# Anti Static/ Anti Conductive Epoxy Floors.



## NACE (May 16, 2008)

Does anyone have experience with these systems and testing? We did 6 floors. 5 floors six months ago that passed the ohms testing. 6 th floor was tested and failed after 48 hour cure. Question: Is cure cycle effecting the ohms readings? Full cure is 7-14 days per data sheets. 3 coat system over shot blast floor to ICRI Level 3.


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## CApainter (Jun 29, 2007)

I'm not certain, but part of the ant static or electro static discharge (ESD) epoxy floor coating systems, are suppose to be some what conductive. 

For those who don't know, like me, this Link explains a little about ESD


Note; Could it be that the conductivity of the epoxy floor system has been compromised at that sixth floor level, either during installation or afterwards?


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## Oden (Feb 8, 2012)

I do commercial work and quite a bit of industrial and for quite a bit of hours by now- and I have no clue as to this is about.


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## NACE (May 16, 2008)

Oden said:


> I do commercial work and quite a bit of industrial and for quite a bit of hours by now- and I have no clue as to this is about.


Me neither!!

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## Andyman (Feb 21, 2009)

Commercial information on PT is more like how do I cut base... I think this is way too complex for most here. 

My next epoxy job I want to achieve a CSP3. Right now I just do a 2 but I'm ready to step up. By the way, the polyurea worked very nicely in the cracks on my last job.


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## CApainter (Jun 29, 2007)

I don't buy that NACE doesn't know what was required to achieve the ESD epoxy floor coating, and I would disagree that PT is only geared towards painters with difficulty painting around cove base. OK, guilty as charged. Cove base is...REALLY SCARY!!


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## squid (Dec 25, 2012)

I would question the calibration of the testing equipment.


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## NACE (May 16, 2008)

squid said:


> I would question the calibration of the testing equipment.


Retested the floor again yesterday. Ohms came way down but still out of Navy Spec. 5 out of the 6 floors passed. Hoping the cure cycle is the issue.


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## Oden (Feb 8, 2012)

NACE said:


> Retested the floor again yesterday. Ohms came way down but still out of Navy Spec. 5 out of the 6 floors passed. Hoping the cure cycle is the issue.


sounds like it is heading in the right direction. I guess.


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## CApainter (Jun 29, 2007)

NACE,

Did the epoxy floor system, you installed, require conductive strips as described in the link I provided?


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## NACE (May 16, 2008)

CApainter said:


> NACE, Did the epoxy floor system, you installed, require conductive strips as described in the link I provided?


Yes. Copper.


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## CApainter (Jun 29, 2007)

NACE said:


> Yes. Copper.


Interesting. 

What do they bond these copper strips to if the concrete isn't conductive?


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## NACE (May 16, 2008)

CApainter said:


> Interesting.
> 
> What do they bond these copper strips to if the concrete isn't conductive?


Steel columns.


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## squid (Dec 25, 2012)

NACE said:


> Steel columns.


 Copper is bonded to steel? I was taught that mixing metals will cause electrolysis, corrosion and high resistance electrical connections. If measurements are taken from the floor to electrical ground, you're reading through these connections, right?


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## NACE (May 16, 2008)

squid said:


> Copper is bonded to steel? I was taught that mixing metals will cause electrolysis, corrosion and high resistance electrical connections. If measurements are taken from the floor to electrical ground, you're reading through these connections, right?


We did not install them.


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## squid (Dec 25, 2012)

Who does the testing? Did they install them? Just curious. Hopefully the conductivity will improve with time. Keep us posted. Some of us are interested.


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## CApainter (Jun 29, 2007)

NACE said:


> Retested the floor again yesterday. Ohms came way down but still out of Navy Spec. 5 out of the 6 floors passed. Hoping the cure cycle is the issue.


NACE,

Your point of the cure cycle contributing to the lack of conductivity, makes more sense to me now when I consider how the suspended conductive particles in the liquid coating, may need the resins and vehicle to chemically cure completely before the particles can settle and bind themselves tightly to each other. Space between these particles during curing may act as an insulator. I would also imagine there is an evaporative component to the cure cycle if the coating is not a 100% SBV epoxy. There could be a number of reasons for a slow cure. Do you have to add the conductive material to the coating?

As far as electrolysis contributing to less conductivity at the contact points between dissimilar metals, there would have to be moisture in the form of ionized liquid to complete that cathodic reaction. But I am suspecting there is a weak bond at the metal conductors, or maybe it's due to the distance of the sixth floor as it relates to the ground current.

I have no idea. But, it's fun theorizing about it!


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## NACE (May 16, 2008)

Found out today that the testing parameters used by the Navy were from 1997. The new parameters are from 2007 which puts us in full compliance. Thanks for your interest. Just saved us some big bucks.


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## Schmidt & Co. (Nov 6, 2008)

NACE said:


> Found out today that the testing parameters used by the Navy were from 1997. The new parameters are from 2007 which puts us in full compliance. Thanks for your interest. Just saved us some big bucks.


Treat yourself and the wife to dinner this week, you've earned it now. :yes:


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## allamerican (Jun 24, 2014)

There is lots of problem to start a new business but When I read this post then I resolved my half of the business related problem.


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## journeymanPainter (Feb 26, 2014)

squid said:


> Copper is bonded to steel? I was taught that mixing metals will cause electrolysis, corrosion and high resistance electrical connections. If measurements are taken from the floor to electrical ground, you're reading through these connections, right?


It could be for sacrificial purposes, although usually zinc is used in those situations

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## CApainter (Jun 29, 2007)

journeymanPainter said:


> It could be for sacrificial purposes, although usually zinc is used in those situations
> 
> Sent from my SGH-T989D using Tapatalk


The iron oxide in the steel columns would become the anode in the cathodic process, given that copper is an imperial metal. They probably have some kind of cathodic protection in the form of a sacrificial anode.

And, as long as ionic water isn't introduced into this interior setting, there shouldn't be a cathodoclysmic event. Bam!


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