static electricity

[head clansman]

hi guys

this is to the electrician on the forum here , As i'm no electrician what is the difference between static electricity and electricity, apart from the strength of the shock you would get from either my reason for the question is my understanding of static electricity (for dust ectraction ) it's normally earthed to a copper earthing pole , while mains electricity is earth back through the green/yellow earth cable in the house or work shop to the fuse box and then to earth , so can static electricity be earth in the same way doing away with the need for another copper earth pole, does that make any sense . Or is it best to keep both earths seperate . hc

 

[RobertMP]

earth is earth so you can connect your static discharge to the house earth with no problems.

You need volts and amps for power transmission. volts x amps = watts in simple DC circuits.

Enough volts combined with enough current flow (amps) can kill you.

Static electricity....Stupidly high number voltage but with very low current makes a spark that can arc across a few mm air gap and makes you jump jump as it leaps off your finger - but because there is so little current does not harm you.

normal electricity....Voltages that are dangerous to touch because they are backed up by a supply that can deliver current as well and enough power to do damage.

Low voltage... Can transmit power too but without higher voltage to overcome our resistance to electricity cannot shock us with enough current to do any harm. A few volts but thousands of amps in a low resistance circuit and you've got a spotwelder for sheet metal.

 

[head clansman]

hi

thanks robert that all i wanted to know really , so i can wire into one of the power socket earths to go to ground/earth . brill that saved some loot . hc

 

[Digit]

Static electricity is what gives me a wallop every time I get out of the car!
What annoys me is that I seem to be the only one that can feel it.
Perhaps I should use an earthing rod!

Roy.

 

[head clansman]

hi digit

now steady mate, where did you intend to place such an item :roll: :-s :-k .hc :lol: :lol:

 

[Digit]

I was thinking of giving it to the wife and letting her get out first! :lol:

Roy.

 

[head clansman]

hi

ooooohhhh, steady you might get made redundant . hc :lol: :lol: :lol:

 

[barkwindjammer]

When you get out of the car, remove ignition key and hold the metal part of the key, then touch the key to the bodywork of the car, you will hear the crack but not feel the spark

 

[Digit]

Will Do. But I still think making the wife get out first is the preferred option! :lol:

Roy.

 

[Mike.C]

Static electricity is what gives me a wallop every time I get out of the car!
What annoys me is that I seem to be the only one that can feel it.
Perhaps I should use an earthing rod!

Roy.

I get the same sort of thing every time I get on a escalator. It has never happened to anyone else I am with just bl££ding me, and I feel a right muppet when I jump back even though most of the time I am expecting it

Cheers

Mike

 

[Digit]

Know the problem Mike. I KNOW I'm gonna get hit and STILL I forget to take steps to avoid it.

Roy.

 

[BMac]

I get static shocks all the time and have found that touching a surface with the back of my hand (fingers) seems to make the whole experience much more tolerable. When I am pushing a shopping trolley I get constant shocks so I tap the back of my fingers against the metal in front of the handle and that seems to reduce the impact of the static by giving tiny, frequent shocks.

Brendan

 

[Mike.C]

Know the problem Mike. I KNOW I'm gonna get hit and STILL I forget to take steps to avoid it.

Roy.

Snap, that's exactly what I mean. I know that it's going to happen yet I still put my hand on it, and 90% of the time I still jump when it happends :roll:

Cheers

Mike

 

[studders]

Another sufferer of static here.
I've learned to discharge meself by touching things knuckles first, far less of a shock and you don't jump back so look less of a silly billy, that of course only works when I remember to do it or know I'm likely to get a shock.

 

[BMac]

'knuckles first'...that's what I was trying to say.

Brendan

 

[woodbloke]

Related but slightly off topic. There are kits available to earth dust extraction systems (running copper wire round the tubes etc) but are they required and are they effective? - Rob

 

[big soft moose]

in theory a plastic pipe extractor system can build up static and the spark can cause a dust explosion - so you earth them by running a copper pipe through the system to earth.

however given the number of sparking brush motors most workshops have, i dont think that the risk from the DE is particularly serious