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".