Static Electric

[Feltwad]

There are different opinions has to whether static electric can ignite black powder . After first hand experience many years ago I now agree that it can and does ignite black powder.
The instant was a friend of mine who was carrying loose powder in an open plastic box under his arm.at the time he was wearing a nylon boiler suit which I believe caused the static to the plastic box . This resulted in my friend been badly burnt and he carried the scars for the rest of his life , so my advice never carry loose powder in a plastic container when wearing nylon clothes
Feltwad

 

[hawkeye2]

There seems to be a ot of contriversy here but playing it safe is a great excuse to use a horn and dress in linnen and leather if you really need an excuse. I'm not too concerned about static electricity but I still wouldn't shuffle across the living room carpet in wool socks while shaking a can of powder and stop to stroke the cat. :grin:

 

[Claude Mathis]

http://www.muzzleloadingforum.com/fusionbb/showtopic.php?tid/216296/

 

[JeffG]

I never really dared cross what I was taught: no glass, no plastic, no synthetic cloth; rayon, nylon, polyester. It is an absolute for me. :thumbsup:

 

[Paul_R]

All the BP manufacturers are packing their BP in plastic jugs.

 

[Black Hand]

I never really dared cross what I was taught: no glass, no plastic, no synthetic cloth; rayon, nylon, polyester. It is an absolute for me.

Fables and Myths die hard....

 

[Cruzatte]

All the BP manufacturers are packing their BP in plastic jugs.

I've noticed that, too. Don't like it. But nothing's happened, yet. At least to me. I'm careful as I can be.

 

[hanshi]

I don't know for sure but there certainly a bit of controversy over the subject. I would never carry bp in any open container. Also there are different types of plastic and they vary in their ability to carry an electric charge. Powder companies would not pack it in the plastic containers they use if it was likely to explode.

 

[S.Kenton]

there are different types of plastic and they vary in their ability to carry an electric charge. Powder companies would not pack it in the plastic containers they use if it was likely to explode.

:thumbsup:

 

[S.Kenton]

I was always taught it was hot embers from a spark or open flame that ignites BP.... Not static electricity... Anyone ever try and experiment to see if it works or not? May try somthing like this; pour a small line of BP .. Oustide of course... And grab a grill igniter or find an old used up lighter, the type that uses the static type igniter....now these will probably be a lot hotter than static electricity ...but it may give an idea of what it actually takes to ignite using static.

 

[Feltwad]

I was always taught it was hot embers from a spark or open flame that ignites BP.... Not static electricity... Anyone ever try and experiment to see if it works or not? May try somthing like this; pour a small line of BP .. Oustide of course... And grab a grill igniter or find an old used up lighter, the type that uses the static type igniter....now these will probably be a lot hotter than static electricity ...but it may give an idea of what it actually takes to ignite using static.

I can only speak what I witnessed .,in my life time I have witnessed may unusual accidents concerning black powder other than static Electric
Feltwad

 

[BrownBear]

Bud of mine may hold the record for unusual. He carries his small horn inside his bag like most of us here in wet country, and on a particularly sodden day his horn came uncorked. Dumped what he guesses is about 100 grains into the bottom of his soaking wet pouch.

Turned into a black paste, mostly impossible to remove from the wet leather, so he just left it and forgot it once things dried. Months later when all was dry we were at the range and he was smoking his usual pipe. Shirt pocket where he keeps it was full of something or other, so he dropped the still smoldering lip hanger into the bag so he could shoot.

There was an instant sizzle and poof and he was wreathed in white smoke. Once we all got our shorts changed, it was sure good for a laugh. Now he's known as Ole Smokey Bottom or "Smoke" for short. Round here folks earn their names! :rotf:

I'd made him a new spout plug for his horn right after the wet spill, but after the sizzle and poof I made him a neck pouch for his pipe. Just enough room on the front for Ole Smokey Bottom. :thumbsup:

 

[Zonie]

... And grab a grill igniter or find an old used up lighter, the type that uses the static type igniter....now these will probably be a lot hotter than static electricity ...but it may give an idea of what it actually takes to ignite using static.

These do not use static electricity to light the butane or flammable gas.

They use piezoelectricity which is produced by bending or impacting a special type of quartz crystal.

The resulting electricity has not only a high voltage so it can jump the spark gap, but a large amount of amperage so it will produce the heat needed to light the gas.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Piezo_ignition

The ignition coil in a car also produces a high amount of amperage in addition to the high voltage needed to jump a spark plug gap (over 30,000 volts).

Static electricity caused by friction on small areas like nylon or wool socks rubbing on carpeting or the like has some high voltage but virtually no amperage at all so it lacks the heat needed to ignite a fire.

Static electricity in the form of lightning has a voltage often exceeding hundreds of millions of volts and with this much power, it often has enough amperage to light fires.

Another thing to remember, electricity always follows the path of least resistance.

With black powder and its high amount of carbon, a static charge will travel around the outside of the powder grains meeting little resistance so it produces almost no heat.

If the static charge did have a significant amount of amperage (which is doesn't), the low resistance caused by the presence of the carbon in the powder would not cause the electricity to generate any heat.

Without heat, the powder will not ignite.

 

[Paul_R]

Ye olde fire triangle

 

[azmntman]

All the BP manufacturers are packing their BP in plastic jugs.

Likely a cost thing.....I heard of no accidents from static for the 100 years before with metal cans :idunno:

 

[S.Kenton]

Well.. It was just a thought....I spose I shoulda put more research into my little experiment. :idunno:

 

[Grenadier1758]

All the BP manufacturers are packing their BP in plastic jugs.

Those black plastic bottles that hold black powder are impregnated with carbon and are rated as an antistatic material. There is no more to worry about static sparks in the new plastic bottles used for black powder than with the old metal cans.

 

[Black Hand]

Well.. It was just a thought....I spose I shoulda put more research into my little experiment. :idunno:

http://www.ctmuzzleloaders.com/ctml_experiments/sparks/sparks.html

 

[Paul_R]

All the BP manufacturers are packing their BP in plastic jugs.

Those black plastic bottles that hold black powder are impregnated with carbon and are rated as an antistatic material. There is no more to worry about static sparks in the new plastic bottles used for black powder than with the old metal cans.

I'm not disputing your assertion because it makes perfect sense but I'm curious how you know this.

 

[necchi]

It has nothing to do with carbon. It is a specific antistatic additive,,
And I can quantify that because I work in the plastics industry and my job is mixing the raw resins and prouts to customers spec.