08-24-2020, 07:05 PM
(08-22-2020, 07:19 AM)jcredding Wrote: Haven’t seen a good PVC static electric shock discussion in a few years - they were always fun to watch.
Personal experience - I had 6” S&D pvc for about 10 years in my prior shop before going to metal ducting in my new shop. Was there static electricity? Yes. I knew because dust would stick to it and it would raise the hairs on my arms if I got very close (within an inch or so). Was it grounded? No. Did I ever get anything more than the hairs raised on my arms? No. I was more focused on dust collecting on the water heater and somehow have the pilot light ignite it than I was the little static that built up on the plastic pipe (and nothing every happened with that either).
In the end, if you’re concerned, then ground it. It’s a few screws and some wire. But I’ve never heard of a fire or any meaningful zap from PVC static build up.
I seem to recall that the concentration of dust in the air to explode is more than a person without respirator and other PPE would be willing to tolerate. Just like a fuel/air mixture in an engine, either too much or too little 'fuel' (dust) will not support combustion.