Powder has picked up static charge!

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NacsMXer

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Hi, I'm currently reloading with some Hodgdon HP-38. I'm using a RCBS Chargemaster for dispensing and the gold-colored metal pan from my RCBS 5-0-5 beam scale.

I've used the powder on and off out of the original plastic bottle for about a year now with no issues loading 9mm. Chargemaster dispenses the load, I dump it straight into the case and it all falls right in. The last time I had no issues was about a week ago.

Yesterday I tried to load some 45 ACP with this same powder, and tried to dump the powder into the case. 3/4 of the powder dumps in smoothly while the remaining 1/4 sticks to the pan like there was glue on it. I constantly have to tap the pan on the bench/tap into the case and use a small brush to get the rest out. It's slowing down my operation quite a bit.

I've tried cleaning the pan with denatured alcohol, rubbing the pan with a new dryer sheet, a used dryer sheet, and treating it with automotive spray wax. Nothing seems to make a big difference.

When I look into the HP-38 bottle I can see powder clinging to the walls of the plastic container. It seems to have picked up a static charge somehow. Winter weather has moved in here, so it may be a factor.

Anybody experience this before?
 
Try a dryer sheet. I've never tried it but I'm told it works to remove static from a powder measure.
 
Graphite was recommended to me when I inquired of one of the powder makers. You can buy one of those little plastic tubes of it that's intended for lubing locks and the like. Squirt some in and either shake or is necessary blow it around a bit. Graphite is what's "usually" used in the powder itself when a "flow enhancer" is used.
 
I keep a can of Static Guard on my bench. If a used dryer sheet doesn't work I wet it down with a light spray and try it again.

According to rc it's what he uses when his skirt clings to his slip. :scrutiny:

Seedtick

:)
 
FWIW, A one megohm resistor soldered in series with a wire fastened to a true" earth ground will safely remove a static charge. They make a mat wired in this fashion to work on Electro-Static Sensitive circuits.

Touching the mat/wire will discharge the static safely. Attaching it to a press mounting bolt will stop static build up.
 
I am fighting static here in Alaska. It is a problem every year in the winter. I may try ISOW's tips as static guard and dryer sheets aren't helping. I have a humidifier in there but they aren't cutting the mustard either.
 
Try a dryer sheet. I've never tried it but I'm told it works to remove static from a powder measure.
Click to expand...

I have tried the dryer sheet but used a new one instead of the used one. I wiped down the inside of my Uniflow the best I could and the powder pans. I have both medal and plastic powder pans. I had to wipe down the powder reservoir on my Lyman DPS which is a plastic tube. It worked. I have not needed to wipe them down again this winter so far.
 
Raising the humidity is the best if that doesn't work I'm not sure what to tell you.

If you add more grafite it will change the weight of your powder.
 
Thanks a lot for the helpful tips, I appreciate it.

I tried the dryer sheets on the pan already and like I said it didn't help that much, which was surprising. I had a static issue with the RCBS electronic scale at first, but the dryer sheet actually fixed that.

I'll try to get some static guard, and try applying some graphite directly into the pan. I've heard of these tips working for people in the past.

It definitely has to be a humidity issue since i've never experienced this before. It seems to have started right when the temps dropped and the snowy weather moved in.
 
Try a spray bottle of water that shoots a fine mist. Spray a little in the air in the room, not on your reloading stuff. And, spray a good dose on the floor around and under the bench, on your shoes and a little on your clothing. We used to do this in our missile and munitions maintenance shops at K.I. Sawyer AFB on the Michigan UP back in the day when it dropped below 0 which was quite often. Worked fine. A good humidifier might take care of the problem too, but it costs a tad more than a spray bottle. Both is best. Don't continue to reload as long as you suspect you have a static problem as you'll be getting really bad weighings and powder drops.
 
I've had the problem too. But I started pouring the powder into a ceramic coffee cup which seems to help reduce a lot of the static. Some plastics seem to create more static than other's, but the plastic RCBS powder funnel hasn't ever caused a static problem.
Also, try not to let the powder canister shake around when handling it, I think that creates some of the field.
 
I left tightgroup powder in my Uni-flow powder measure for two weeks once. When I dumped it out to change powder, I had to use a small wire brush to clean the inside of my Uni-flow. The powder had stuck to it so hard it wouldn't even wipe clean with a rag. All the other types of powder I have used over the last 30 years have never done this.

I dump all my powder back into their respective containers ever since when done reloading.
 
ISOW, is there a particular reason to use the 1 Mega Ohm resistor? I had some laying around and ran the in series and got up to 10K. I attached to the bolt on my press, and I will post the results later. I plan on working some loads today and that should be the test, just wondering if I should plan on heading to the radio shack tomorrow for a resistor.
 
probaly wouldnt hurt. My biggest problem is with my LNL AP. I didn't have as much trouble with the lee, maybe because it is mostly plastic and the dryer sheet took care of it. The lnl is feeding well just cleaning it out for powder charge so far, and if that is an issue I figure its only a matter of tim before I have a charge problem with it.
 
One Megohm resistor lets the static charge bleed off without allowing enough current to cause a spark or shock due to ground and equipment NOT being at same potential. If the powder itself gets 'static cling', try putting a metal rod, grounded through the one meg resistor into the powder and stirring it around. Powder could get charged, like the hair on your arm. Pouring it can also make it take a charge.
 
Ok, that adds up. With the 10K ohm resistor I can definatly see a difference. I will pick up a mega ohm resistor this week. I am sold, with this cold we fight every year with static.
 
Hard to tell what is a good earth ground or 'safety' ground. That ground should be connected to an earth ground rod at the home, but sometimes it just goes to water pipes. It should suffice for static ground. If you are looking for 1 meg resistor, get the metal or carbon film type - NOT the old carbon comp. type which is not safe for static discharge circuits.
 
FWIW, A one megohm resistor soldered in series with a wire fastened to a true" earth ground will safely remove a static charge. They make a mat wired in this fashion to work on Electro-Static Sensitive circuits.
Click to expand...

The resistor is there to make sure you cannot get across a power source and ground.
Wrist straps have a large resistor for the same reason.

It limits the current (for reasonable voltages) to a safe level.
Even a high impedance ground (like the connection through the resistor) is suitable for discharging static from a conductor (like a human).

The ground connection in a house is an earth ground.

Touching the mat/wire will discharge the static safely. Attaching it to a press mounting bolt will stop static build up.
Click to expand...

Only if the object you are touching to the mat is a conductor.
Unless a plastic has been treated on the surface or incorporates other materials most are VERY poor conductors (one of the reasons we use them to insulate wire).
Carbon loading is a common way to create a plastic that is conductive enough to discharge static on plastics, and metal vaporization on plastic bags.

Without conductive loading or surface metallization the static will not discharge even with grounding.

You would have to wipe a conductive grounding object over the entire surface (and both sides) to remove static.
If you are looking for 1 meg resistor, get the metal or carbon film type - NOT the old carbon comp. type which is not safe for static discharge circuits.
Click to expand...

The carbon comps are better for static discharge than a film resistor.

Now that 2 W carbon comps are pretty much gone from the market, discharge protection circuits have to use actual high voltage rated film resistors.
They run a lot more $$ than the old 2W carbon comps.
 
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