Article on Static in grinding

[richie24]

I never even thought about this.

[simonsk8r]

It tended to be Colombian beans that I had static issues with, but this new Colom I'm trying is SUPER clean, barely any static or mess! So there goes that theory :P. And it's a slightly darker roast, must be processing method related, initial moisture levels in green beans etc...

[Javaphile]

Full beard and enough up top that while it may not be up to Cowsill's standards to corral it still requires a headband or tail.


Java "Plenty of hair" phile

[wattgn]

What a hair raising experience.


Java "🤩" phile

Hi Java,

do you still have hair to raise?

I can brag I still have some...LOL

[Javaphile]

What a hair raising experience.


Java "🤩" phile

[wattgn]

I used to work as a security guard years ago, and one of the buildings we patrolled had carpet that generated a lot of static by scuffing your feet while walking. You could easily generate a 6" spark reaching for doorhandles, which looked impressive in the dark! The lift call buttons on each floor were a touch sensitive style that were affected by static electricity, so you could 'magically' summon a lift by generating a good static charge and pointing at the lift button from over 2' away.

Truly shocking

[flynnaus]

The Fonz !

[MorganGT]

I remember in the USA in Connecticut in winter, girls in the library going around zapping people. They each had a large iron nail and then rubbed their feet on the carpet then aimed for the cold affected ears of victims to come in range. Impressive six inch spark in some cases. It was probably about 30,000 volts. Memorable.

I used to work as a security guard years ago, and one of the buildings we patrolled had carpet that generated a lot of static by scuffing your feet while walking. You could easily generate a 6" spark reaching for doorhandles, which looked impressive in the dark! The lift call buttons on each floor were a touch sensitive style that were affected by static electricity, so you could 'magically' summon a lift by generating a good static charge and pointing at the lift button from over 2' away.

[Dimal]

girls in the library going around zapping people.

Hmmm, not a very friendly bunch. Hope there was some payback.... p:

[wattgn]

It explains alot actually with my Sette 270Wi... super fast grinding speed, low retention mixed with little to no compression (I think the slots the grinds pass through is the attempt at compression, but still very rapidly passes through), some beans are just crazy static... And as there is no chute at all to help dissipate static (passes straight through) this probably adds to it.

I haven't used the Sette but I did see one video where it was having a static attack. It made a mess. Of course, weather and humidity can effect it. I remember in the USA in Connecticut in winter, girls in the library going around zapping people. They each had a large iron nail and then rubbed their feet on the carpet then aimed for the cold affected ears of victims to come in range. Impressive six inch spark in some cases. It was probably about 30,000 volts. Memorable.

[wattgn]

I haven't experienced static issues with any of the grinders I have. The exception is trying to grind some coffee for a friend into a plastic bag. This is always inviting static to the party. I think static prevention is a key feature of grinder design and it was great to read that article.

[Ted2013]

I have both Rossi RR45 and Compak K8 grinders and have become more aware of the static issue since I modded both by replacing the commercial dosers with SS funnels. The Rossi seems to generate a bit of static which causes the grinds to stick a bit to the funnel whereas the Compak does not. That is with the same beans in both cases. Believe the Compak is a later design and it runs at 880RPM which I guess is slower than the Rossi. It also has larger burrs. I fitted a brass flap in both cases. I can only assume the Compak is better designed from the static perspective.

[noonar]

Seems that once that static is in the grinds its a buggr to remove, loss of charged particles due to tightly compacted dry beans being smashed to powder seems to be the culpret. Grinder designers have obviously done pretty exhaustive testing and come up with a combination of speed, sweep arm design and a grill or flap mechanism to introduce compression/compaction to reduce the static and then, as in mazzers case for example, a delivery funnel to reduce some of the clumping caused by compaction. Not sure Teflon is the correct aspproach SK8R, it's not going to uncharge charged particles?. Drops of water in the pre ground beans seem to help, I suspect that water facilitates the same mechanism of reducing static as compaction. An ionising anti staic gun pointed directly at the exit chute may help?, often pondered never tried. Reducing the use of plastic for storage, transfer etc I also find helps reduce static. Come the hottest drier days of summer and some beans really love their static and water droplets seem to be the greatest aid in these conditions in my experience YMMV.

[TampIt]

G'day Superman

Like all grinders I know (possible exception - the Niche Zero) the weight of the beans is actually required to feed the grinder burrs properly.

The Mahlkoenig Vario is no exception. At least beans a few mm above eye level in the hopper (i.e. circa 50g+) or the particle spread (and therefore texture) goes to custard. The other no-no is to allow the chamber to fill with used grinds - that takes about 750g of "quality beans" or about 150g of "oily mess" beans. When the chamber fills the grinder's note (sound) changes, as does the quality in the cuppa.

TampIt
PS: For the record I have 2 gen2's and 1 gen3 of my own, plus a dozen or so "strays" which i have set up for friends.

[Yelta]

I replaced the doser on my Mazzer with a Mini E style hopper years ago, no static worth mentioning.