Static electricity
Question:
I too get a shock when I get out of my truck???? I have a 96 silverado….whats up with that??? James – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – > I’ve been noticing lately that when I get out of my Blazer (‘99 ZR2), I > have some static electricity built up and when I go to touch the door > (or anything else metal) I get a shock. Sometimes a pretty good shock. > What could be causing this? Is there a grounding wire or something that > may have gone bad or become disconnected? > Thanks, > Ryan > Before you buy.
Response:
: I noticed that my cloth Yukon gives me a shock once in awhile, and my wife’s : leather Envoy never does. Maybe dragging my butt across the seat picks up : static electricity. I heard that a bounce sheet rubbed on the seat helps. You can get antistatic spray at computer stores, does the same thing. Donno how good that is for the fabric. Less friction on the leather, or less buildup, or something. You’ll see the same thing dragging your feet across different carpets — some generate the "zap" better than others ;-( — A
:> Once upon a time they made a strap that you bolted to the frame, and :> let drag on the ground. Try J C Whitney, they probably still have : something :> > : I’ve been noticing lately that when I get out of my Blazer (‘99 ZR2), : I :> > : have some static electricity built up and when I go to touch the door :> > : (or anything else metal) I get a shock. Sometimes a pretty good : shock. :> > :> > : What could be causing this? Is there a grounding wire or something : that :> > : may have gone bad or become disconnected? :> > :> > Uhh, dry weather? :> > :> > Yeah, your tires may insulate you more than your last set, but scuffing :> your :> > feet on carpet, whether at home or in the truck, especially in dry :> weather, :> > makes for static electricity ;-( :> > :> > You could get an anti-static mat for your computer, cut it up so it fits :> in :> > the truck, and call it a floor mat. :> > :> > You could get a 10k-100k ohm resistor, ground one side of it, and have a :> > "touch me" sign on the other end — this is what they do in labs here in :> > Silicon Valley (and you local San Jose guys don’t yell at me — I *am* :> > oversimplifying, but it works in this situation <g>.) :> > :> > Or wait for the barometer to change 
:> > :> > — A :> > — :> > daily 74 Blazer "TankGrrl" weekender 93 300ZX NA "Ishara" :> > hers 92 Saturn SL2 "Sabrina" project 65 VW Type III Notchback :> > :> > :> :> — daily 74 Blazer "TankGrrl" weekender 93 300ZX NA "Ishara" hers 92 Saturn SL2 "Sabrina" project 65 VW Type III Notchback
Response:
I’ve been noticing lately that when I get out of my Blazer (‘99 ZR2), I have some static electricity built up and when I go to touch the door (or anything else metal) I get a shock. Sometimes a pretty good shock. What could be causing this? Is there a grounding wire or something that may have gone bad or become disconnected? Thanks, Ryan Before you buy.
Response:
I have heard that your tires can cause this problem. I hate static discharges like the one you mention. When I get out of my truck I hold a metal key to the door and let it discharge. – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – >I’ve been noticing lately that when I get out of my Blazer (‘99 ZR2), I >have some static electricity built up and when I go to touch the door >(or anything else metal) I get a shock. Sometimes a pretty good shock. >What could be causing this? Is there a grounding wire or something that >may have gone bad or become disconnected? >Thanks, >Ryan >Before you buy.
Response:
: I’ve been noticing lately that when I get out of my Blazer (‘99 ZR2), I : have some static electricity built up and when I go to touch the door : (or anything else metal) I get a shock. Sometimes a pretty good shock. : What could be causing this? Is there a grounding wire or something that : may have gone bad or become disconnected? Uhh, dry weather? Yeah, your tires may insulate you more than your last set, but scuffing your feet on carpet, whether at home or in the truck, especially in dry weather, makes for static electricity ;-( You could get an anti-static mat for your computer, cut it up so it fits in the truck, and call it a floor mat. You could get a 10k-100k ohm resistor, ground one side of it, and have a "touch me" sign on the other end — this is what they do in labs here in Silicon Valley (and you local San Jose guys don’t yell at me — I *am* oversimplifying, but it works in this situation <g>.) Or wait for the barometer to change — A — daily 74 Blazer "TankGrrl" weekender 93 300ZX NA "Ishara" hers 92 Saturn SL2 "Sabrina" project 65 VW Type III Notchback
Response:
Does anyone have a solution to a nasty problem I have with static electricity while getting out of my car? I get a jolt each time I push the door-lock button, or when closing the door. I have gone as far as putting a rubber strip on my key-chain, holding it between my fingers and anything metal on the car. Nothing appears to work. You will not believe this but this afternoon I shut the car door with the rubber sole of my shoe, then opened an iron gate to my backyard and got a delayed Will you E-mail ?
Response:
>This question always comes up often around this time of year. It’s been >covered many times in the news group, but here goes, one more time.
Couldn’t stop you from given yet another visitation could we. OK, you can wear a wire on your wrist (boy, the girls will love that), or when you get out of the car, hold your key firmly then touch the tip of the key against the door’s lock to discharge yourself. You will get a small shock, but that’s better than a big shock when you less expect it. That’s it, and you won’t scare people away.
Response:
This question always comes up often around this time of year. It’s been covered many times in the news group, but here goes, one more time. Static electricity builds up from rubbing two materials together, usually plastics and cloth. Normally the static charge in your body is quickly dissipated into the atmosphere because the moisture in the air makes it some what conductive. However, as winter approaches the atmosphere is much dryer, especially in colder climates. When the air is dry, objects tend to hold their static charge longer. As you move around on the seat of your car, a fairly strong static electric charge can build up in your body. Naturally when you come in contact with some metal object that has less charge than you, a spark and electric shock will result as the electrons jump from your skin to the object ( or vice versa ). It is the same principle that causes clouds to build up high static electrical charges which eventually result in lightning. Another good example is when you walk or drag your feet across the carpet in a department store then grab a metal shelf or clothes rack. Surely this has happened to you before. Certain materials rubbing together can cause greater static charges than others. One of the worst combinations is Wool and Nylon (like in a wool suit and a nylon seat cover). The simplest solution to static build up from your car seat, is to spray a little static guard or cling free on the seat once in a while. Even a little sprits of water from a spray bottle will do the trick but it doesn’t last very long. I often just put a small box of those dryer sheets (used to prevent static cling in your clothes) in the car and wipe one across the seat before getting in . Smells good too! Another problem is that the car body develops a negative charge as it travels through the air. Some types of tires can dissipate this charge to the ground, but some do not. Grounding straps can be added to the car frame that actually drag the road surface and dissipate the static charge that builds up in the car body. Another solution is to use a static grounding cord like the ones electronic equipment repair technicians use. You know, it’s a bracelet worn around the wrist that has a length of wire attached to it and an alligator clip on the end of the wire. The Technician will attach the clip to the frame of the computer he is working on so that he is grounded and will not build up a static charge that could damage the equipment. Just wear one while driving and keep the clip attached to the metal door handle. That way you will maintain the same charge as the body of the car and it can’t shock you when you grab the door handle while exiting the car. Warning, you might drive around with you hair standing on end, though. <grin> You might still get a pretty good zap when you grab the gate handle. Static electricity is annoying but we all have to live with it, especially in the winter. Hope this helps, Kev > Does anyone have a solution to a nasty problem I have with static > electricity while getting out of my car? I get a jolt each time I push > the door-lock button, or when closing the door. I have gone as far as > putting a rubber strip on my key-chain, holding it between my fingers > and anything metal on the car. Nothing appears to work. You will not > believe this but this afternoon I shut the car door with the rubber sole > of my shoe, then opened an iron gate to my backyard and got a delayed > Will you E-mail ?
– To reply, replace "NOSPAM" in return address with "eatel" http://www.eatel.net/~kevinm/homepage.htm Kevin Mouton – Automotive Technology Instructor "If women don’t find you handsome they should at least find you handy!" Red Green of Possum Lodge
Response:
if you hold on to the metal of the door before you get out of the car, & keep holding on till both feet are on the ground, you wont feel a thing. its only if you go to close the door after youre out of the car youll get a shock. – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text -> My 1999 Honda Civic ValuPak keeps shocking me w/static electricity built > up from driving. I’m the only person it does it to on a regular basis. > I thought it would go away (as static usually does) after winter was > over…but it is still zapping me. Is there any way I can prevent > this? > Our Taurus does this too. My answer is to put the back of my calf firmly > against the metal at the bottom of the door as I put my feet down. Most of > the charge seems to come from moving off the seat and standing up. (Cloth > seats) This is more graceful than trying to hold onto something and if there > is a spark, the calf is a pretty dead spot for reacting to the shock, rather > than my fingers which are quite sensitive. It also makes it easier to hold > stuff as I get out. > Gordon Fisher > Visit the Point Happy Auto Links > http://www.pointhappy.com/
Response:
The static is caused by todays new Low Roll Resistant tires. A small guage wire mounted under the car and dragging on the ground will cure this problem. I suggest just inside of the rear tire…..Bill
Response:
OOoooh, I dont wanna even THINK about that one. 
– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text -> How do tankers put humidity in the air:) > — > Grape Ape www.ulster.net/~nubb/ > > sure, put humidity in the air or drag a grounding strap. all explosive > gas > > tankers do. KB > Hard boiled eggs and beer will do it….
Response:
> I’m not sure this is the best group to post this question, so if not, > I’m sorry. > My 1999 Honda Civic ValuPak keeps shocking me w/static electricity built > up from driving. I’m the only person it does it to on a regular basis. > I thought it would go away (as static usually does) after winter was > over…but it is still zapping me. Is there any way I can prevent > this?
If you’re getting shocked as you slide out of the seats try grasping something metal (getting harder to do in plastic cars) before you move. This will disipate the charge without shocking you. John
Response:
> How do tankers put humidity in the air:) > — > Grape Ape www.ulster.net/~nubb/ > sure, put humidity in the air or drag a grounding strap. all explosive > gas > tankers do. KB
Hard boiled eggs and beer will do it….
Response:
> My 1999 Honda Civic ValuPak keeps shocking me w/static electricity built > up from driving. I’m the only person it does it to on a regular basis. > I thought it would go away (as static usually does) after winter was > over…but it is still zapping me. Is there any way I can prevent > this?
Our Taurus does this too. My answer is to put the back of my calf firmly against the metal at the bottom of the door as I put my feet down. Most of the charge seems to come from moving off the seat and standing up. (Cloth seats) This is more graceful than trying to hold onto something and if there is a spark, the calf is a pretty dead spot for reacting to the shock, rather than my fingers which are quite sensitive. It also makes it easier to hold stuff as I get out. Gordon Fisher Visit the Point Happy Auto Links http://www.pointhappy.com/
Response:
Rub the seats with fabric softener tissues, add a static strap.
– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text -> I’m not sure this is the best group to post this question, so if not, > I’m sorry. > My 1999 Honda Civic ValuPak keeps shocking me w/static electricity built > up from driving. I’m the only person it does it to on a regular basis. > I thought it would go away (as static usually does) after winter was > over…but it is still zapping me. Is there any way I can prevent > this? > Thanks, > Mike
Response:
Same thing happens to me in my Dodge Truck with cloth seats. I think I have it down to the windbreaker jacket I usually wear, which has a synthetic fur lining. When I wear that jacket, I about get electrocuted with a million volts each time in or out of the vehicle. But without that jacket, I only occasionally get a tiny shock.
– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text -> spray the seats with some kinda anti-static stuff for clothes? > I’m not sure this is the best group to post this question, so if not, > I’m sorry. > My 1999 Honda Civic ValuPak keeps shocking me w/static electricity built > up from driving. I’m the only person it does it to on a regular basis. > I thought it would go away (as static usually does) after winter was > over…but it is still zapping me. Is there any way I can prevent > this? > Thanks, > Mike
Response:
spray the seats with some kinda anti-static stuff for clothes?
– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text -> I’m not sure this is the best group to post this question, so if not, > I’m sorry. > My 1999 Honda Civic ValuPak keeps shocking me w/static electricity built > up from driving. I’m the only person it does it to on a regular basis. > I thought it would go away (as static usually does) after winter was > over…but it is still zapping me. Is there any way I can prevent > this? > Thanks, > Mike
Response:
How do tankers put humidity in the air:) — Grape Ape www.ulster.net/~nubb/
– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text -> sure, put humidity in the air or drag a grounding strap. all explosive gas > tankers do. KB
Response:
sure, put humidity in the air or drag a grounding strap. all explosive gas tankers do. KB — The Wrench " If its mechanical and I am not bleeding, I must not be working very hard."
– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text -> I’m not sure this is the best group to post this question, so if not, > I’m sorry. > My 1999 Honda Civic ValuPak keeps shocking me w/static electricity built > up from driving. I’m the only person it does it to on a regular basis. > I thought it would go away (as static usually does) after winter was > over…but it is still zapping me. Is there any way I can prevent > this? > Thanks, > Mike
Response:
I’m not sure this is the best group to post this question, so if not, I’m sorry. My 1999 Honda Civic ValuPak keeps shocking me w/static electricity built up from driving. I’m the only person it does it to on a regular basis. I thought it would go away (as static usually does) after winter was over…but it is still zapping me. Is there any way I can prevent this? Thanks, Mike
