Shocking Me

[Bendero7]

Hi Peoples,
I keep getting nasty static shocks off my paj.Even if i just jump in and grab my sunnies it seems to be enough to get a boot.Even on an overcast day it can still do it.
Was woundering if anybody else has the same trouble.Or has anyone tried those silly looking rubber toungs that hang off the rear bumper....Do they work??....
Thanks Ray..

[athino]

Ray,

I cannot quite see the value of one of those rubber things off the rear bumper, considering I have 4 tyres that make constant contact with the road, but someone else here may have had great success.

The shock normally relates to the materials in the car, on your person (clothes, shoes) and the climate. Overcast days would normally have more moisture in the air to conduct electricity so it's not surprising.

Some questions, does this happen on any other car or, does it happen to anyone else that uses this car in the same seat? Are you doing something just before you get into the car that may cause a built up of electricity ?

A little known fact is that this was a huge problem in the late 1970's until polyester pants went out of fashion...

[pedrod]

Static..........ouch!


Yeah, well I have the same problem........some days worse than others. At night time it is a spectacle.........sparks from the fingers. I have a static strap on my car, doesn't do a damn. I remember my Dad had one of those things on the car to stop car sickness. Can't remember if it worked.
But back to the Pajero,............. lambs wool seat covers and just the act of sliding out must be enough to build up static to cause the shocking effect.
Shutting the door, I hold my breath as I am waiting for that knowing boot. There are times it gets so bad I have a rag to use to keep me from touching the door.

Lots of fun.

Peter

[Garygls]

I have sheep skin seat covers & if I wear nylon/polyester shorts then hop out & wow I zap everything , the cold dry winter days we have here helps that along. Just as well I have a diesel

[peterdeg]

Make sure you're holding metal on the door tightly as you step out.
I know if I don't then ZAP

[AdrianLR]

I do what Peterdeg does - hold the door frame as I get out.

BTW, the drier the day, the worse the shock because the built up charge has nowhere to go until you provide it a path. Winter is the worst time as the humidity is lower than in Summer.

Adrian

[john_char]

it makes me wonder why they have that rubber thing hanging down, I guess it's so it can earth out the car, but why make it out of one of the best insulators!!!! RUBBER.

Go figure

[peterdeg]

A few snippets from http://www2b.abc.net.au/science/k2/s...pic185295.shtm

You can get a rubber strap that attaches to bottom of car that touches the ground when you stop, this is either scintered with a metal powder to make it conductive, or it has strands of wire in it.

(some follow-on flaming about 'scintering' and how it's spelt)

It is suppose to discharge the cars static build up before you do.
It has been my experience that static shocks occur when leaving a vehicle, not because the car is charged, but because the driver is. Seated on a man-made fibre seat, with your shoes on nylon carpet, you grasp the (plastic) steering-wheel and grab the (plasic) gearknob...as you shuffle your feet to work the controls, and move your arms to steer, you cause static electricity to build up in your body. In one car I had, my wife & I could not touch each other, for fear of shocks. Then when you open the door (plastic handle) and step out, you grab the outside doorhandle (metal), and all that built-up static discarges to the large metal car body. So an earth-strap on the car is no help.
(BTW, if you drive behind someone with an "earth-strap" on their car, you will see that at speeds above about 30kmh, the strap does not touch the ground...it mostly only touches when they stop. So for an earth-strap to effectively "ground" the car, you would have to stop on a metal plate, or damp ground....)

heres my unique solution that i have found to work well, get some electric fence tape( its a flat plastic woven tape with small wires woven into it)and make two loops to go around your seat base cushion, loop them from one side of the seat to the other unless you have bucket seats then you will need to go from front to back. under the seat wrap them around something metal, tucking them under the seat springs works well, make sure they are tight or you will get caught on them when you get in/out. make sure they dont interfere with moving parts under the seat.

Hmm... now if I had seat covers and some metal thread....

[obione_98]

They use carbon impregnated rubber - same stuff as aircraft tyres. Still doesn't work in my opinion, probably because you are insulated from the frame and body by upholstery, carpet etc. I agree the best remedy is to grab the door frame before you get out.
I rarely remember to do it though - until after I get zapped.

[Bendero7]

Thanks for your comments guys,looks like i need to wear rubber driving gloves to open the door......or maby if i hold the wifes hand then open the door....wounder if that will work,I here its a good trick to do on electric fences i've never tried it to see for myself though.....