Electrostatic Cable

Question:

I just read your column in the November 2001 issue. Upon reading your answer to the person looking for high-voltage cable for an obsolete electrostatic paint system, I felt compelled to write. Electrostatic equipment manufacturers typically procure their high-voltage cable from specialized wire companies made to their own specs and under proprietary agreement. I doubt if most of these suppliers have anything on the shelf that they could sell and that would safely work.

OSHA and its parent document NFPA-33 have specific requirements concerning the listing of electrostatic devices concerning safety for intended use by factory mutual labs, UL or others.

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The primary purpose of the high-voltage cable is to safely convey the H.V. charge to the working end of the system and to interface with the safety and control circuit. At the risk of endangering life and property, the users best course of action should be to work with a current manufacturer of electrostatic equipment to update or replace this antique with more modern, state-of-the-art equipment.

Also, I hope the user has his fire protection system in the finishing area up-to-date and functioning well per the OSHA and NFPA-33 standards in case he needs it. Over the past 38 years in this business I have known of several fires caused by mismatched or ill-fitted equipment. L.U.

Answer:

Thank you for the aforementioned comments, L.U. While it is true that reducing costs for equipment repair can be more attractive than equipment replacement, it is also true that using mismatched or ill-fitted equipment is ill-advised. It should never be done in an unsafe manner. When worker and plant safety are issues, the few dollars saved by using mismatched or ill-fitted equipment will cost dearly if it causes a fault, resulting in damage to life and property.