Posted Thu Apr 28, 2005, 7:37pm Subject: Re: What a mess...
There is some sort of aluminum tape with a peel and stick surface which I believe is used for duct sealing. It may be available at hardware stores. There is also peel and stick copper tape which is used for RF shielding.
Posted Thu Apr 28, 2005, 8:19pm Subject: Re: What a mess...
I'm not an engineer or physicist so take this with a huge pinch of salt. I've noticed a slight amount of static with my Rocky, especially with dry winter air and especially when there is a lot of chaff. My guess is that during the grinding process, somehow the coffee particles either lose or gain electrons. I'm guessing somehow they gain electrons but I'm not able to justify that statement. It would be worth trying:
a) a simple aluminium foil lining in the grounds catcher b) (a) plus a connection to the frame of the grinder, that should act as a positive ground and dispel any negative charge.
I've also heard of using a static gun for vinyl LPs but I don't think they are common these days.
Mattizzle Senior Member Joined: 31 Mar 2005 Posts: 27 Location: St. Louis, MO Expertise: I love coffee
Grinder: Solis Maestro Drip: Technivorm KBT-741
Posted Thu Apr 28, 2005, 8:30pm Subject: Re: What a mess...
Okay, I tried lining the inside of the bay that houses the container with aluminum foil. It didn't work because the opening for the container is an EXACT fit with no room for even a thin sheet of foil.
I agree with jliedeka that it seems to make more sense to line the container itself with foil. I'm all coffee'd out for the day, so I'll try it in the morning.
Oh yeah, I still gotta try the suggested solution of putting a few drops of water in with the beans. I'll try that first and let ya'll know.
Posted Thu Apr 28, 2005, 11:48pm Subject: Re: What a mess...
My guess is that lining the outside of the grounds hopper (or the receptical into which it fits) could make things worse. The plastic hopper is an insulator. What you want is a conductive inside to get all the grounds at the same potential.
Posted Fri Apr 29, 2005, 12:21am Subject: Re: What a mess...
Hi Jim,
I have a Rocky which I have modified. I gutted the doser chamber and had a stainless steel canning funnel machined to fit the cylindrical dosing chamber. I have a steel platform which is attached to a push rod passing thru the hole formerly occupied by the doser shaft. I place a filter basket on the bottom of the canning funnel and lower them into the chamber on the platforum. Now the basket and funnel are grounded to the frame of the machine (at least good enough for static electricty). I then grind into the funnel and brush the grounds into the basket. There is virtually no static. I then give the grounds a little pre-tamp with the cheasy little tamper which came with Silvia. It fits inside the cylindrical bore of the funnel. Then I raise the platforum, seperate the basket from the funnel and tamp with my real tamper.
I like your suggestion to ground the grounds hopper lining to the frame of the machine. If it can be done I think it will be worthwhile.
By the way as an old audiophile I do have a Zero-Stat. I haven't yet put it to any coffee use. Mostly my grandchildren and my son chase each other around the house with it.
Mattizzle Senior Member Joined: 31 Mar 2005 Posts: 27 Location: St. Louis, MO Expertise: I love coffee
Grinder: Solis Maestro Drip: Technivorm KBT-741
Posted Fri Apr 29, 2005, 7:11am Subject: Re: What a mess...
Phil,
Thank you for clarifying. I thought the suggestion was to line the inside of the container that catches the grounds, but it sounds like you suggest lining the grinding chamber itself. That might be a little more complicated as it will require disassembling the grinder, but nothing I can't handle.
I'm a little light on my grinder terminology though, can you tell me what a "dosing chamber", "canning funnel", and a "doser shaft" are.
My wife made coffee this morning, and use pre-ground beans. My tests of these suggestions will have to wait until tonight...
Posted Fri Apr 29, 2005, 7:47am Subject: Re: What a mess...
Hi M,
Sorry I got a bit distracted by the static talk in Jim's Rocky and what I did to improve mine. The dosing chamber and doser shaft are parts of the infernal doser on the Rocky. A canning funnel is a funnel intended for getting fruit into a jar during canning. It turns out that it is one of my very useful coffee tools. I had one modified to fit into my Rocky.
OK back to the Solis. The grounds hopper which I refered to is the receptical into which the ground coffee falls.
I think you want the inside of that container to be electrically conductive to drain off what charge may be on the coffee grounds. Covering the outside of the container with foil can make the situation worse since the plastic is a dielectric (insulator).
I think Jim's suggestion of connecting the foil which is to line the inside of the grounds hopper to the frame of the machine is a good one. That way the inside of the grounds hopper will be at the same potential as the inerds of the machine. It may be a bit difficult to do and will make the construction of a metal grounds hopper more attractive. Also the machine has a two wire cord. If you connect the now conductive grounds hopper to the inside of the machine you should replace the cord with a three wire cord with the green wire connected to the machine frame. This is for safety.
I would try lining the inside of the hopper with foil first. If that makes a sufficient improvment, I wouldn't mess with the inside of the machine.
Phil
Mattizzle Said:
Phil,
Thank you for clarifying. I thought the suggestion was to line the inside of the container that catches the grounds, but it sounds like you suggest lining the grinding chamber itself. That might be a little more complicated as it will require disassembling the grinder, but nothing I can't handle.
I'm a little light on my grinder terminology though, can you tell me what a "dosing chamber", "canning funnel", and a "doser shaft" are.
My wife made coffee this morning, and use pre-ground beans. My tests of these suggestions will have to wait until tonight...
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