Dust Collection Unit - Woodworking Talk

trucky9754 · 06-10-2007, 10:36 PM

I just got a used industrial dust collection unit from a factory my son is working at. This unit is an Ace-ITT Holub Industry unit. The unit has a 1hp motor on it and it sits on top of a 55gal drum. It has 2- 4" openings so I can take the vac system in two directions. I have never owned a dust collection system so I am new to this. I was going to run pvc pipe around my shop and place "T's" in the locations where my equpiment is located at in my shop. Then run flexible tubing to my equpiment. My question is do I need to ground this pvc pipe. Is pvc pipe going to work for the main line or should I spend the money on the pipe designed for a vac system. I've talked to several people and some say it has to be grounded and others say it doesn't. I need as much help on this subject as possible. Thanks in advance
Trucky9754

Big Dave · 06-11-2007, 08:05 AM

You will need to ground it. I get a heck of a shock from my shop vac when picking up dust and chips and a dust collector will be much worse.

solidwoods · 06-11-2007, 08:22 AM

Dust collection pipe should be grounded.
pvc pipe makes great pipe, but as is it has no way to ground.
I've seen copper wire run in side, and screws screwed into the pipe connected with wire. Both work OK, but long slivers can get hung up and cause a chip jam.

If you try a grounding concept like above, I'd try not glueing the joints till I worked out the bugs.

If the pvc run is short, it won't generate much static electricity.
If the run does makes static elec. you'll be the first to know it.

Metal pipe does cost more yes, but its easy to ground, and once you have the pipe you'll always have it, it doesnt degrade. And no static shocks or chance of a dust explosion, so it's not a bad investment.

One thing to watch is , a 1 hp dust collector won't allow a very long run, or many short runs open at once, or much elevation change. So blast gates on the machines not in use will help.

Also plastic flex pipe is a killer of vac performance, so keep it to a min.

I don't think this applies to your type of collector but: Running the chips into an open container with out the bag will get you a little better performance. The filter causes resistance to air flow.
I use one of the stand up dust collector rings that has an upper and lower bag, I removed the bottom of the lower bag. It is set on top of a box trailer just outside the shop. The chips enter the ring and fall out the bottom of the bottom bag and into the trailer.
jim

jodiemeglio · 06-11-2007, 09:34 PM

I shocked the crap out of myself today in the shop. I'll be grounding my lines tomorrow for sure!

Gerry KIERNAN · 07-01-2007, 12:43 PM

Hi

I am putting together a dust collection system, that I bought from Busy Bee. It has 21/2 inch clear PVC pipe, tees, elbows, couplings, etc. I was putting some thought into ways of grounding the system, without impeding the flow, and I think I have it figured out. The system joints are slip fit, so I probably won't be gluing them together. What I thought I would do is drill small holes in each tee, coupling, or elbow, to fit # 10 scews. I would then install pan head screws with the head inside the part, so that the threads and shank stick out. I figured I would secure nuts to the screw threads with loctite, and the reinstall the fittings into the system. I would then connect copper wire to the screws, using electrical crimp on end terminals, and secure them with non locking nuts and washers. With the heads of the pan head screws inside the fittings there should be minimal interference with the air and particle flow.
I am wondering if I should ground the flex hoses to the equipment also, or will grounding the piping be enough? Any thoughts on this?

Gerry

daryl in nanoose · 07-01-2007, 01:16 PM

The biggest thing a person can do to maximize there system is to reduce the amount of 90 degree turns. Instead of T's use a y and go from there. Use lots of blast gates to minimize the length runs and minimize the amount of flex pipe. Don't glue the PVC togeather, use acrlic latex caulk after the system is put togeather that way if you have to change anything you will not have the hastle of glued pipe.