static electricity

[brightspark]

the worst part of getting a shock is if u know its coming if u don't know its only half as bad

 

[norsa]

Well my post has turned out actually quite amusing. Perhaps I could give up driving and turn my powers to something creative. BGT springs to mind. Give simon a zap or two. what does the panel think??

 

[skotl]

...Leather soled shoes are probably one of the better solutions for static electricity problems...

That's the key. Wearing rubber soled shoes guarantees that you don't discharge static when you get out of the car - leather soles will ensure that it's dissipated when your feet hit the ground.

My wife insists on wearing rubber soled slippers in the house and electrocutes herself and everyone she touches when she walks across the carpet. When she's bare-footed, there's no problem.

 

[Robotstar5]

Quite a few folks just had a length of chain dangling to touch the road.

I used a piece of jackchain

 

[rtcosic]

....I've recently got an S class merc and the build up from that is pretty bad. ....
Nick

Change the car.

I'm a long term Jaguar & Rover man. When overseas I was assigned a Benz and in the hot dry weather static shocks were painful. Wife's little runabout never caused the same problem.

More seriously, I sympathise but other than the previous advice to wear cotton, leather etc and avoid ALL man-made materials I can't any better advice.

 

[ibrooks]

Most of the guys here wear anti-static shoes (conductive) as a lot of the stuff is sensitive electronics (and some of the other stuff will also go bang in a big way). Being a scummy contractor (who's been here for over 18 years) I don't get shoes paid for by the customer and it's just so much hassle getting them out of our company that I don't bother so I wear heel grounding straps if I go onto the shop-floor. I've also never had any success buying shoes via mail-order and you just have to pick shoes from the catalogue.

In practice I've found that Doc Martens always pass the test at the entrance so usually don't need the grounding straps if I'm wearing those. Caterpillar boots always seem to pass for the first few months but once you've worn a few mm off the sole they start failing.

 

[Robotstar5]

In practice I've found that Doc Martens always pass the test at the entrance so usually don't need the grounding straps if I'm wearing those. Caterpillar boots always seem to pass for the first few months but once you've worn a few mm off the sole they start failing.

Is the test a couple of metal plates you stand on while they pass a few thousand volts through?, if you fall over, the boots have failed

 

[Dave Sherwood]

Little tip I was given years ago and works. Hold the metal part of a key or tool and touch something that is earthed and you will discharge static without feeling a thing. I use to touch the door catch or anything else before I got out of my vehicle.

 

[julianf]

When we turn the kids into 300v capacitors at work, we get them to stand on an insulating stool.

I would say, as above, look into changing your footware.


Just as an interesting side note - the dielectric breakdown of air is in the region of 3Mv/M - so three million volts to jump one meter of air.

Off the top of my head, i dont know if this is linear, but it gives a little insight to the potential difference of even small 'static' discharges.

 

[skotl]

As ibrooks suggests - Doc Martens produce dissipative shoes;

http://www.drmartens.com/uk/p/14130001

 

[the snooper]

When we turn the kids into 300v capacitors at work

You torture children at your place of work

 

[julianf]

You torture children at your place of work

The trick, i've found, is to get them to volunteer *before* you mention the 300,000 volts.

 

[500e]

plastic Esso man key ring
Still got mine Snoop

 

[Windy Miller]

I have the same problem, and i wear pretty much only cotton.

I have found the only way for me, was to change the way i got out the car, i hold the metal door frame whilst i get out. Its a habit now and it really cut the shocks down.

That ALWAYS works for me!

 

[daleyd]

Get yourself a pair of steaming bats (Navy slang). Electrically conductive to prevent static while working in magazines around explosives etc.

Horrifically uncomfortable when new, they wear in to become massively comfy. Not exactly the height of fashion mind....

http://www.cetomilitaria.co.uk/ourshop/prod_4531276-Boots-Royal-Navy-Steaming-Bats-9L.html

 

[Parm]

ahh yes but the flash ones had reflectors fitted to them, add to that your go faster stripes aftermarket fog lamps wired up as brake lights and you would have been a chick magnet

Don't forget the little reflective bits that stuck on to the door edge too

 

[ibrooks]

Is the test a couple of metal plates you stand on while they pass a few thousand volts through?, if you fall over, the boots have failed

Not quite - one plate on the floor that you put your foot on and a button on a box on the wall that you press. It'll fail for high or low resistance. High resistance and static charge in your body isn't being dissipated into the floor. Low resistance I'm told is an 'elf 'n safety thing to try and protect you if you manage to short yourself out to an electrical supply of some sort i.e. there should be a minimum amount of resistance to try and limit the amount of current that might end up flowing through your body.

The Doc Martens that I've tried have never been the "special" ones just various versions of the "original" soles when I've bought them from normal shoe-shops always seem to pass the test. As I said the company have a catalogue of officially dissipative shoes, trainers, clogs, sandals that you can pick from if you're a permanent employee - I'd have thought most of the safety wear providers would supply similar stuff (Arco and the like). They usually have a little yellow button on them with the static symbol.

Iain