Klein tools, from home depot. They are AC/DC and they can do selected sensitivity and they cost like $100 or less. I would assume if the chiller or it’s circulator are shorting or grounded out you will have a DC current.
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From the way you describe the noise
It could be single legging
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I have been down a significant static electricity rabbit hole for the past week, so here’s my $0.02.
Humidity is massive issue, you’ve got extremely low humidity, so you have to take an insane amount of precaution that someone in a different climate doesn’t need to take (although they definitely should), but you already know that.
If your system is grounded and bonded correctly, the charge accumulation that occurs by moving fluids around, agitation, bubbling, taking socks in or out of tubes, etc should generally flow towards the ground—so as the system is operating the static charge of the butane within the system is quite low (relatively speaking).
If we assume that the system is grounded and bonded correctly, then there are only two places where there could be an accumulated charge potential to cause a spark (and ignition):
- You.
- The container you’re pouring into (or in your case onto)
My guess is 2 but I’ll get into that.
You can ground yourself a bunch of ways that many people have recommended here.
Grounding straps for your shoes will not work because they require an ESD floor. Grounding yourself nearby and then walking to the system will not work (especially if there’s dust, the friction caused by your movement is enough to create a static charge).
Holding onto the equipment that is both conductive and connected to a ground should theoretically work. Another option is a grounding mat that has a wire directly connected to your grounding lug and/or bonded to the equipment.
That leaves your container…
Parchment paper (any paper for that matter) is notorious for generating a static charge, especially if you’re pulling it out of a box, where it’s rubbing on other sheets of parchment. The problem is, paper is NOT conductive, it will not transfer that charge to a bond.
Let’s say you put a piece of paper on a metal tray and connect that tray to a ground—the paper will not get rid of its static charge because it cannot conduct electricity, the electrical potential remains for a lonngggggg time.
That means that, in my humble opinion, the electrical potential that is causing a static discharge is coming from the parchment paper.
Get rid of the paper and dispense directly into a metal container that is bonded to the system (which is also grounded) and you are grounded, you shouldn’t be able to generate a spark anymore.
Just my opinion.
What say you @cyclopath
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and check the wire you ground it with
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Generally, synthetic clothing also generates a lot of sparks.
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Ground the work table then use basic grounding bracelet off of table/equipment
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