Is this a suitable ground for an anti static mat clip?
Is this a suitable ground for an anti static mat clip? (pictures attached)
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No. That's the #1 deadly sin of grounding (thinking this will work going into concrete):
The best ground is to use the electrical ground wire from your house wiring. That's what it was designed for.
THE SEVEN DEADLY SINS OF ELECTRICAL GROUNDING DESIGN
http://www.esgroundingsolutions.com/esg-...
Number 4 Sin using a water pipe
- Using a Water Pipe as a Grounding Electrode
Everyone does it, but does a water pipe provide effective grounding? Unfortunately, the answer is almost always a qualified “No”. It is important to understand the difference between the terms bonded and electrode when speaking about electrical grounding. A ”bonded” object is when an electrician makes an intentional metallic connection to ensure that there is no difference in potential, but is NOT intending that object to be used as a path to earth for electrical faults. An “electrode” IS an object that is intentionally connected and designed to conduct electrical faults to earth (and typically buried).
Water pipes provide a poor path to earth for electricity as the utility company typically coats the pipes
with tar to prevent corrosion, installs electrically isolative barriers, or uses non-metallic pipes. This is why the National Electric Code requires that an additional grounding electrode be installed along with the connection to water pipe. It is better to think of water pipe as a required metal object that must be bonded to the ground system, rather than thinking of it as an electrode for the ground system.
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Hi,
Not really. Unless the pillar is a metal one buried into the ground, (it looks like timber to me). The bolts look like they have just been drilled into the concrete. For an effective earth you really need to be connected to some conducting material that is 'buried' in the earth, such as an existing metal water pipe. Any water pipe in the building will do as they are connected to the main pipe which is buried coming onto the premises. As long as they are metal, not plastic.
If you want to have a good earth connection and a water pipe is not close by AND it is going to be permanent where you are then I suggest that you drill a hole right through the concrete to the earth below, then ram a 2' to 3' steel rod nearly all the way through. Just leave enough exposed at the top to enable easy connection and also that it is not a trip hazard.
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Does anyone actually go that far?
I guess I'm just careless. I use ESD safe tools on an ESD surface, while wearing rubber gloves.
Hi, Good thing you wear the gloves. Just walking across different floor surfaces (especially acrylic carpet) can build up a static charge in the body.
Thank you for the replies! If I do find a water pipe that's not in my work area, can I run a thick copper wire of sorts from it to where my clip is? Would that work?
Also - if I use your second bit of advice to put a rod in the ground, would it be okay that I am on a second level and it would go through the ground and come out on the basement level ceiling or would it actually need to go completely into the ground?
Find an electrical outlet and get to the ground wire. Or If it is EMT connect to the piping. In case you don't know what EMT is: http://ecmweb.com/content/basics-steel-c...
Hi,
Reading @mayer 's answer it seem that in the USA it is not recommended, unless you know that the cold water pipe is actually bonded to an earth stake close to the premises.
If I understand you correctly, you are on the 1st floor with a concrete floor. Is this correct. Then the best way is to just run a wire the neatest way you can to the ground outside and connect it to a buried stake.
