Conductive Hoses – Essential In Industrial Applications

Everyone has had that moment when they brush by another person or object and are greeted with the pain of a sudden electric shock. This is known as static electricity and it is caused when there is an imbalance of electric charges on or within a material. Static electric charge is a result of two surfaces coming into contact or separating from each other, and at least one of the surfaces has a high resistance to electrical currents. In many industrial applications, static electricity can be dangerous and harmful to both equipment and workers. It is important to use anti-static hoses in applications involving materials that are known for their ability to build up electric charge. By using conductive hoses you can avoid the costs and potential risks associated with using equipment that is not designed to work with static electricity.

What are the risks of not using an anti-static suction hose? One of the biggest dangers that static electricity presents in industrial applications is the risk of fire. If you are transporting imbalanced materials with a hose that is not designed to work with static electricity, the materials could create a spark that can ignite both the material and hose on fire. When transferring a heavy volume of material, the fire could quickly spread and cause severe damage to your equipment, as well as risk the health and lives of you and your staff.

Besides the risk of fire, there are many other reasons to use conductive hoses when transferring materials. Another concern is that static electricity may cause clogging within your material transferring system. Static can cause materials to become attracted to each other and form into a large group. If this were to happen when transferring charged materials, it can entirely stop the airflow within your tubing and back everything up. Thankfully, anti-static hoses are designed to prevent situations like this from occurring.

There are many applications that are prone to static buildup. Woodworking is one such field where it is common to encounter static charge and shocks with ducting systems that are not properly built or have the appropriate materials. The reason for the static charge in woodworking is because of the electric charge associated with wood dust and wood chips. Often, this charge conflicts with the electrical properties of the ducting material used, which results in the static electric charging. This static charge is common when using products that are not conductive hoses like PVC pipes. The combination of the materials and non-conductive hoses results in the static buildup that can ruin efficiency, making work uncomfortable for employees and creating fire hazards.

Another important factor of static electricity is the quality of the workplace’s air. Because the transfer hose is also collecting air from the surrounding environment, it has a major influence on the amount of static buildup within the ducting. For instance, dry air is known for creating static charge within its surroundings. A humidifying machine can be used to add moisture to the air and bring a balance to the electrostatic charge of the environment. With your anti-static hoses pulling in conditioned air with the collected materials, you can greatly reduce the amount of static buildup and maintain the work efficiency while ensuring the safety of the work environment.

While anti-static suction hose products and the surrounding environment are important in preventing static buildup in material transfer applications, it is also essential that the conductive hoses be properly installed. Anti-static hoses must be properly grounded and connected to other materials of the same electric charge to prevent static charge from building up.

Also, it is important to pay attention to the type of materials you will be connecting your transfer ducting to. If you were to attach conductive hoses to a metal frame, water pipes, or a wall mounted electric conduit, the effect would be nullified and static buildup would occur and spread to other locations as well. It is extremely important to pay close attention to where you install your anti-static suction hose. Preparing the location of installation is also an important step in the installation process. When grounding the material handling hose, make sure to clear the area of any dirt, rust, and paint to ensure that the hose retains its conductivity.

We offer multiple anti-static hoses constructed from conductive materials to best transfer material without the risk of static buildup. We also offer conductive hoses made of polyester and coated with a Neoprene rubber to provide great flexibility and durability in material transfer applications. The Neoprene coating of this product provides the hose with excellent conductivity, as well as many other benefits to make it an extremely desirable material ducting product. Neoprene is widely known for its conductive properties and is a popular choice for many industrial products involving electrical work.

You can ensure the safety and efficiency of your material handling applications by paying close attention to how your anti-static hoses are installed, their surrounding environments, and what materials are used in the construction of the anti-static suction hose. With all of these factors working together in unison, you can be comfortable with the fact that static electricity will not be an issue in running a smooth material handling application.

The high-conductivity of these anti-static suction hose products reduces the danger of static buildup and allows electrostatic buildup to escape when properly grounded. Some of the other benefits that Neoprene provides are excellent elasticity, high temperature resistance, and great resistant properties to harsh chemicals.

We also feature a polyurethane wall hose with a bronze coated spring steel wire helix that features excellent conductivity. One of the unique benefits of this product is that it is available in a clear option and made of FDA approved materials, suitable for food and pharmaceutical applications. This product is ideal for dealing with foods, such as grains, that are prone to creating static charge. These conductive hoses are perfect choices for applications where static electricity produces serious issues towards safety and work efficiency.