ELECTRIC SHOCK FROM UM2EXTENDED+

[TOOBLECK 0]

Hi , my printer housing is live/ static charged? not sure, but it gives me a weak, constant shock whenever I touch the edge of the dibond where the aluminium is exposed on the housing, also on the guide rails, and probably various other places but that's enough shocks for now, any idea how I can resolve it?

Thanks

Rich.

[SandervG 1,521]

Hi Toobleck,

A bit late to the party but I wanted to give you a reply anyway, for future viewers too. Gr5 gives good advice in this thread; https://ultimaker.com/en/community/6815-static-shocks-from-machine

It is most likely a static shock you are experiencing, which can build up in very dry air or when walking around (on carpet). Touching something non-conductive prior to interacting with your Ultimaker is recommended if it happens very often.

[IRobertI 520]

I have it on my machines too. I'm guessing your machine is plugged into an ungrounded socket as well?

[wifirex 0]

Dear Ultimaker,

 

I am having the same issues with our 2+ at work - and it's not even 1 year in service. The printer is located in our printer/server room which is loaded with lots of other electronic devices and even a complete demo motor on a stand, with no carpets but there is an air filtration system which does have some dehumidification. Up until we had an Ultimaker we never had this problem, but now reports are coming in from other colleagues that they too are getting shocked once they try to leave the room or touch the Ultimaker when it's on. These are real proper drop-your-coffee shocks too I might add. If increasing humidity is not an option, what other options are available? Could we have a dodgy earth connection somewhere?

 

Like the other guy said - that's enough shocks for now (I'm still chuckling after reading that).

 

Cheers,

 

wifirex

[gr5 2,172]

Is it a single static spark/shock or is it a continuous voltage?  If it's static then you should be getting static shocks on everything that are metal when you shuffle your feet on the carpet or remove your sweater.

 

If it's a constant AC signal from the power supply then have an electrician take a look at the wiring of your room power.  Sometimes an electrician hooks up wall power backwards by accident.

[geert_2 557]

In cold very dry winter weather when it is freezing outside, I have this too on my two UM2. But I also have it when touching the buttons of the elevator, the metal frame of the fume extraction cabinet, etc... Sometimes it causes sparks up to 10mm. We have a composite resin floor here, which seem to worsen the problem.

 

In summer or in moist winter weather, there is no problem, thus it is clearly static charge.

 

Touching the metal with the back of your hand is less painfull, since there are less nerves. Or touch it through clothes first, with your elbow, for example.

 

Also, I have connected a *very high* ohm resistor to ground in a nearby wall socket. If I touch that first (if I don't forget), it discharges me.

 

Maybe placing antistatic rubber mats on the floor, properly connected to earth, and using antistatic wrist wraps or similar, might also help?

 

In het 1980s, we had big graphic supercomputers which also had that problem (and then the computer would reset and reboot). So, one customer solved that by watering the carpet with his plant watering can every morning. Not good for the carpet, but better for his business than losing his work every few minutes.  :-)