some day? Thanks in advance for your thoughts…...

jd


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## BillWhite (Jul 23, 2007)

This may sound a little goofy, but I put a couple generic clothes dryer "softening" sheets through the vac hose letting 'em stay in the canister. Add new ones when I empty the vac. Stops static just like in the clothes dryer.
Just another mindless shop tip from the White Book of Barnyard Senseless Stuff.
Bill


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## jaidee (Oct 16, 2010)

Hey, I've seen goofy work before so I'm not above trying goofy. Thanks for the tip, I'm gonna try it tonight.

jd


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## ajosephg (Aug 25, 2008)

Other than the discomfort the shock gives, there is no danger of starting a sawdust fire. This has been extensively blogged and researched.


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## joeyinsouthaustin (Sep 22, 2012)

many dust collection hoses are coiled with steel so you can ground them. Assuming the vortex bucket is plastic it may have "insulated" your system. connect a ground wire between the hose entering the vortex and the dust collector or hose connecting to the vacuum groud.

sorry need to read better…. add a ground wire from the vac hose to vac.

i am curious… did the dryer sheets work.


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