Originally Posted by MargaretR (Post 869135)

I have been investigating the possibility that 'earth grounding' may have the potential to improve sleep quality and general health.

I have read arguments for and against the practice. My lifestyle does limit my 'barefoot contact' with the earth. (I once tried it whilst sitting on a sun lounger, and got a nasty insect bite for my trouble). Here seems a balanced expression of both viewpoints -
Earthing and Grounding

There are expensive 'grounding mats' (bed size costa plenty - desk mat size around £50 to £60), and there are cheapo DIY methods which involve using aluminium blankets (as used in survival kits) placed under your cotton sheet and connected to the nearest waterpipe (which is a feed to a radiator) using a length of standard house wiring. This seems the only practical option for me because I live at 1st floor level, so I can't put an earth into any nearby ground. I am considering trying this.

I then have to consider whether my central heating system has a ground connection, and I have doubts. When I had my bathroom install last March, a radiator which had an earth connector visible, was replaced by the ladder towel rail which I bought, and it doesn't. I did ask why not at the time and the plumber said that such a ground wire was no longer deemed neccessary.

I do have a ground wire in this flat, it is clipped to a gas pipe near my gas meter.

So I seek the advice from you plumbers and or electricians -
Do you think that my central heating pipes provide me with a connection to earth?

Originally Posted by Retlaw (Post 869137)

The water in the pipes comes from the ground, so any copper pipe carrying water, must eventully be grounded, back through the system whether its a central heating pipe or what. Gas pipes from the mains supply were made of steel and when that was laid it was lagged to prevent corrosion, now gas pipes laid in streets are plastic, so wheres the earth on a new gas pipe.
Retlaw

Retlaw

Originally Posted by MargaretR (Post 869144)

I suppose I could get the same effect by sleeping clutching the nearest water pipe :D - but that isn't practical.

Originally Posted by DaveinGermany (Post 869150)

Handcuffs ???? Or is that something else ?? :D

Originally Posted by MargaretR (Post 869144)

Thank you both for informative responses.

In the link supplied by Less I did read about the 'supplementary bonding/earthing' in bathrooms - that link explains why my radiator had one, and why my gas meter has one

Retlaw's response makes sense to me too.

The type of connection to earth that is recommended for possible health benefits, is a flow from the earth, as well as the discharge of static to the earth. I suppose I could get the same effect by sleeping clutching the nearest water pipe :D - but that isn't practical.

Originally Posted by MargaretR (Post 869180)

Some of the products available do use that way of earthing
Earthing Connection Universal Mat
.....but some sites don't recommend that way.

I need to find out more about Earth proton emissions - Schumann resonance seems to be involved too. My brain is bursting at the mo with all this strange physics stuff, (I must need the grounding:) but barefoot in the grass is too extreme.)

I might end up buying one of those mats (above) - I can use it in bed and at the PC - if it does nothing else, at least I wont get any more static shocks from my PC tower (which started me off on this track in the first place:rolleyes:)

Originally Posted by Retlaw (Post 869176)

If you get an ordinary 3 pin plug, open it and remove the + & - pins, seal the holes up & attach a wire to the earth pin, when you plug it in you will only have an earth connection.

Retlaw.

Originally Posted by Less (Post 869231)

Under no circumstances would I recommend the above, anyone that plays with plugs/sockets without expert advise is asking for an illuminated address just off Burnley road!
:rolleyes:

Originally Posted by Gremlin (Post 869253)

Dodgy stuff electricity if you don't know what you are doing and my advice is the same as less, leave it to the people who get paid to take risks. It's not that long ago I passed my City and Guilds in Radio Electronics and people say " I don't know how you can mess with electricity", my reply is, " I don't, I only mess with wires".

Originally Posted by Gremlin (Post 869261)

OK less, maybe I phrased it wrongly but I think you understood my meaning. Let the people who are trained professionally to do the job is a better way to put it.

Apologies.

Originally Posted by flashy (Post 869278)

i knew it, accyweb has officially gone MAD !!!

Originally Posted by Less (Post 869231)

Under no circumstances would I recommend the above, anyone that plays with plugs/sockets without expert advise is asking for an illuminated address just off Burnley road!
:rolleyes:

Originally Posted by MargaretR (Post 869381)

The type of earthing pad I might buy (not yet done enough research), will not require me to mess about with the pins of any plug. It comes with a one prong plug that fits into earth hole of a three pin outlet. So all this chatter about 'dont mess with electrickery', although sound advice, isn't relevant to this thread.

Originally Posted by jaysay (Post 869385)

Always remembering that the socket may become faulty:rolleyes:

Originally Posted by MargaretR (Post 869381)

So all this chatter about 'dont mess with electrickery', although sound advice, isn't relevant to this thread.

Originally Posted by MargaretR (Post 869395)

Has the earth point of any socket ever been known to become 'live'?

There are items called 'socket checkers' which can detect malfunctions
Equilibra Flexible & Professional Grounding Products

Originally Posted by Neil (Post 869402)

All it takes for the earth pin to become live is a bad connection of the ring main earths in the consumer unit and an earth fault on an appliance or cable.

I had a metal kettle a couple of years ago that faulted live to earth so the whole metal kettle would be live if the earth had been missing in the socket or consumer unit.

Originally Posted by MargaretR (Post 869403)

Thanks for that very useful info.
So I am back to shopping for copper handcuffs :D ie plan A (water pipe connection)

Originally Posted by jaysay (Post 869405)

With fluffy outside covers Margaret:eek::D

Originally Posted by MargaretR (Post 869395)

There are items called 'socket checkers' which can detect malfunctions
Equilibra Flexible & Professional Grounding Products

Originally Posted by Neil (Post 869407)

In that link it does not mention that it wont test for earth neutral reversals though.

The only way to test your earth is sufficient is using an earth loop impedance tester which basically shoves a high current down the earth connection and tests it is ok.

Originally Posted by Neil (Post 869412)

why not just use the wristband and not bother with the daft mat

Originally Posted by Gremlin (Post 869431)

I think the whole idea of attaching any wires to your body which may be also connected to the mains supply a barmy idea, barmy meaning crazy in this instance.

Originally Posted by MargaretR (Post 869433)

I am not connecting to mains electricity - a copper wire link to a water pipe will not risk electrocution but will provide a link to earth, which happens to be the object of the whole excercise (or haven't you read the thread and links:rolleyes:)

It happens to be more suitable than walking barefoot in the grass:D

Originally Posted by MargaretR (Post 869433)

I am not connecting to mains electricity - a copper wire link to a water pipe will not risk electrocution but will provide a link to earth, which happens to be the object of the whole excercise (or haven't you read the thread and links:rolleyes:)

It happens to be more suitable than walking barefoot in the grass:D

Originally Posted by Less (Post 869436)

YES IT IS!
Believe it or not I would not encourage you to do something that has potential danger, wiring yourself to an earth is still part of 'the mains', and should be avoided wherever possible.

I know you have some strange ideas, but this one is not to be followed by even those of the simplest of minds.

Originally Posted by jaysay (Post 869495)

You could be a gent and offer to go and wire it up safely for her Less:rolleyes::D

Originally Posted by MargaretR (Post 869500)

Any such offer would be declined
I didn't buy enough garlic in this weeks grocery delivery;)

Originally Posted by K.S.H (Post 869518)

Sllep in the bath with your toe stuck in the tap, thats already earthed :rolleyes:

Originally Posted by MargaretR (Post 869515)

Thinking of using big toe instead - it's nearer the water pipe

Originally Posted by DaveinGermany (Post 869150)

Handcuffs ???? Or is that something else ?? :D

Originally Posted by MargaretR (Post 869406)

NO - that would inhibit the flow of earth protons into me.;)
....anyone here knows about Schumann resonance?
....I have yet to establish the validity of earth grounding as a health benefit, although there is plenty of anecdotal evidence

Originally Posted by RHFOY (Post 870676)

im sure jaysay meant them to either stop your wrists hurting or to keep your wrists warm???? whilst your asleep of course :-)

Originally Posted by Nickelson (Post 870703)

I will aquire a drain earth from work if you wish to earth yourself.

Originally Posted by Less (Post 870727)

Copper wire? Just give this lass a second she won't be needing hers much longer.
http://t1.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:A...je2-fRfuDIBZ1A

Originally Posted by jaysay (Post 870698)

No he didn't:D

Originally Posted by K.S.H (Post 869514)

Just picturing next weeks news headlines,
Woman strangles herself while asleep with a copper wire handcuffed to her wrist :rolleyes:

PS - just sleep on the flags it's easier

Originally Posted by MargaretR (Post 870722)

Thanks for the offer but any copper wire will do the job and I have some.
...and I haven't decided whether to do it yet. I am still bogged down reading about Earth's Schumann resonance and the Magnetosphere.
Biology, not physics, was my strong subject at school = I'm being baffled a bit:)