Grounding a Shark tank

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Keith Hodges
Posts: 584
Joined: Sun Jan 15, 2012 6:46 pm
Location: North Little Rock, Arkansas

Grounding a Shark tank

Post by Keith Hodges »

Getting ready to build a shark tank for my HD. Just wondering if anyone that has already done this, grounded it, or, found a need to do so? I've read a couple articles about controller problems from ungrounded vacuum systems and static electricity. If that is the case, then how did you go about grounding it? I've never had a central vacuum system, but familiar with the need to ground them. Just never actually had to worry about it, so not really sure how to do it. I know there is a wire going through the tubing, but not sure about the attachment locations or process. Any help would be very much appreciated. Keith Hodges
Being retired is hard work. Spending way too much time in the shop these days. (And loving it).
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Wolffie1
Posts: 270
Joined: Wed Oct 24, 2012 3:46 pm

Re: Grounding a Shark tank

Post by Wolffie1 »

I have never felt the need for it.
All the power cords are grounded and that is all I have done.
Cheers
Wolffie

Keith Hodges
Posts: 584
Joined: Sun Jan 15, 2012 6:46 pm
Location: North Little Rock, Arkansas

Re: Grounding a Shark tank

Post by Keith Hodges »

Wolffie. Yes, the power cords are all grounded, but from what little I know about this, the static electricity is a problem from all the dust and particles traveling thru the plastic vacuum lines, not the power cords. Admittedly my total system is only about 10 feet or so, the hose from my shop vac, which goes to a cyclone separator from Rockler, then the hose that will go to the shark tank. Probably not long or strong enough to cause a problem, but when I read that it's been known to cause the control box to quit working, just curious. Someone with a large vacuum system hopefully will chime in. Keith
Being retired is hard work. Spending way too much time in the shop these days. (And loving it).
Shark Pro Plus HD, Vcarve Pro, Photo V Carve, Cut 3D, scan probe.

rungemach
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Location: Sarasota, Florida

Re: Grounding a Shark tank

Post by rungemach »

Hello Keith

To try and answer your question, the movement of material through the dust collection hose can generate static electricity, which must be drained off or it can build up in potential and possibly get high enough to spark to something that will be a path to ground. Since so much of the Shark is plastic, some of the better paths to ground are the motor wires etc.( as there is no metal machine frame to ground). The static charge is on the vacuum hose itself and a convenient way to bleed off the charges as they build will be to ground the wire that runs through most flexible vacuum hose. You can ground the hose at the vacuum end, which may be more convenient.

In my setup I have a metal "Super Dust Deputy cyclone" separator between the vacuum motor and the Shark. I cut away a small section of the hose at the end to reveal the wire inside, and connected the wire to the metal separator, which is then grounded. Now the static drains out to ground through the hose wire before it can build to any "jumping" potential. Of your separator is plastic, you can connect the hose wires on the separator inlet and outlet and ground the hose wire at the vacuum source.
Last edited by rungemach on Sat Jan 19, 2013 10:09 am, edited 1 time in total.

Keith Hodges
Posts: 584
Joined: Sun Jan 15, 2012 6:46 pm
Location: North Little Rock, Arkansas

Re: Grounding a Shark tank

Post by Keith Hodges »

Thanks Rungemach, that all sounds pretty familiar from bits and pieces I've picked up over the years. But never had any reason to try it. Right now I'm using a Craftsman shop vac, and a fairly inexpensive cyclone seperator, and, I'm not positive, but I don't think there's any wire anywhere in the plastic hoses. I guess in this case I could just run a bare wire through the hose and exit just before the vac, and ground at that point?
Being retired is hard work. Spending way too much time in the shop these days. (And loving it).
Shark Pro Plus HD, Vcarve Pro, Photo V Carve, Cut 3D, scan probe.

tonydude
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Location: Buffalo,NY

Re: Grounding a Shark tank

Post by tonydude »

Here is some info I found about static electric.

Static pressure build-up in a dust collection system is influenced by a number of factors. An excessive number of turns in the air stream produced by elbows, wyes, and T's are primary culprits in building up static pressure losses that hamper the system's performance. Duct size also plays a major role. The static pressure losses in in straight runs of narrow diameter ductwork are far more severe than in comparable runs of a larger diameter duct. In setting up a dust collection system, one of the main challenges is to design a system that will move air with enough force to overcome static pressure losses and still deliver the air velocity and volume necessary to effectively transport woodworking debris.
Buffalo,NY

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BillK
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Re: Grounding a Shark tank

Post by BillK »

I saw a review of dust separators here on the forum and purchased a Dust Deputy which I installed in line with my Shark tank dust system. It really meets it claims of collecting 99% of the dust, extending the usefulness of your filters.

It's made of plastic but they supply a foil tape that you attach to the side so that it contacts the hose attachments. You then run a wire from a bolt point touching the tape to a piece of scrap metal on your floor. It seems to work great, never got zapped and I don't see dust clinging to any thing.
BillK
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Keith Hodges
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Joined: Sun Jan 15, 2012 6:46 pm
Location: North Little Rock, Arkansas

Re: Grounding a Shark tank

Post by Keith Hodges »

BillK, that's kind of what I'm thinking about. Although I'm thinking what I have set up now may be a little to small to worry about, but thinking I may expand to a whole shop system in the future. Some of the problems I've read about wasn't so much for getting shocked, although that's definitely possible, but causing an explosion. Maybe I've just got too much free time to think about this stuff. Gotta get back to carving! ;0)
Being retired is hard work. Spending way too much time in the shop these days. (And loving it).
Shark Pro Plus HD, Vcarve Pro, Photo V Carve, Cut 3D, scan probe.

Wolffie1
Posts: 270
Joined: Wed Oct 24, 2012 3:46 pm

Re: Grounding a Shark tank

Post by Wolffie1 »

Asked the question to "the powers that be".

The corrugated hoses do not need to be earthed as they already have a wire in them but the do restrict airflow.
Smooth PVC tubing create static electricity when the dust whirls through and need to be earthed but, apparently, it is not terribly effective
So the choice is:
Loose suction and be as safe as possible
or
use PVC tubing with better suction and risk a fire in the saw dust bag
or
earth the piping and be as safe as is possible but not 100%
Cheers
Wolffie

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