Static?

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jmellc

Senior Member
Location
Durham, NC
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Facility Maintenance Tech. Licensed Electrician
Gotta look at a couple of pipe risers tonight that I installed a few months ago. 2 team members were called in and told people were getting shocks when they touched it. Our guys couldn't get it to do it. I had a note to go check it last night but was not told the issue and no one in the area knew of any issues. Risers each have a quad for desks.

I suspect static, as I know my conduits are well grounded. I will double check that tonight, and also check my mounting stands. They are anchored to the concrete with 4 wedge anchors each, should be good bonding but I will open the nuts and scrape paint off, then resecure. I installed these in the spring and only getting the problem now. I think with heat and dry air, the area is more static prone. We have usually had little of this throughout the plant. I've seen it more in other buildings in the past.

Anyone dealt with this lately?
 
Well static will discharge in a fraction of a second.
AC power line leakage will continue. A non-contact probe might be the first step.
Note that we can't call static DC (Direct Current) because there is no current. Maybe direct potential difference.
 
Well static will discharge in a fraction of a second.
AC power line leakage will continue. A non-contact probe might be the first step.
Note that we can't call static DC (Direct Current) because there is no current. Maybe direct potential difference.
Static can build up from environment. I've seen it countless times in carpeted rooms and some with tile floors. Similar to static build up on a hair brush. I have seen it with concrete floors but not as often.
Not lately. Your guys should have been able to duplicate something other than static. Ask those person's feeling the shock to come back personally. Clothing .
They are on 1st shift, I work third. I just came into work tonight. Going over there shortly.
 
Static can build up from environment. I've seen it countless times in carpeted rooms and some with tile floors. Similar to static build up on a hair brush. I have seen it with concrete floors but not as often.

They are on 1st shift, I work third. I just came into work tonight. Going over there shortly.
Where your silkies and a wool sweater. The peak on a static shock in my last home was over 700 volts.
 
Are the shockers wearing those 8" black rubber combat boots?

"hey Frank & Fran, stop touching the pipes". Problem solved.

But on the static view, if they were building up static, they would be getting the zap to everything metal, not just those risers.
 
Still, none of the night people had even heard the issue and had none themselves. I went to each stand, brushed paint from 2 mounting holes and secured it back. Clean readings from pipe and stand to anchor and down into concrete. Left word to call my boss if any other issues. We will see....
 
Are the shockers wearing those 8" black rubber combat boots?

"hey Frank & Fran, stop touching the pipes". Problem solved.

But on the static view, if they were building up static, they would be getting the zap to everything metal, not just those risers.
Most other metal surfaces in that area are painted. I think that makes a big difference.
 
Well static will discharge in a fraction of a second.
AC power line leakage will continue. A non-contact probe might be the first step.
Note that we can't call static DC (Direct Current) because there is no current. Maybe direct potential difference.
There is current at the time of discharge, and if that is what is going on then that discharge current is what is being noticed.
 
We had a floor supervisor that use to think he could adjust the DC drives better than others. That was back in the day when they had potentiometers and rheostats. One of the technicians put up a sign that said, "Caution 50,000 Ohms." The supervisor wasn't sure what Ohms were, but the 50,000-part scared him enough to stop making adjustments.
 
We had a floor supervisor that use to think he could adjust the DC drives better than others. That was back in the day when they had potentiometers and rheostats. One of the technicians put up a sign that said, "Caution 50,000 Ohms." The supervisor wasn't sure what Ohms were, but the 50,000-part scared him enough to stop making adjustments.
All those zeros probably much more effective than just saying 50k as well.
 
Note that we can't call static DC (Direct Current) because there is no current. Maybe direct potential difference.
So by the same logic a battery on the shelf is not DC either, as there is no current flowing? I can read it with a voltmeter, and have to choose between the AC and DC scales. Now I have to relabel the scale that reads battery voltage to DP? Not happening. 😄

As soon as there is a static spark or a shock, current is flowing!
 
So by the same logic a battery on the shelf is not DC either, as there is no current flowing? I can read it with a voltmeter, and have to choose between the AC and DC scales. Now I have to relabel the scale that reads battery voltage to DP? Not happening. 😄

As soon as there is a static spark or a shock, current is flowing!
Makes you wonder. E fields are interesting. Does a batt leak from terminal to terminal?

iu
 
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