Grounding the body

[jxofaltrds]

So our EGC's aren't true grounds but their little ground spike is?

Also, it's a violation of the NEC not to bond all grounding electrodes together.




It appears that somebody didn't get the memo:

The original question was whether connection to an isolated stake in the ground, or connection to the GEC system by way of the grounding jack in a receptacle were allowed by Code.
Some posts were relevant to this, others were concerned with whether grounding the body was "weird", a word I remember from high school.

As to Code, and other electrical questions:
Shielding often uses some of the conductive materials that are used for grounding. The shielding is usually for radio frequency and higher. Static discharge is another function.

The post that mentioned the routine use of grounded wrist straps in industry; can you tell me what they were grounded to? It occurs to me that the NEC question may have already been answered, since these are mass produced and used in computer manufacturing, and any process where static charge could damage the product. The wrist straps contain a built-in 1 megohm resistor, so that they are protected from an accidental energizing.

The providers of devices, as well as the researchers, are not thoroughly familiar with the questions about grounding that this forum was created to deal with, stemming from Mike Holt's books. That is why I am asking these questions, so I can pass on the best opinions to the researchers and product providers.

Some think the isolated stake is the better, or purer, connection to earth. Others assume the GEC system is fine. The health effects results would seem to confirm that either works.

But to get back to the short metal stake in the ground, I do not think it is correct to call it a grounding electrode, since it is not part of the building electrical system, and is not purposed to ground an electrical device, in NEC terms. So the NEC question is, is it even covered by the NEC, assuming that there are no metal parts likely to be accidentally energized? I solicit opinions about this.

Someone mentioned metalized threads and the danger of being in contact with them if they are grounded. The cloth I am using ("anti-static fabric") recommended has carbon fibers woven in, and has high enough resistance to keep currents at about 1 mA or less. The metalized (silver) fabric he mentioned has a much lower resistance and must be used with a resistor or mA fuse.

ALL CONDUCTIVE CONTACT WITH THE BODY SHOULD BE DISCONTINUED IF THUNDERSTORMS ARE IN THE AREA. But this applies to any contact with grounded metal in the building, as well as to computers and sensitive instruments. So this is not a factor as far as my question goes. I notice that the product info sheets contain this safety warning.

If anyone has opinions on either safety or NEC (should be the same, but not always), please contribute your opinion. We are close to getting this solved.

See next post about "weird", etc.

I think that the cord violations 400.7. I think 400 applies because it is plugged into a receptacle outlet.

I have a problem with #4 in the picture because of a paralled path for the EGC but can not find a NEC violation.

The 'ground rod' (8-10") IMHO does not fall under the NEC. If it does not meet 250.52(A)(5) so 250.53 does not apply.

Also some of the FAQ scare me. http://www.earthinginstitute.net/index.php/faq

 

[K8MHZ]

I think that the cord violations 400.7. I think 400 applies because it is plugged into a receptacle outlet.

I have a problem with #4 in the picture because of a paralled path for the EGC but can not find a NEC violation.

The 'ground rod' (8-10") IMHO does not fall under the NEC. If it does not meet 250.52(A)(5) so 250.53 does not apply.

Also some of the FAQ scare me. http://www.earthinginstitute.net/index.php/faq

Some are just funny

One of my colleagues came in from the West coast. She had a bad case of jet lag. I told her to take her shoes and socks off and step outside on the grass for 15 minutes. When she came back in, she was completely transformed. Her jet lag was gone. That is how fast Earthing works.

 

[ELA]

I imagine you would need to "drive" a ground rod for this to work?

I imagine you would need to "drive" a ground rod for this to work?

From the site:

http://www.shop.earthing.net/Car-Mat_c6.htm

 

[macmikeman]

I imagine you would need to drive Two ground rods for this procedure, to meet code, unless you could demonstrate to the staff at Hogsworth Institute that you have less than 25 ohms resistance to ground.

The "health" effects of sleeping directly on the ground has been long known to the older folks down in the deep south. Many didn't have an option in certain communities across the tracks. They are only too happy to have been redeemed out of that sort of "healthy" lifestyle. This is tree hugger science...

 

[macmikeman]

What I like to do is plug into my fluxgate magnatomiter.....

 

[K8MHZ]

From the site:

http://www.shop.earthing.net/Car-Mat_c6.htm

The product itself defies their own 'logic'.

I know from working at a dealership that the metal in a car can attain a respectable amount of voltage differential from the earth. When car computers were first coming out, customers would get a static zap as they entered or left the car and the car wouldn't start because a computer got killed. Bonding one's self to the metal of a car will increase the potential between a person and the earth, not make it the same.

 

[karl riley]

ELA,
How are the wrist straps used in industry bonded to ground?

I will check out 400-7

 

[Dennis Alwon]

Karl I am thinking about converting an old electric blanket-- do you think that will work?

 

[K8MHZ]

Karl I am thinking about converting an old electric blanket-- do you think that will work?

How about a 'quilt' made of old anti-static bags instead?

 

[karl riley]

Actually, if you were to cut off the plug, connect all conductors together, and bond to ground, it should work fine.

The antstatic bags I measured with an ohmmeter were not conductive.

I am still hoping to hear how wrist straps are bonded in computer factories.

 

[karl riley]

About car grounding, they do sell grounding straps for cars. When I grew up, fuel trucks and others dragged a chain for grounding. Since I don't see that these days I wondered if tires had been made conductive. Will test my vehicle for resistance to ground.

 

[iwire]

I am still hoping to hear how wrist straps are bonded in computer factories.

In some labs we have done we have bonded the metal work benches to the building steel with a 10 AWG copper conductor and they connect the wrist strap to that.

 

[Dennis Alwon]

Actually, if you were to cut off the plug, connect all conductors together, and bond to ground, it should work fine.

I am planning on keeping the plug intact and making an adapter where all the wires get connected together to the ground pin of a standard cord cap. This way I don't ruin the blanket.

 

[ELA]

ELA,
How are the wrist straps used in industry bonded to ground?

I will check out 400-7

Karl,

I do not have access to any standards that might cover the personnel safety aspects of ESD strap grounding.

Here is one reference that sites some ESD standards and speaks to the maximum voltage level that can be present in a work area where straps are being bonded to the building steel or EG.

http://www.desco.com/Articles/ESDAroundHighVoltage.aspx

As long as the voltage in the work area is less than the 250V stated I am not sure all that much thought goes into how the other end of the strap (from the 1 meg ohm resistor) is grounded/earthed.

I appreciate the fact that you yourself feel that you have benefited by being earthed. While I do not accept the concept that free electron exchange is what causes the relief, perhaps there is something beneficial in bringing oneself closer to Mother Earth?

I would recommend that an "earth filled channel be built up from the basement or crawlspace directly underneath the bed". That way a person could elect to sleep directly on the ground but still be protected within their home. Without the uneasy feeling of being tethered to remote earth through an electrical conductor.
This way an electrician would not need to be called or have to worry about the safety aspects of the grounding request.

 

[jxofaltrds]

Karl,

I do not have access to any standards that might cover the personnel safety aspects of ESD strap grounding.

Here is one reference that sites some ESD standards and speaks to the maximum voltage level that can be present in a work area where straps are being bonded to the building steel or EG.

http://www.desco.com/Articles/ESDAroundHighVoltage.aspx

As long as the voltage in the work area is less than the 250V stated I am not sure all that much thought goes into how the other end of the strap (from the 1 meg ohm resistor) is grounded/earthed.

I appreciate the fact that you yourself feel that you have benefited by being earthed. While I do not accept the concept that free electron exchange is what causes the relief, perhaps there is something beneficial in bringing oneself closer to Mother Earth?

I would recommend that an "earth filled channel be built up from the basement or crawlspace directly underneath the bed". That way a person could elect to sleep directly on the ground but still be protected within their home. Without the uneasy feeling of being tethered to remote earth through an electrical conductor.
This way an electrician would not need to be called or have to worry about the safety aspects of the grounding request.

What about the required vapor barrier. Wouldn't do much good sleeping on the plastic.

 

[karl riley]

ELA, you answered the question I was going to ask, and that was, since building steel is bonded to the GEC system, what NEC article would you quote to the inspector to justify your connections, or would you say that NEC is silent on this connection?
You answered this in your post. Thank you. Not an NEC issue.

As to building an earth channel in your bedroom, interesting, but not gonna happen!

Many of my friends have now experienced a night sleeping over a grounded conducive sheet (ohm-protected). Responses are usually strong, including chronic pain areas pain free for the first time in years, etc. Not a placebo effect, as shown in double blind studies. So this is a really major health breakthrough, which is why I thought it was important to clarify the NEC and safety issues. As to why it works on so many acute and chronic health conditions, I would not be too quick to have an opinion. When your only connection to earth is by a wire, do not rule out electrons!

 

[karl riley]

ELA, I just went through the ESD regulations link you gave, with all the references to regulations concerning connection to ground of personnel. Excellent reference. It all comes down to incorporating a resistor close to the contact point of the body that limits current in a fault situation to 0.5 mA.

Thanks again.

 

[ELA]

Karl,
I have suffered chronic pains for years and would love to have relief as simple as connecting my body to earth. I like that option way better than the thousands of dollars in doctors fees I laid out for no real relief

When these studies claim that an equilibrium with earth potential is beneficial do they also claim the opposite is then true? In other words, is a body that is excessively negative or positively charged, with respect to the earth, expected to result in a poorer level of health?

 

[karl riley]

ELA,
What happens immediately when you ground yourself is that any excess charge you are carrying is discharged. Check your AC voltage to ground before and after grounding. Use the 20V setting.

The experience of thousands of groundings for health purposes is that there is no such thing as an overdose. So it is assumed that the body takes what it needs, or discharges what it needs.

The $3.95 wrist strap and connecting to a grounded point is all you need to try it out at your bed. The wrist strap has a spring coiled lead which allows a lot of flexibility if you move around a lot at night.

Let me know if you feel a change. Try a private message then, since it is no longer strictly an NEC matter.

 

[charlie b]

WARNING: The following represents a personal opinion, and nothing more than a personal opinion.

I looked at the web site. I spent all the time I thought it was worth, a total of almost a whole minute! I needed no more time, because it immediately screamed at me, and the thing it screamed was ?buy my snake oil.?

I do not believe there is anything scientific about it. I do not accept that there is any scientific basis to anything stated on the web site. Certainly, there are statements that are true, but that does not cause the overall message to contain truth.

I do not believe the body needs electrons, or needs to get rid of electrons. I do not believe that any type of connection between skin and dirt has any positive (or negative) health effects. I do not place any faith or trust in the author of the book, regardless of his experience and academic credentials. I do not place any faith in any testimonials published on that site. I believe that anyone who obtained a better night?s sleep by being grounded achieved that better sleep for no other reason than that they believed it would work.

I believe that if you did a legitimate scientific study in which you observed a person?s sleep over a period of some weeks, but unbeknownst to the subject you disconnected the conductive sheet from the ground path on some random days, they would not sleep badly on those days and sleep well on the days the ground was connected.

In summary, I believe that that web site is an infomercial, and that is all it is.

But to directly answer the original question: I do not believe that there can be any NEC issues involved in this practice. The human body is not part of the premises wiring system, and thus the NEC does not apply.

By the way, I also do not believe there are any health effects from wearing a magnetic bracelet.