Grounding my dust collection system.

[SomeGuys2007]

Is there anyone out there that knows the proper way to ground my dust collection system that's going to my PRS Alpha. I have had issues with my CNC since I purchased it (almost three years now) and am losing a lot of money ruining material as a result.

I have a vacuum hold-down table that I made myself using MDF and a shop vac to creat the suction. Should copper wire run inside the hose or around the outside?
Should everything ultimately be grounded to the base of my dust collector and then away from the dust collector to a grounding post?

Any input would be greatly appreciated.

[Gary Campbell]

https://youtu.be/zKzjhp-yDkE

[bking1836]

Is there anyone out there that knows the proper way to ground my dust collection system that's going to my PRS Alpha. I have had issues with my CNC since I purchased it (almost three years now) and am losing a lot of money ruining material as a result.

I have a vacuum hold-down table that I made myself using MDF and a shop vac to creat the suction. Should copper wire run inside the hose or around the outside?
Should everything ultimately be grounded to the base of my dust collector and then away from the dust collector to a grounding post?

Any input would be greatly appreciated.

I just went 10 rounds with static and finally won. Follow Gary's video for sure. I also drove a ground rod 6 feet into the ground through the concrete floor of the shop and attached heavy gauge bare copper wire from the DC frame to the rod. There are many who don't see the wisdom in the approach. My electrician, however, believed it was the critical piece of the puzzle. All I can tell you is this: the last thing I did, which finally solved my problem, was make 2 changes at once (so much for the scientific method). I (mostly) separated the DC hose from the shopbot with rigid foam insulation AND installed the driven ground rod. Since then, no problems at all. Was it one or the other or both? No idea, but at this point I don't care because it works!!

[dmidkiff]

Spoken like a true scientist. :) I had 2 ground rods on my shop for the main panel. Had another on the complete opposite side of shop. Never had any static problems and never had lightening take out any equipment in the shop. While just 70' to 80' away lost phones, tv's, vcrs, pcs and cable boxes to lightening. A few years ago I update the electrical system to the house and had the electrician install a second ground
and a surge protector. No damage since.

I also listen to Gary and several others here with good results. Thanks guys.

[SomeGuys2007]

Gary. This is the video I watched: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zKzjhp-yDkE
I hope this is the right one. If there is another then please let me know.
I also watched a video on youtube and the gentleman suggests running ground wire around the outside of the hose. What is the difference? I would be inclined to trust your method since it would appear that the static is generated inside the hose. I will try you method today and see how that works.
Thank you so much for your help. I will post progress.

[myxpykalix]

The static electricity is generated by the material flowing thru the hose. Having the wire inside attracts the charge and then when you have it grounded to the chasis of your dust collection that charge flows to the dust collector and is grounded.

[SomeGuys2007]

I ran stranded copper wire throughout all of my hoses and have them grounded at the chassis of the dust collector. I just ran a surfacing path on my table with the new grounding and didn't have any issues! I left the dust collector on as I noticed some dust had accumulated on the inside of the hose going to the dust shoe. I tapped the hose and the dust proceeded up the vaccum hose as it's supposed to. It must have just been trapped on the inside ribs of the hose. Had there been static, I would assume that it would have stayed on the inside of the hose. Please tell me if I'm wrong about that.
Next question... Do I need to ground the shopvacs that I use for my vacuum hold down tables? I am assuming that I do but to what should I ground it as there is nothing metal in the visible part of the shop vac?