static electricity and powder safety

[yeoman]

A little help if you please. At different times of season or weather we get some pretty hard static electricity, I tell my wife, no packen powder today. Well my question is, what can I do to be safe as possible at home and in the field using black powder. I used search box option, black powder and static electricity safety with no returns. Any help is appreciated, thanks.

[ephraim_zook]

Re: static electricity and powder safety

Hi, Mel

See the link below. I can't say that it provides the be-all / end-all answer, but lots of other websites refer to it as an answer to your very question.

http://www.ctmuzzleloaders.com/ctml_experiments/sparks/sparks.htm

regards
Ron Myzie

[lambrew]

Re: static electricity and powder safety

A friend of mine repairs computers as a side job and he wears a grounding line. You can get them at Radio Shack and the like. It clips to you and to a metal object to ground yourself out. Humidify the room you will be rolling in. Not tropical humid, just a small room humidifier will lessen the charge you can pick up walking accross the room. As far as the field goes, SOPs apply, no open flame, and don't roll in a thunder storm.:D IMHO rolling is a pain as it is, I don't want to do it in the field. Before events my mess mates and I get together and make an assembly line out of the job. Each member doing one of the steps. It goes a lot quicker this way, and you have rounds o'plenty for the weekend. Hope this helps.

Your humble servant....
Sean Collicott

[Csayankee]

Re: static electricity and powder safety

If I remember right, forgive me if I am wrong it has been a few years. It takes alot of static to cause enough energy to set off black powder. The auto ignition temp for Black powder for the GOEX MSDS sheet is 867 degrees. Here is a few questions to ask about static electric charges and combustible / explosive items.

Is static electricity hazardous? Per the CCOSH, Canadian Center for Occupational Heath and Safety.

Depending on circumstances it can be a nuisance or a hazard. Static cling in your clothes can be a nuisance but a spark that has enough energy to cause a fire or explosion is a definite hazard. To decide if static electricity is likely to be a hazard, you must consider several factors:

* Can a static electric charge be generated under the operating conditions?
* Can the charge accumulate?
* If it discharges, will it cause a spark?
* Is there an ignitable mixture (e.g., solvent vapour or dust in the air) in the area where a static electricity discharge can occur?
* Will the discharge generate an incendive spark, i.e., a spark that has enough energy to ignite the mixture in air?

If the answer to the above five questions is yes where a solvent or fuel is used, then static electricity can be a fire / explosion hazard. It means that the spark can ignite a vapour/air mixture that is in its flammable range, the concentration range between the upper and the lower flammable limits.

Friction is your biggest problem, making sure you clean the cap on the can before closing.

Because simply walking and letting the powder in your cart. box move up and down can cause small amounts of static. Don't get me wrong static can be a proplem, they using nove spark producing items or buy materials that prodice no sparks, ground yourself and the work zone.

[yeoman]

Re: static electricity and powder safety

Sirs, thanks for the input to my question. The link above caught my eye and how, the other info gives me that edge to keep safety foremost in practice. Thanks again.

[1st Maine Trooper]

Re: static electricity and powder safety

Mel,
The best solution to your problem is to condition the air in your home to a comfortable humidity and temperature level year round. The idea humidity level in your home changes as to outside air temperature. There are many additional advantages to to doing this.
Aside from conditioning the air, keep your powder in tightly sealed containers when not in use. Store the cans in a cool safe location away from heat and moisture sources.

When in the field, keep your cartridges in your cartridge box and keep it away from any camp fire. When not actually handling cartridges, make certain that the box flap closes. Keep any additional cartridges in your bed roll or knapsack to keep them dry and you should be fine.

Dave Myrick