may be a dumb question?

Date 07-18-2012 17:30

Haven't noticed but when I worked at the electrical substations welding aluminum bus piping up near Bonnieville Dam we had dangling straps on all rigs otherwise the "induced" (what we call static) electricity would knock your socks off.

The substation was not live but the overhead wires were carrying 800,000+ volts. I was unfortunate in picking up a shovel by the metal end that had been laying on the ground for week. :eek:

I would imagine that it was also a precautionary measure as not to ignite the gasoline tanks.

QCRobert

By LHoage

Date 07-19-2012 01:03

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z-77IzaXGcg for your entertainment :lol:

By Rafter_G_Weldin (***)

Date 07-19-2012 02:08

I was building High line towers in Harlingen once next to a live line. Th towers were up and we started running wire 1 of the guys told me to move the static line at the top of the tower. Bre handed i grabbed it and wow what a rush lol.

By Sourdough (****)

Date 07-22-2012 04:49

You know what that is?

That is the product of one moron telling another moron, who in turn tells four more morons, who turn that pack of morons into thousands of morons, that actually think that a tiny little strap of rubber dragging on the ground will help their chances of NOT producing static electricity off their rig..........

Nevermind that the entire rig is NOT touching the ground due to those funny donut shaped rubber thingys on all four corners of said vehicle touching the ground first......

That's really what that is man......believe it or not.

By texwelder (***)

Date 07-22-2012 14:00

Yeah it can't be rubber it has to have some kind of metal in to act as a ground

By Lawrence (*****)

Date 07-23-2012 04:07

Get enough static and it will finally go to ground, even with the rubber thingies that spin.

Aircraft routinely have static discharges from wing to ground (pretty much lightening)

If the environment may cause high static...... Its a cheap and reasonable precaution.

By qcrobert (***)

Date 07-23-2012 19:24

"Nevermind that the entire rig is NOT touching the ground due to those funny donut shaped rubber thingys on all four corners of said vehicle touching the ground first......"
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Those funny donut things don't do **** in a non operational substation that has high power lines overhead.

Sourdough,
I can tell you from first hand experience that the welding rig or any vehicle that remained at the substation under two 500kv power lines was "electrified" if you did not have a grounding wire on the vehicle to touched the ground. Again, this is call induced electricity.

When I was bolting up the corona rings at the substation I had to slap my hand quickly to the bus pipe and tighty wrap a long piece of bailing wire around the pipe I was working on and the other end of that wire was attached to my metal watch band. Otherwise every time you would break ground from the bus pipe to pick up a bolt & nut you would get the **** shocked out of you. We sent a green helper up the first day just to watch him yell.

If you wish to learn more about induced electricity and how a corona ring works just google up Corona Rings.

QC Robert

By 522029

Date 07-23-2012 21:35 Edited 07-23-2012 22:02

Many are going to jump on me for this but here goes.

Automotive rubber (tires) is not an insulator, contrary to popular belief.

Tires are about 30% (if I remember correctly) carbon black plus bead wire and belt wire. Carbon is conductive. That makes tire rubber a conductor. It is not a good conductor but it is certainly not an insulator.

In addition to the above, some manufacturers are adding two "more conductive" strips to the tread before cure to increase the conductivity in the tire. An O.E. requirement.

Griff

By bruce69 (*)

Date 07-24-2012 03:30

Here's my experience with tires and electricity. I don't have a physics degree so I can't properly explain the "why" this happened but here goes. I had an almost brand new battery in my car. One night during a storm lightning hit the tree my car was parked next to. Next morning the battery was dead so the car wouldn't start. I put a battery charger on it and it started right up. I had always heard tires didn't conduct electricity as well. After that lightning strike I don't believe that to be true.

By Lawrence (*****)

Date 07-23-2012 22:06

Corona Rings

A new term to me.

Thanks Robert

Excellent post!

By hillbilly delux (***)

Date 07-19-2012 03:28

Wesley (texwelder)

Yes it's becoming a standard in pipeline industry. I don't know that it really makes a difference. It's supposed to keep your truck grounded from static build up when working around live lines to prevent a spark. That being said dose it work? Maybe but what about starting your truck/ altenator/ and welding machine. If you have ever looked at a set of brushes you know they spark( grinder, welding machine ect) I would say it's a new fashion thing to add to your bed to say without saying. " I'm a pipeliner" and the gas company promoting it.

So you know ol'e Justin Teague ehh. If you talk to him tell him I said Hi. We worked together just as I was getting into inspection.

By texwelder (***)

Date 07-19-2012 12:09 Edited 07-23-2012 04:35

Thanks a lot what are the ground straps made of ? And I don't know Justin personally I emailed him with some questions on his beds and his wife is the one that emailed me back she seemed real nice and was very helpful and very knowledgeable about the beds that he builds

By Stringer (***)

Date 07-19-2012 23:26

This is sure going to date me, but I remember them on cars.

By texwelder (***)

Date 07-20-2012 02:24

Really that's crazy

By DaveBoyer (*****)

Date 07-20-2012 05:30

The straps on cars were so You didn't get a "poke" [mild shock] from static electricity when You put Your foot on the ground after driving.Doesn't seem to be much of a problem, but I rember seeing them when I was a kid.

By Rig Hand (***)

Date 07-23-2012 01:20

I have noticed that about half of the "hands" dragging these straps don't know how to make tie-ins let alone hot ones. I have always thought like you, I have a lot other things that will cause an explosion way before static electricity.

By Sourdough (****)

Date 07-24-2012 04:29

Thank you rig hand.

Someone made the point up above that tires will conduct electricity....OF COURSE THEY DO!!!

Have you ever seen how much metal is in a tire? That was my point, but I didn't elaborate. A little rubber/graphite strap is a laugh, man.

C'mon. :lol:

By 803056

Date 07-20-2012 15:11

Fuel oil trucks have been grounded using a short length of chain for as long as I can remember. The chain is just long enough to drag on the ground.

Al

By texwelder (***)

Date 07-21-2012 00:13

Yeah the fuel trucks that deliver to frac jobs have to do the same, even when they are running sand down hole on a frac job they have to put a ground rod in because the sand moving causes static too

By TRC

Date 07-22-2012 11:45 Edited 07-22-2012 12:02

Dualie has it correct. They help prevent static build up in the truck. They work just like the rubber paddle on a holiday detector. When they are absent and working around tower lines anytime bare steel on the truck is touched by bare meat it feels as though one may have a splinter of steel in their finger.
We were hanging 4" buss in a 500KV yard and the guy in the manlift grabber the suspended length of pipe which had built up static and it knocked him down.
Also if I rember correctly 500KV can't be hung on a wooden pole because of the static!!!! more to that story.