Dust? Try Grounding Your Car.

[oldmodman]

I hate dust.
And a QD generally resulted in a clean, but micro-marred finish.
So I tried something else.
I grounded my car. Both while working on the paint and while it is parked in the garage.

I drilled a half inch hole through my garage floor in the back corner where it would be out of the way. Drove a four foot copper rod down into the hole and sealed the top of the hole with bolt setting epoxy. Then bolted a couple of long copper grounding brushes to it with copper welding ground clamps to the ends.

And it worked! I can now keep the car parked for several weeks without the damn dust jacket showing up the morning after I polish or wax.

I don't know how grounding the car will affect thing like your computer blowing up in a lightning storm, or long term metal corrosion. But for right now I am happy that I don't have to immediately cover the car as soon as I roll it into the garage.

 

[Pristine Image]

I hate dust.
And a QD generally resulted in a clean, but micro-marred finish.
So I tried something else.
I grounded my car. Both while working on the paint and while it is parked in the garage.

I drilled a half inch hole through my garage floor in the back corner where it would be out of the way. Drove a four foot copper rod down into the hole and sealed the top of the hole with bolt setting epoxy. Then bolted a couple of long copper grounding brushes to it with copper welding ground clamps to the ends.

And it worked! I can now keep the car parked for several weeks without the damn dust jacket showing up the morning after I polish or wax.

I don't know how grounding the car will affect thing like your computer blowing up in a lightning storm, or long term metal corrosion. But for right now I am happy that I don't have to immediately cover the car as soon as I roll it into the garage.

First and foremost, it appears you are in violation of the National Electric Code (NFPA 70). No worries, it's an easy fix AND it's for your own safety!! To be compliant with the code you will need to ground your "vehicle ground rod" to your home grounding network as all the grounds must be at the same ground potential. An easy solution is to run a #12 green insulated cable from your "vehicle ground rod" to the nearest receptacle in your garage and splice into the grounding connection on that receptacle.

Your concern with your computer blowing up isn't without warrant but it should be fine if lighting strikes (assuming you've complied with the code). The chances of your computer frying from lighting are about the same as from frying because of driving. Assuming you tied your "vehicle ground rod" to your home grounding system by the time lighting hit your home, there would be no voltage potential difference between your home and your car thus not causing any type of arcing resulting in damage to either your home, vehicle, or you. If that happened with you in the garage chances are the arc would take the path of least resistance, you.

This trick can actually work to some degree, but only in areas where there isn't much humidity. Our cars build up static charge just from driving around and our tires (rubber is an insulator) don't allow it to dissipate easily, however humidity in the air does.

As far as I can tell, you shouldn't have any problems with metal corrision.

 

[Dubbin1]

I hate dust.
And a QD generally resulted in a clean, but micro-marred finish.
So I tried something else.
I grounded my car. Both while working on the paint and while it is parked in the garage.

I drilled a half inch hole through my garage floor in the back corner where it would be out of the way. Drove a four foot copper rod down into the hole and sealed the top of the hole with bolt setting epoxy. Then bolted a couple of long copper grounding brushes to it with copper welding ground clamps to the ends.

And it worked! I can now keep the car parked for several weeks without the damn dust jacket showing up the morning after I polish or wax.

I don't know how grounding the car will affect thing like your computer blowing up in a lightning storm, or long term metal corrosion. But for right now I am happy that I don't have to immediately cover the car as soon as I roll it into the garage.

LOL you need help

 

[ScottB]

wowsers ... this is much to much over my head. I considered grounding my car once, I told it to stay in the garage for a week and it couldnt leave the house for anything. I still found it dusty and wimpering the following morning. (I know bad joke)

 

[oldmodman]

This trick can actually work to some degree, but only in areas where there isn't much humidity. Our cars build up static charge just from driving around and our tires (rubber is an insulator) don't allow it to dissipate easily, however humidity in the air does.

Here in Los Angeles we have weeks or months of humidity in the low teens to 20s in the late summer or fall. And high winds with megatons of dust blowing in from the deserts. These periods of dust, high heat and low humidity are called Santa Anas. A few years ago they measured humidity at a low of 12% during one of those hot, dry, everythings going to burn days.

 

[RTexasF]

If dust bothers you that bad then you need treatment. You just might be on to something but if it has to be that drastic to keep dust off of your car......I fear for your mental health. No offense intended, so please don't get up on your hind legs.

 

[Porsche Pilot]

wowsers ... this is much to much over my head. I considered grounding my car once, I told it to stay in the garage for a week and it couldnt leave the house for anything. I still found it dusty and wimpering the following morning. (I know bad joke)

:nomore:

 

[CEE DOG]

I hate dust.
And a QD generally resulted in a clean, but micro-marred finish.
So I tried something else.
I grounded my car. Both while working on the paint and while it is parked in the garage.

I drilled a half inch hole through my garage floor in the back corner where it would be out of the way. Drove a four foot copper rod down into the hole and sealed the top of the hole with bolt setting epoxy. Then bolted a couple of long copper grounding brushes to it with copper welding ground clamps to the ends.

And it worked! I can now keep the car parked for several weeks without the damn dust jacket showing up the morning after I polish or wax.

I don't know how grounding the car will affect thing like your computer blowing up in a lightning storm, or long term metal corrosion. But for right now I am happy that I don't have to immediately cover the car as soon as I roll it into the garage.

Interesting

First and foremost, it appears you are in violation of the National Electric Code (NFPA 70). No worries, it's an easy fix AND it's for your own safety!! To be compliant with the code you will need to ground your "vehicle ground rod" to your home grounding network as all the grounds must be at the same ground potential. An easy solution is to run a #12 green insulated cable from your "vehicle ground rod" to the nearest receptacle in your garage and splice into the grounding connection on that receptacle.

Your concern with your computer blowing up isn't without warrant but it should be fine if lighting strikes (assuming you've complied with the code). The chances of your computer frying from lighting are about the same as from frying because of driving. Assuming you tied your "vehicle ground rod" to your home grounding system by the time lighting hit your home, there would be no voltage potential difference between your home and your car thus not causing any type of arcing resulting in damage to either your home, vehicle, or you. If that happened with you in the garage chances are the arc would take the path of least resistance, you.

This trick can actually work to some degree, but only in areas where there isn't much humidity. Our cars build up static charge just from driving around and our tires (rubber is an insulator) don't allow it to dissipate easily, however humidity in the air does.

As far as I can tell, you shouldn't have any problems with metal corrision.

That's interesting, After I started running a dehumidifier in the garage when the humidity is higher the dust doesn't collect near as fast on my Sky. Seems to contradict some of what you explained.

wowsers ... this is much to much over my head. I considered grounding my car once, I told it to stay in the garage for a week and it couldnt leave the house for anything. I still found it dusty and wimpering the following morning. (I know bad joke)

Sky gets grounded on a regular basis. My buddy asked me this morning where she was and I told him she's grounded. True story

 

[cooksnj]

If dust bothers you that bad then you need treatment. You just might be on to something but if it has to be that drastic to keep dust off of your car......I fear for your mental health. No offense intended, so please don't get up on your hind legs.

seriously.... i think he's onto something here. i had thought of this a few times when polishing or waxing my car in the fall or early spring. i wipe off the dust, wax or polish dust that is, and the darn static would hold it on. it causes you to wipe and wipe, and all you do is move it around. i had thought of grounding myself or the car. the headlight area is the worst! this is a great idea. i wonder if i could do the same here? when the wind kicks up, it does cause allot of static.

 

[tommyt53]

How about using a California Duster :xyxthumbs:

 

[Bullitt AK]

to believe that some go to these lengths to keep dust off their car boggles my mind..id just use an inflatable car capsule or something lols

 

[Harleyguy]

I guess none of you ever owned a Corvette, if you want to see dust collect in front of your eyes go to someone you know, garage and watch the magic happen.If there wasn't something out there that i knew would help with this problem i wouldn't think twice about buying it.You have no idea how bad this problem is with a Corvette.

 

[SeaJay's]

I may have to give this a try some time soon. I have been working on my girlfriends 05 Equinox over the past few nights and the dust is uncontrollable. I get done polishing and I go over it with a cloth and the dust just moves around. I tried my california duster and nothing. It drives me nuts because the SUV is black and shows it extremely bad! And right now in Mass it's about 30-45 degrees recently with low humidity, so the dust just clings! People are saying your out of your mind, but maybe I am too!!!

 

[zliegen]

I drilled a half inch hole through my garage floor in the back corner where it would be out of the way. Drove a four foot copper rod down into the hole and sealed the top of the hole with bolt setting epoxy. Then bolted a couple of long copper grounding brushes to it with copper welding ground clamps to the ends.

And it worked! I can now keep the car parked for several weeks without the damn dust jacket showing up the morning after I polish or wax.

I'm so glad I read this forum. This is AWESOME, and probably the most autogeekiest thing I've ever heard. THANK YOU!
:urtheman:
I wish this thread could be stickied for all of time.

 

[GaryD]

I hate dust.
And a QD generally resulted in a clean, but micro-marred finish.
So I tried something else.
I grounded my car. Both while working on the paint and while it is parked in the garage.

I drilled a half inch hole through my garage floor in the back corner where it would be out of the way. Drove a four foot copper rod down into the hole and sealed the top of the hole with bolt setting epoxy. Then bolted a couple of long copper grounding brushes to it with copper welding ground clamps to the ends.

And it worked! I can now keep the car parked for several weeks without the damn dust jacket showing up the morning after I polish or wax.

I don't know how grounding the car will affect thing like your computer blowing up in a lightning storm, or long term metal corrosion. But for right now I am happy that I don't have to immediately cover the car as soon as I roll it into the garage.

I don't know why I didn't think of this. Wonder where the dust is going now? Someone will come up with a better way to do it.

 

[daveinsweethome]

have to agree with the corvette guy and his dust. i just did a tunda truck with a fiberglass tonneau. dust all over tonneau and virtually none on the body panels roof, or hood, i was always required by inspectors to use an 8 foot ground rod not a four foot.

 

[Kurt_s]

First and foremost, it appears you are in violation of the National Electric Code (NFPA 70). No worries, it's an easy fix AND it's for your own safety!! To be compliant with the code you will need to ground your "vehicle ground rod" to your home grounding network as all the grounds must be at the same ground potential. An easy solution is to run a #12 green insulated cable from your "vehicle ground rod" to the nearest receptacle in your garage and splice into the grounding connection on that receptacle.

Could one just ground to the ground receptacle instead of adding the 4/8 ft rod?

 

[2K4CE]

I guess none of you ever owned a Corvette, if you want to see dust collect in front of your eyes go to someone you know, garage and watch the magic happen.If there wasn't something out there that i knew would help with this problem i wouldn't think twice about buying it.You have no idea how bad this problem is with a Corvette.

Careful, by the time your wax/sealant dries you might be buffing dust into your paint while you remove the dried product. Ask me how I know. :dig:

 

[muddy]

I see people in the city all the time with grounding straps hanging off the back of their car. Not exactly designed for dust (or anything really), but suppose that could be another option to try?

 

[watermark]

As I live in the Inland Empire, I'm far to accustomed to both the Santa Ana's and dust. Your solutions is intriguing. Do you have any pictures of what you did?