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Static Electricity

EatatJoes

Fundamental Atheist
EatatJoes
Joined
Nov 15, 2005
Messages
339
OK, this is going to sound trivial and probably a little dumb, but every time I get out of my car, and close my door, I get shocked. I try different things to avoid getting shocked, but besides closing the door with my foot, I haven't found a good and easy solution. It freaking hurts and now I've developed a slight anxiety when going to shut my door.
Please offer some solutions. I'm begging. :shocked:
 
Some cars have a small pad inside the door handle to touch to let the charge drain. Our Mazda has them on both front doors. Otherwise, touch the door frame before you get out of the car.
 
I have the same thing with touching a tap in our staff room. Except on the wettest days, I always get a shock. So I've learned to discharge it using a knuckle before touching the tap. Hurts less. :)

Athon
 
Try seat covers made of a different material. (Polyester seems to be the worst.)

Or you can attach a ground strap to bare metal somewhere under the car so the strap will hang low enough to hit the pavement now and then.
 
Freethinker said:
Some cars have a small pad inside the door handle to touch to let the charge drain. Our Mazda has them on both front doors. Otherwise, touch the door frame before you get out of the car.
Click to expand...

I don't see the advantage--unless it's more conveniently situated to use a knuckle or elbow as has been mentioned.
 
Try an anti-static treatment on your car seats. There are commercial rug treatments available, or you could try the DIY version we used where I worked back East:

Take some liquid fabric softener (like Downy), dilute it about 8:1 with water, put the diluted softener in a spray bottle like you'd use to mist plants, spray the upholstery until the surface is damp and let dry.

This has to be repeated every now and then.

It might also be helpful to use fabric softener and a dryer sheet when laundering your clothes.
 
I get this on the work truck a lot.

I open the door, then grab the metal edge of the door and hold it as I get out. It appears to drain the static charge generated by moving out of the seat as it's generated.
 
EatatJoes said:
OK, this is going to sound trivial and probably a little dumb, but every time I get out of my car, and close my door, I get shocked. I try different things to avoid getting shocked, but besides closing the door with my foot, I haven't found a good and easy solution. It freaking hurts and now I've developed a slight anxiety when going to shut my door.
Please offer some solutions. I'm begging. :shocked:
Click to expand...

Hold a key (or other metal piece) firmly and touch the door with the metal. In the dark you may even see a spark. The shock comes from the spark if you touch the door directly, the firm grip on the key prevents any spark to your body and you will not feel any shock.
 
This Guy said:
I get this on the work truck a lot.

I open the door, then grab the metal edge of the door and hold it as I get out. It appears to drain the static charge generated by moving out of the seat as it's generated.
Click to expand...

You got it!!
 
athon said:
I have the same thing with touching a tap in our staff room. Except on the wettest days, I always get a shock. So I've learned to discharge it using a knuckle before touching the tap. Hurts less. :)

Athon
Click to expand...

That's what I do, discharge through a body part with fewer nerve endings. Also, when getting out of the car, I make sure the back of my calf is touching the metal at the bottom of the door frame before I slide across the seat. You might get a little dirt on your pants but you won't get shocked.
 
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Make sure there's someone standing next to your car when you get out. Touch them before you touch the car.

Interestingly, the part of my key that I actually hold is plastic, but it seems I build up enough of a charge that I can still get shocked when locking the dorr even without touching any metal. Stupid electrons, all out to get me.
 
The same thing happens to me. Is depends on my foot wear. I have a new pair of sandals and be darned if I don't get jolted, bad, every time. Runners are fine, but the sandals, well, I just use my foot to close the door. Have you noticed this with different shoes?
 
sinclairmcevoy said:
The same thing happens to me. Is depends on my foot wear. I have a new pair of sandals and be darned if I don't get jolted, bad, every time. Runners are fine, but the sandals, well, I just use my foot to close the door. Have you noticed this with different shoes?
Click to expand...

I haven't noticed a difference w/ different shoes. The one time I noticed I didn't get shocked was when it had just rained.

But thanks for all of the advice. I'll have to try some of this out. :)
 
Freethinker said:
It's a high resistance path to the frame so the charge is drained slowly.
Click to expand...

That makes some sense. (Sorry, I didn't buy the idea that the charge is only built up by sliding out of the seat when you leave. Even if so, discharging in one place rather than another is not in itself an explanation of why it doesn't hurt you.)

What if I attached a wire from the frame to the plastic steering wheel? Probably not conductive enough.
 
RenaissanceBiker said:
That's what I do, discharge through a body part with fewer nerve endings. Also, when getting out of the car, I make sure the back of my calf is touching the metal at the bottom of the door frame before I slide across the seat. You might get a little dirt on your pants but you won't get shocked.
Click to expand...

Actually, greater surface area cuts it down just fine (palm instead of finger tips for example) ..:)
 
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