Grounding my air lines?

I am currently installing a compressed air manifold system inside of my garage. I anticipate spray painting my RV-12 after flight testing but will begin the spray painting adventure with priming the interior surfaces with zinc chromate. Exterior surfaces will most likely be Stewart Systems water based paint but this is subject to change.

Question is, (how) should I ground my spray painting manifold? The system is constructed of copper pipe. Should I ground my air compressor to the pipe? I am using a short store-bought flexible rubber based tube from the air compressor into the manifold.

It would be very difficult but not impossible for me to run a grounding wire to an actual 'ground' probe that is pounded into the ground but pretty easy to run a ground wire to a cold water pipe. Please advise - I am concerned about causing a fire inside of the spray booth that will be located inside of my garage. Thanks for the 'word'.

How would this fire start and how would grounging prevent it?

CJ

I'm with Capt. John on this one. Not sure what it would accomplish or prevent.

In my day job, I've had some experience grounding systems. In fact, I'm installing a turpentine rail car filling system as we speak. Yes, free-falling flammable liquids can go boom if the fill pipe and the tank being filled are at a different potential. So we go to great lengths to ensure everything is on the same ground system so there is no potential difference between the two. But grounding the source without grounding the "target" doesn't really accomplish a lot.

Maybe I'm missing something, but I've never heard of this being an issue. If you're really worried, keep the electrical system grounds separate from the static grounds.

the big picture?

Ed, if you are spraying stuff, and this comes from a guy that did some backyard autobody, and isn't the sharpest tool in the shed.

From what I've seen/heard, some of the risks are electrical, air-pressure, fumes, noise, light related etc.

- I used to wet down the shop floor, like, a 1/4" of water before spraying, so yes, be sure your electrical is in order.

- some guys have plumbed shops with PVC air lines, and they've burst, plus they hold static in magical ways I can't explain. A big no-no.

- the explosion risk I see is not while spraying, but after....you've washed up your stuff, lots of rags and solvent laying around, and your job is off-gassing. you leave the shop, then come back to the nasty smell, and flick on the fan again. ARC, flash, boom.

- if you ventilate the shop before, during and after spraying, it's unlikely you will reach the explosive concentration of fumes to flash-over....but it can happen.

- don't forget that for every cubic foot of air you are trying to exhaust, you need to allow 1.1 C.F. INTO the shop, preferably filtered....warm & dry is good too.

- old or cheap air compressors + tank rust, = explosion hazard. discussed at length here and other places.
borescope, or drill a hole in the bottom and see the metal thickness. tap and fill with a bolt or extra drain ****.
the best setups bleed some air and moisture with every cycle.

have fun, be safe!

Thanks to all who answered

I appreciate the answers to my question. Thank you all.