HF Ground Bolt?

[Jacobelps]

Reading my owners manual (everlast 200dv) and came across this HF Ground Bolt. It states the I should ground it, but to where? Thanks in advance

[Rambozo]

You don't usually need to bother with that. It is to try and cut down on radio interference from the HF. The machine is already grounded via the power cord. It is there so you can run a wire right to a ground rod if you have one.

[Jacobelps]

Working around cars in the shop and a computer 20 feet away would you say it be ok to use HF start or go with scratch start?

[Rambozo]

Should be no problem with HF.

[christian]

Gee,

I'll add that, my wireless audio receiver and sound system is only about 5 feet away, behind a wall, from where I do TIG with HF starts, and it signal frequency is somewhat similar to WiFi.

So, I'll guess that there is no inherent problem with a computer, unless it connects via WiFi to a router or another computer, and those WiFi connections could be interrupted if they're being used at the same time as HF arc starts. But, maybe 20 feet is far enough, so if you don't have any symptoms, you probably don't have a problem.

Working around cars in the shop and a computer 20 feet away would you say it be ok to use HF start or go with scratch start?

[christian]

Yeah,

I guess I'm one of the few that does utilize that HF ground lug, after I shifted my music server from being an AppleTV unit that synced my iTunes Library through an Ethernet-over-Power to a 5.1 sound system near where I TIG weld, to a wireless audio and video transmitter out to the same 5.1 system and HDMI TV, which made the Apple TV unit obsolete. The Apple TV isn't really a good music server anyway, as it doesn't have enough processor ability or features to do audio cross-fade, and so the wireless from the computer itself is more elegant for audio, video, and internet on TV.

And that's when I would occasionally have the HF arc starts interfere with the wireless music transmission. Nothing terrible, just an interruption for about 10 or 15 seconds until the wireless audio reestablished itself.

So, I did put a quick-connect pigtail on the machine lug and staked a ground for it. And now, no more music interruptions, as I almost always have somewhat loud music playing when I'm welding.