getting Shocks

zervi2003

Hi everyone,

This is a bit of an odd one but I have a bit of a problem and it is causing me a bit of physical pain.

I have always had problems for as l can remember with regards touching metal objects.

I usually have just a bit of a sting and sometimes with a bit of a spark.

But its gotton to a stage where I have to use something like a tissue or a piece of material or something to open or pick up things metal and its really annoying me.

The stings are getting worse and very painful.

Last night I had to go to my local shop and while opening the door I got a massive shock-very painful.

When I was leaving the shop I had to use my sleeve to open the door as I was so scared and the lady at the counter was looking at me like I was a weirdo.

Has anyone any advice on how to stop this from happening?

Beruthiel

I used a CAD machine for a year while at work, every time I touched it, I'd get a shock, it was the shoes I was wearing, perhaps you need to look at that?

Silverfish

I had that for years - I had to quit a job over it before, because I had to use security keypads to get into rooms, and I was getting massive shocks off them, I also had to get rid of a car.


I think copper bracelets help, don't on your life wear nylon, er, wear leather soled shoes - there's a good few websites on this.

ferdi

i get shocks from touching off people, animals, cars, machinary - its really annoying and its not the shoes, i think i have a high electrical charge or something

Sleepy

Wear rubber soled shoes. As Beruthiel said, this can make all the difference...

Silverfish

Yeah, some people just have higher electrical thingie than others.

I worked in this amazing wonderful magical place that made microchips so ESD was baad, so we all had anti-static shoes so it was great. For a while.


I still have them, if you're a size 3.

][cEMAN**

Depends on the clothes you wear as well. I think i've heard polyester sometimes causes this like if you're wearing a shirt and you move about a lot causing friction.

Sure if rubber soles don't work invest in an antistatic wristband and tell people it's a fashion accessory.

cruiserweight

It is all in the shoes. Depending on the soles of your shoes you will be grounded and provide somewhere for the static electricity to flow.

zervi2003

Thanks for the replies lads and lassies.

I will look into to the shoe sole thing (I wear tackies/trainiers/sneekers - whatever you want to call 'em). They look like they are rubber soled.


antistatic wristband - dont mind wearing one at all as long as it does the job.

Anyone know any shops to get these in or online? Need one pronto!

Am a size 5 Silverfish so it could be a squeeze to get into them! Thanks for the offer though.

What is this high electrified thing some of ye are on about and how/why does it happen (I didnt go hold onto an electricity pilon or anything-am just a normal joe soap!).

Silverfish

Everyone just has natural amounts of electricity.

Get one of those current measuring devices.

When put near anything with electrical current, the beeps speed up.


Put near me, its one continuous beeep.

Kell

Originally posted by Silverfish

Put near me, its one continuous beeep.

Thats cos you're just pure electric. Swoon.

K-

D

Each person has a different resistance and makes it easier for them to charge up statically. Like the others said light artifical fibres can charge you up quicker along with the shoes. If you get a shock it is fine to touch the (generally metal) object again as the charge will be gone.

littlemiss

Zervi I know how you feel. I've started doing a Phd and I get shocks off everything in the lab, the machines, the doors, the water bath, the water running from taps. It is so painful, I slow up when I reach the door and look at it suspiciously while I try and figure out if it will shock me again. Plus everyone turns around when I shout ow. It is really bad, as for shoes I wear runners so I think it may be the floor as I'm not the only one who has suffered them. I think they get worse each time.

tuxy

ok some people have been advising you to wear rubber soled shoes
this will make the problem worse
i dont know what kind of shoes would be best i just know rubber soled ones are bad

and it probably isnt that you have a higher electrical charge than most people its just that you are more sensitive to it

Quatre Mains

- if you are getting it when you go to get into your car touch it with the key 1st.

tuxy

Originally posted by brocklanders
- if you are getting it when you go to get into your car touch it with the key 1st.

yup afaik that should work u can also do the same thing with a key or coin on other objects

PrecariousNuts

Wear copper shoes

Rabies

I get shocks most days. I can't get out on my car on a dry day with out getting a shock from the car door. Always try to close the door with my feet to eliminate getting shocks :dunno:
Got a static shock when I kissed my ex a few years ago. My lips tingled for ages after it. Was weird.

BigEejit

My wife gets shocks off loads of things as well ... so she got a big ring and taps that off things first, there is still a spark, but the ring spreads the effect and it has no effect. Similarly getting into and out of cars, touch the chassis with the key before.

neuro-praxis

I also have this problem and it has gotten progressively worse over the years.

At the moment, if I lean in to kiss my boyfriend, I sometimes get a massive electrical shock in my lips. I mean, talk about sparks flying! :cool: The lips are one of the most sensitive areas in the body too, so it sucks mightily!

It was worst when I worked in Dixons and I had to leave. Everything shocked me and I was a nervous wreck at the end of the day. You're just not inclined to touch anything!

oneweb

I had the same problem - especially in Dunnes, Blanch - for a long time. Used to get a shock frequently when I went to reach the videotape shelves, the side of the escalator, the shelf supports, the lift, and - much to their surprise - even customers when handing back change :O

Then I got Noo Shoos and the shocking was drastically reduced. (The more insulative the shoes, the worse the shock 'cos you're building up a greater charge). Try an anti-static strap or thin piece of bare wire around your shoe. Once the static charge can dissipate to ground via your feet, you shouldn't be shocked any more.

As a matter of fact I went shopping t'other day in Dunnes and got a belter of a shock from the freezer door, among other things. Ouchy!

p

It's definately something you can get fixed by wearing some different kind of shoes. You need to be 'grounded', so rubber soles probably isn't the way to go.

One thing you could try is to always ground yourself off object throughout that day, that way you'll never build up the charge. So touch of metal whenever you see it.

By the way, those static shoe straps won't do a thing, because they're designed to work with a floor that's specially grounded.

So in short, wear less 'staticy' clothes, and touch metal all the time.

Also walking around in barefoot might help.

Some info here:
http://www.static-sol.com/articles/static_shocks.htm
http://www.drweil.com/app/cda/drw_cda.html-command=TodayQA-questionId=3913

Good luck!

- Kevin

Oh yea, and until you solve this, I wouldn't advise pumping petrol.

Woden

i didn't know that this could be such a big problem tbh, i'd get shocks the odd time off the metal keypads in work, one of the chaps just advised me to touch the wooden door before you go for the keypad, think it might ground ya anywho think it works for me


data

Mr_Roger_Bongos

All i can say is, watch out for the lift button, on the left hand lift, on the arrivals floor of Dublin Airport, that mofo has got me twice, and i remebered the shock from the first time as i walked up to press it the 2nd time!!

littlemiss

Sorry for dragging this back up, but have spent all day in work getting shocks off metal handle on door in the lab, as this is the only way in and out of the lab it is a bit of a problem. They really hurt and now I feel i'm breaking out in a cold sweat approaching the door. Anyone got any short term solutions?? Please?

Sleepy

Get someone else to open the door? Carry a rubber in your pocket and use that to depress the door handle?

Zulu

Stop dragging your feet.

Originally posted by zervi2003
Hi everyone,

This is a bit of an odd one but I have a bit of a problem and it is causing me a bit of physical pain.

I have always had problems for as l can remember with regards touching metal objects.

I usually have just a bit of a sting and sometimes with a bit of a spark.

But its gotton to a stage where I have to use something like a tissue or a piece of material or something to open or pick up things metal and its really annoying me.

The stings are getting worse and very painful.

Last night I had to go to my local shop and while opening the door I got a massive shock-very painful.

When I was leaving the shop I had to use my sleeve to open the door as I was so scared and the lady at the counter was looking at me like I was a weirdo.

Has anyone any advice on how to stop this from happening?

littlemiss

Thanks Sleepy, feel a bit stupid asking someone else to open the door, don't have a rubber in the lab either. Hopefully I'll make it to the end of the day in one piece.

Zulu

Originally posted by littlemiss
Sorry for dragging this back up, but have spent all day in work getting shocks off metal handle on door in the lab, as this is the only way in and out of the lab it is a bit of a problem. They really hurt and now I feel i'm breaking out in a cold sweat approaching the door. Anyone got any short term solutions?? Please?

if all else fails - pull your sleeve over your hand, when opening the doors.

littlemiss

Actually tried that earlier and still got shock. Hence my reason for posting.

RicardoSmith

MY wife get this a bit and I never used to. But since we're married I now get mild shocks here and there. Must be contagious! I've started doing the car handle dance and closing the door by putting my hand on the glass.

echomadman

I have this problem infrequently

http://www.esd.tv/heelgrounder.html

try one of those, but i'm not sure if they'll do any good unless the floor is earthed.

Do you have long dry hair? its a massive cause of static build up, not really sure how you can avoid static without letting it get greasy, lots of aftersun hair products claim to be "antistatic" but that could be just marketese crap.
dont wear any synthetic fibres. remember to earth yourself regularly, to avoid building up a massive charge, better a few small tingles than one big shock

RicardoSmith

I find jumpers and fleeces are the worst causes of it.

Kersh

I usually close the car door with my feet. I once knocked my friend to the ground with a touch. And a girlfriend thought I hit her she got such a bad shock. Escalators and dvd players are the worst. You end up eyeing everything suspiciously...then people think you are mad, as you tentatively approach your car/escalators etc.

Kersh

Also, I just thought, shock therapy must work, what with us all breaking into cold sweats at the site of a door, or escalator.

Fionn101

possibly the funniest thread ever, it's classic when you shock others , ahh, i was having that problem for ages(especially in the car), it got to the stage where i would always let passengers out first, and when i heard the "ouch" i'd get out .

but it was all down to the shoes i was wearing , granted hair and shirts compound the problem but i find i never get shocked unless i'm wearing runners , and also dragging feet makes it worse ,


using a key with a rubber tip is the best solution , for car's, doors ,keypads, and for discharging any build up before touching anything,

last week a brian in work was listening to a cd with earphones while working and when i wanted his attention i put my hand on his shoulder , i heard the snap of static and he lept into the air, seems the shock caught him by suprise and when he moved quickly to see what caused it he pulled to hard on the earphone lead causing it to yank his head the opposite way (like a dog on a chain chasing the post man)

ahh how I laughed while he was in pain, i wish he'd put the earphones back in so i can show the other lads how funny it is


change from runners and use a key with rubber tip , and stop eating batteries


hope this helps

Fionn

littlemiss

Think having washed my hair this morning has something to do with it. My lab coat seems to be a static resevoir, and I have to wear that if I'm in the lab. Ah well found a pencil so will try using that to open the door and see if that helps.
Kersh seems like you have serious problems if you knock people to the ground, am suprised you have any friends. Padded cell might be safest option. No chance of shocks.

peckerhead

All the theories/remedies advanced here are equally valid.

But if this is your workplace, you're entitled to make it someone else's problem. Get on to your "buildings manager" (or whatever (s)he calls him/herself) and tell him/her that you require an anti-static mat placed on both sides of that door. If they give you any guff, let the tears well up and start mumbling about "sick building syndrome"...

ph

Kersh

Thanks littlemiss, if you store it all day you can really belt people with it. You know, drag your feet around, etc, then whack'em. and watch...

soundout

As a sufferer from shocks myself ive realised that its something to do with a few things:

first for all its about your shoes
second of all its about your clothes,poliester jersys or jumpers
i also heard its something to do with where you live if your live in a city or in the country near power lines

also it could be that whenever you use elcetronic devices e.g electric blanket,strobe lights t.vs microwaves.you absorb some of the power into your body.

also it could be that you are allergic to metal

acous

in the case of getting shocks from cars, is it always the human discharging? or can the car be the problem?

daveg

Originally posted by littlemiss
Sorry for dragging this back up, but have spent all day in work getting shocks off metal handle on door in the lab, as this is the only way in and out of the lab it is a bit of a problem. They really hurt and now I feel i'm breaking out in a cold sweat approaching the door. Anyone got any short term solutions?? Please?

Before you touch the handle run the back of your hand over the door (assuming it is wood). A lab I used to work in hand a metal key lock. The floor up to the entrance was carpeted. I used the got shocks all the time. Then we discovered if you rub you hand across the wood on the door it'll disapate all the electricity out of your body (grounding you).

Dunnes in Galway is a cúnt. It's the only place I get shocks now. I touch cans ect with the back of my hand before I pick them up. Gives less of a shock :dunno:

RicardoSmith

Originally posted by Acous
in the case of getting shocks from cars, is it always the human discharging? or can the car be the problem?

I found micras to be worse than other cars we have.

uberwolf

Originally posted by Acous
the human discharging?

hehe. sorry couldn't resist.

Skud

usually you can get shocks from dragging your feet on the floor if you walk like that creates more static energy, get rid of static energy by touching metal

Skud

usually dragging your feet on the floor (not lifting them) can create excess static energy, to get rid of this touch metal and try to pick up your feet if you walk like this, try the rubber shoes, they should do the trick

Zulu

Don't get the rubber shoes whatever you do.
I had a pair once (rubber soles) and got a shock off everything.
If you have rubber soles - put thumbtacks in the heal. The rubber prevents you from earthing, and you build up static charge when walking etc.

Golden rule. NO rubber soles.

Sleepy

Originally posted by daveg
Dunnes in Galway is a cúnt. It's the only place I get shocks now. I touch cans ect with the back of my hand before I pick them up. Gives less of a shock :dunno:

Tell me about it. I used to work there and got them all the time. The amount of complaints we used to get from customers was unreal!

acous

did some more research after my previous post... it's always the human's fault, any difference between cars is most likely to do with the seat material. the trick is to hold on to the metal of the door as you're getting out of the seat. it's the process of getting out of the car that generates the electricity.

not touching a ground causes the charge to build up - the pain is caused by shooting your load all at once. holding your door firmly causes a much slower ejaculation of electrons.

uberwolf - huh? i'm not following you? :cool:

daveg

What you want to do is provide a path of least resistance to ground which will allow the static to dissapate through your body (shoes) to ground. Rubber is an insolator. In fact one of the best insolators so buying rubber shoes will only make the situation worse. Metal however is a good conductor - thus when you touch a metal object (door handle) it provides an easy path to ground which is why you get a shock.

Moral of the story? Dont buy rubber sole shoes.

/me looks at my rubber soled shoes :rolleyes:

red_ice

dont drag your feet when your walking for a start. Do you wear any cloths with nylon?

for example a tracksuit? Well the rubbing of nylon produces static electricity which will cause a shock