Static Shock When Vacuuming

[bdaoust]

I have the PowerSmith Ash Vacuum and get a pretty nasty static shock when vacuuming my P68.

Two things I wonder a) are the outlets properly grounded, b) if I should put a humidifier in the stove room.

Thoughts?

 

[stoveguy2esw]

while vacuuming ash out , if you keep your "free hand" in contact with the stove you generally will not get shocked, the static is coming from the ash itself. i get this in my shop a lot especially when im cleaning a stove with a larger amount of ash. this happens even with the vac and the stove plugged into a grounded plug or if the stove is not plugged in at all.

 

[tjnamtiw]

This is a result of conveying particles along the inside of a plastic (a great insulator) tube, especially in low humidity situations. One way around it is to run a wire down the inside of the hose and ground it. Not all that practical for a movable device like an ash vac. I don't see it because I use an ash vac with a metal tube that gets grounded through me to the stove. You could do the wire trick and ground it to the stove, if it is really annoying.

 

[scooby074]

Better vacs are available that will disipate the charge. They use conductive hoses and tie into the grounding system. Its a common problem when vacuuming dusts like drywall and fine sawdust. There are even some kits you can buy to adapt other vacs.

Vacs like the festool (broken link removed to http://www.rockler.com/festool-ct-mini-dust-extractor) or bosch airsweep are available with antistatic hose

 

[BGStG1aholic]

shocks such as this are good to keep the blood flowing - no worry

I touch an electric fence now and then just for the memories of childhood

 

[wsar10]

put a 1M resistor between you and gnd, than it wont hurt so bad !

On a serious note, look into an ESD wrist strap, make sure its a decent one. Techni-tool has them pretty cheap that have the 1M resistor built in. than gnd it to the earth gnd on an outlet. You could probably tear apart your sweeper and gnd it to the earth of the motor, it will be independent of the canister.

 

[pell it]

put a 1M resistor between you and gnd, than it wont hurt so bad !

On a serious note, look into an ESD wrist strap, make sure its a decent one. Techni-tool has them pretty cheap that have the 1M resistor built in. than gnd it to the earth gnd on an outlet. You could probably tear apart your sweeper and gnd it to the earth of the motor, it will be independent of the canister.

the powersmith has a two wire plug

 

[peirhead]

Always touch suspect live electrical surfaces with your knuckle first....if live, your muscles will contract and pull your hand away from the surface.....if you touch with an open hand you will clench and possibly grab the live connection thereby having an unhappy outcome.

 

[tjnamtiw]

Like I said earlier, just run a length of bare wire down the hose. On the end sticking out near the vacuum, make it long enough to reach your stove and put an alligator clip on it that you clip to the chassis. OR get one of the hoses mentioned above that probably have metal particles or graphite in them OR get a real ash vac with a metal hose OR hang on to the stove while vacuuming. Choices, choices, choices.

 

[BrotherBart]

I am trying to get my head around this static shock stuff. I have a Powersmith in the basement for the pellet puppy and one up stairs for the wood stove. And haven't had any shocking moments all Winter. Guess it is because of the plastic cover on the hose. Which is plugged into a plastic collar in the vac body.

 

[BrotherBart]

Like I said earlier, just run a length of bare wire down the hose. On the end sticking out near the vacuum, make it long enough to reach your stove and put an alligator clip on it that you clip to the chassis. OR get one of the hoses mentioned above that probably have metal particles or graphite in them OR get a real ash vac with a metal hose OR hang on to the stove while vacuuming. Choices, choices, choices.

The hose is plastic covered metal.

 

[Polar Bear]

I get it the odd time as well. However a little shock is better than a kick in the gut from Hydro One

 

[johneh]

I get it the odd time as well. However a little shock is better than a kick in the gut from Hydro One

You get the Hydro one kick every month

 

[Polar Bear]

You get the Hydro one kick every month

Now it's less of a kick, more of a tickle

 

[bonesy]

This winter was the first year I started experiencing shocks while vacuuming the ash. I just keep one hand on the door so I don't get them.

 

[Dr.Faustus]

I get them too with my shop vac. The shocks are not so bad when its fine light ash, but if its heavy ash, especially if its mixed with some unburned pellets from say a failed ignitor attempt, the shocks are much stronger.