Options for ridding records of static electricity

@uberwaltz,

If its consistent with particular records then it can be the vinyl formulation, and RCA made note of this in this magazine -  https://worldradiohistory.com/ARCHIVE-RCA/RCA-Engineer/1960-10-11.pdf  - read the article about anti-static records.

If its completely random - then the only consistent item is you.  You may be charging the record which could explain why the next record is fine - you discharged yourself.  Prior to handling a record do you always first discharge yourself by touching something metal that is preferably grounded? 

@suneone,

If you read the MSDS for Hepastat 256 - its an alkaline cleaner with non-ionic surfactant and cationic surfactant - the quat, and ethanol (alcohol) and other ingredients.  Why add Triton X100 non-ionic detergent?  Why add alcohol - what are they doing?  Otherwise, the likely reason you are experiencing continued anti-static performance its because the quat - the cationic surfactant left a thin film  These quats ( Quaternary ammonium cations) aside from killing viruses, have as a film absorb moisture from the air and form a thin water film on the record that changes the record to dissipative - ergo anti-static.  They will wear away eventually.  However, be careful, once you have cleaned with a cationic surfactant - if there is a film and you apply an anionic surfactant - any dish detergent - the anionic surfactant and the cationic surfactant are not soluble and a sticky paste can form.  Being in the groove you are unlikely to see it - but you will see a buildup of gunk on the stylus.  Personally, as I have written in the paper Precision Aqueous Cleaning of Vinyl Record (you can download a free copy here -  https://thevinylpress.com/precision-aqueous-cleaning-of-vinyl-records/), I am not a fan of any cleaning process that leaves a residue.  But, as my paper says - its A way, not THE way - just make an informed decision, and know and accept any associated risk.

Neil

Triboelectric Effect (source MIL-HDBK-263B): “The generation of static electricity caused by contacting or rubbing two substances is called the triboelectric effect. A triboelectric series is a list of substances in an order of positive to negative charging as a result of the triboelectric effect. A substance higher on the list is positively charged (loses electrons) when contacted with a substance lower on the list (which gains electrons). The order of ranking in a triboelectric series is not always a constant or repetitive. Furthermore, the degree of separation of two substances in the triboelectric series does not necessarily indicate the magnitude of the charges created by triboelectric effect. Order in the series and magnitude of the charges are dependent upon the properties of the substance, but these properties are modified by factors such as purity, ambient conditions, pressure of contact, speed of rubbing or separation, and the contact area over which the rubbing occurs. In addition to the rubbing of two different substances, substantial electrostatic charges can also be generated triboelectrically when two pieces of the same material, especially common plastic in intimate contact, are separated as occurs when separating the sides of a plastic bag. Some metals, can create significant charges from triboelectric generation. Aluminum, when rubbed with a common plastic can generate substantial electrostatic charges.”

There are a number of published Triboelectric series, the most recent Quantifying the Triboelectric Series published 2015. The table in this recent series compares similar to the previous widely accepted The Triboelectric Series, Bill W. Lee, David E. Orr). ©2009 by AlphaLab, Inc.  PVC is very high (negative charge) on the triboelectric series.   

In the triboelectric series, human hands are very positively charged (loses electrons) while vinyl records are very negatively charged (gain electrons). Use of a conductive brush to remove static from a record that is intended to use the human body as the ground path may not work if the human body is not grounded, and even then, the human body depending on many variables may at best only be dissipative.  The bodies resistance can change between dry and humid conditions.  If your body is charged and you touch the record,  you will charge the record - rule of thumb - always first ground yourself before touching records.

Gruv-Glide ingredients appear to have changed - see  https://www.vinylengine.com/turntable_forum/viewtopic.php?t=68877.  The original formula with Quaternary ammonium compounds (a cationic surfactant) would have left a very thin film on the record.  Cationic surfactants reduce static by absorbing water from the air to form a thin coating of water on the record to make the record dissipative (as defined by ESD terms).  Over time, the cationic surfactant will break-down and the anti-static effect lost (any grunge developed notwithstanding).  If you have used the older version - be aware that follow-on cleaning with an anionic surfactant can form a sticky paste - anionic surfactants (in every dish detergent) are not soluble with cationic surfactants.  The new formula with only water and IPA should not leave any coating-film.  Simple water-IPA solutions are commonly used in Cleanrooms to "remove" static charge.  Any wet cleaning procedure will remove the static charge - it changes the record to dissipative.  But once dry - depending on the application, static charge can again build-up.  New records often have a static charge.

Felt is a type of fabric manufacture - but what is the material? Traditionally it has been wool and yes if dry that will cause static charge with a pvc recrod, but Felt can be also be manufactured from synthetic materials.

Use of conductive brushes with grounds is what the industry uses to control static charge in fabric/plastic sheeting manufacture.  But, the brush does not actually touch the fabric/plastic - it is positioned just a very small distance above because carbon while immensely strong axially (along the shaft) is brittle cross-wise.

Grounding the platter bearing as has been  addressed works, but for synthetic platters - maybe not as much.   

Dr. Van-den-Hul recommends placing a sponge wetted by DI water near the turntable to increase the humidity is the vicinity.  Once the ambient humidity drops below ~35%, static charge build-up can be a real challenge.

As some have addressed, there are  direct ionizing devices such as the Milty Zerostat™ 3 Antistatic Gun, and the DS Audio ION-001 Vinyl Ionizer.  But be advised that any ionizing device can develop ozone and that Buna-N (nitrile) rubber is very sensitive to ozone cracking; EPDM (ethylene propylene diene monomer) rubber is not ozone sensitive.

Most of the above has been extracted from the paper Precision Aqueous Cleaning of Vinyl Record Chapter VI; available here - (no cost) https://thevinylpress.com/precision-aqueous-cleaning-of-vinyl-records/

 

@mijostyn, 

Know for sure I am not laughing.  But, I have a lot of respect for you!  It takes a rationale and courageous person to face their own preconceived notions unbiased - its also show discipline,   My compliments!

Stay safe, 
Neil

@mijostyn,

I have had good experience with controlling static buildup during play by grounding the platter bearing of my VPI 2" aluminum platter. This will minimize charging the record bottom during play. My records are all first wet-cleaned and stored in anti-static sleeves. Are far as conductive brushes the much softer Thunderon is is an option https://www.gordonbrush.com/search/Thunderon. Note that this brush material comes in two versions - 100% Thunderon, and the more common blend with goat hair.  FYI - a similar brush to what you use (albeit much more $$)  https://elusivedisc.com/integrity-hifi-tru-sweep-anti-static-dust-cleaner-sweeper-large/.

This post spurred me to do some further research and I came upon this paper that shows that a water:IPA solution up to 80% H20/20%IPA is capable of removing static charge from an insulator (teflon was tested).   https://pdfs.semanticscholar.org/c23f/122eb9436b52a28fc5455674d5a699116578.pdf .  

Just a quick follow-up to my post about 80% H20/20%IPA being capable of removing static charge from an insulator.  The reason this works and plain water does not has to do with 'wetting' - the difference between the fluid surface tension and the critical surface tension of the insulator.  The critical surface tension for Teflon is ~19 dynes/cm (~one half of PVC) and  80% H20/20%IPA surface tension is 30 dynes/cm - low enough to 'wet' the Teflon.  Given these results, a 90% H20/10%IPA with surface tension of 40 dynes/cm would be more than adequate to remove static from a PVC record that is ~38 dynes/cm.  Just remember that for water-IPA solutions with >2% IPA - the vapors are flammable.

@mijostyn,

Audio Magazine 1978-May, starting ~page 44 of 124 has a discussion with measured data for static charge on records.  The article does say -  "Incidentally, measurements with these instruments have shown that electrification from the direct friction between the diamond and vinyl is, oddly enough, negligible."  You can download a copy of this magazine here:   https://worldradiohistory.com/Archive-All-Audio/Archive-Audio/70s/Audio-1978-05.pdf.  However, this does not diminish the success of using a conductive (as defined by ESD practices) brush to remove static charge from a record that can develop during play - this is a very common method used for ESD control as is continuous ionizing devices (harm to Buna-N rubber notwithstanding).

Also, for info, the pressure the stylus develops on a record is actually pretty complicated - RCA  Engineer magazine 1966 Aug-Sept has an article DISC PHONOGRAPH RECORDS written by Dr. Max that shows the calculation.  You can download a copy of this magazine here:   https://worldradiohistory.com/ARCHIVE-RCA/RCA-Engineer/1966-08-09.pdf.  

@mijostyn,

"I would like to get this settled once and for all"  My only response is good luck.  There are so many variables.  The ambient humidity; the various ground potentials, the record material (which is a complete wildcard), the record mat, the record liner, you - what is your hydration level; just to name a few.  If there was an answer, I would like to think the RCA engineers from years past would have figured it out - they spent quite a bit of effort developing anti-static records with carefully bended formulas.  But, one always has to admire those that try.  But, there appears to be a significant risk with just removing the record from the sleeve and lifting it from the platter mat.  So, there 'could' be an accumulation effect from the end of play platter lift-off to sleeving; and this will be influenced by the ambient humidity and the hydration status of the human.  Personally, I do not have any major static issues - but dust/lint that is only visible with black-light is often in the air.  Use of room HEPA filter can help.  Otherwise, all my records have been deep-wet cleaned and anit-static sleeves are used, and I have good luck with the  Kinetronics Anti-Static Microfiber Cloth, Tiger Cloth wetted with about one drop of atomized DI water (from a nasal spray device).  

Neil

@mijostyn,

The root cause gets complicated because the following are some of the known (and unknown) variables:

1. Humidity.  Redo your experiment this winter with humidity ~35%, and I suspect you will see a difference; not only from the environment but from your own hydration level.  How are people maintaining their records - conductive brushes can work in reverse.

2.  The record material.  What records did you use?  The formulations are all over the place - is it virgin vinyl (no repressed); is it colored, what is the weight.  Very high purity heavy vinyl records have been noted to develop static more easily.  Some older formulations from the late 1960's early 1970's were known to be very quiet.

3.  What is the platter & mat?  Is the platter belt drive, direct drive or rim drive?  Is the platter a source - it 'may' be.  For the mat, its not about through the material conductivity but surface conductivity.   I gave up on my very thin leather mat not because of static but because the suede side up was collecting lint from the record; and it eventually saturated and now giving back to the record - you can't see this with white light - but I saw it with UV light.   Right now I just using a Technics 3mm rubber, and its does not attract lint which says it may contain a fair amount of carbon black making it at least surface dissipative.  But, I am considering buying a 2mm 3-layer ESD mat that is vinyl on top/bottom but has a homogenous carbon layer making it mostly conductive (from an ESD perspective) and just cut for a platter mat.

4.  What was the baseline condition of the record - was it cleaned in a manner that will remove the static charge that is common from the initial pressing?  What record sleeve is used?  Was it cleaned with a low-residue cleaning process that can make the record more prone to developing a static charge - yeah, the double edge sword of cleanliness.  

5.  What cartridge was used?  This is a bit of leap, but if there is static on the record, will an aluminum cantilever which is conductive 'help' to dissipate the charge?  Its  very close to the record so there is the 'possibility' of corona effect discharge.  Other cantilever are not conductive.

Overall, lots of variables.

Stay well,
Neil

@orthomead,

(I am reposting since I accidently addressed this to wrong person. I deleted my prior post.)

To follow on what @mijostyn said, MIL-HDBK-263B does state - "Some metals, can create significant charges from triboelectric generation. Aluminum, when rubbed with a common plastic can generate substantial electrostatic charges." This then potentially may provide some insight into what you have experienced as follows:

The Archromat from what I read appears to be essentially porous acrylic mat with solid top/bottom faces/sheet. But acrylic has a fairly large triboelectric difference with PVC so one could the predict the opposite of what you experienced which then adds to the observation that @mijostyn made that the mat is insulating the record from the platter.

When you grounded the platter bearing - did you measure the resistance (simple multimeter will work) from the platter surface to the wall ground point? When I grounded my VPI 2" aluminum platter/bearing I had some issues getting it to work for me. The wire type and length can have an effect - my wire length was 8ft. Realistically, providing the lowest impedance path to ground is the goal and that is all about surface area not gauge. Tinned-copper braided cable at 1/4-inch wide is readily available and can be used to easily assemble a low impedance ground cable using appropriate end-connectors, 1/4-inch PET expandable braided sleeving for appearance and protection, and heat shrink to seal the ends. A 1/-4-inch wide tinned-copper braided cable measured about 0.4-ohms while a single gauge (18-ga) wire ground measure about 1.2-ohms. I was able to get the platter to outlet resistance to about 1.5-ohms; and I had to ground it to the source of power to the turntable motor for best results.
Just some thoughts,
Neil

@mijostyn,

This was likely the last (and best?) patent that RCA filed for vinyl record composition - https://patents.google.com/patent/US3960790A/en, this is the patent download - https://patentimages.storage.googleapis.com/b6/ac/a3/33b9d37bfdc952/US3960790.pdf. Its worth reading - its actually a short read - but addresses what happens if the composition is not right.

PS/Not sure if this was the intent - but you may have accidently questioned the value of you conductive brush - but, your testing during winter may show very different results.  In the meantime, I use a UV light for cleanliness inspection (10Watt, very short exposure), and its amazing on the variability of the vinyl composition - the best virgin is uniform in color, while the repressed or lower quality can be a kaleidoscope of fluorescent colors.