OPERATING INSTRUCTIONS & SAFETY GUIDE
9
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Operating Surface Grounding
The drum dolly (or vacuum drum without dolly) sitting on a grounded surface is generally a suitable
ground for the purpose of dissipating static electricity. Not all surfaces, however, are grounded.
Unpainted concrete slabs typically provide good ground conductivity, particularly if your facility was
constructed to code requiring Concrete Encased Electrode
or grounding.
Many surfaces aren’t suitable to make assumptions about presence of a good ground, such as painted
concrete, carpet, rubber mats, dirt, on a vehicle, etc.
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Wire/Jumper Grounding
If you have any doubt about the presence of ground through either the air supply line or the operating
surface, it is highly recommended that you use a grounding wire and clamp. HafcoVac provides a wire
with clamp for this purpose, although you can employ other solutions should the provided cable and
clamps not be suitable in length or for the surface you are trying to ground the vacuum to.
To use the provided clamps (or your own solution) attach the end of the cable with the wire connector
to the post on the vacuum, located near the inlet. The green grounding sticker (pictured below)
designates the grounding point of the vacuum. If you use an alternate grounding solution, ensure you
are not clamping to a painted surface, as the paint will act as an insulator of static buildup, rather than a
conductor. Connect the other end of the wire to a reliable ground. Examples could include a grounding
post, metal electrical conduits or junction boxes, unpainted building structural components, etc. If you
have any doubts, it is recommended that you contact an electrician to provide you a verified ground
connection to use.
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Bonding
Each component of the HafcoVac Anti-Static vacuum unit is bonded to ensure that no component
of the system is isolated from ground. The operator should verify, prior to each use the following
bonding points:
The copper band pictured is essential to
bond the vacuum hose to the head
The braided cable must be intact to ensure
bonding of the head to the drum
You should also inspect the drum rim at top and bottom where it has been ground free of paint,
exposing bare metal. If the rim has rusted, been coated with paint or otherwise fouled, the contact
between the vacuum head and drum or the drum and dolly may be broken.
If you are using your own drum, ensure proper grounding
directly from the vacuum head.
You should use only metal tools, do not use plastic. If you extend any supply line or vacuum hose, be
certain to do so with another conductive part. Connect wires between multiple lengths of hose.