Help! Static Electricity Issue!

Schlemm

Ok dunno if this is the right forum but I really need some advice on this,

I keep getting static electric shocks off of EVERYTHING!

Well not everything, but it's all the usual suspects: the car, being the main offender, and fake fleecy pj's and blankets coming in close second. If I've been handling any fake fleece and I go touching metal I get a massive shock off it GAH It's driving me mental! And the shocks are abnormally bad too, especially from the car if it's hot out. I can't get in or out of the car without looking like an eejit trying not to touch the metal parts or go to bed at night looking like a low budget firework show.

All advice on this odd problem is much appreciated.:(

Binomate

Punch yourself in the face a few times. It might work.

Pherekydes

Change your cheap nylon tracksuit.

Smellyirishman

cut off your fingers.

Or carry something around with you to aid discharge....hehe...discharge.

Tom Dunne

Schlemm wrote:

Ok dunno if this is the right forum but I really need some advice on this,

I keep getting static electric shocks off of EVERYTHING!

Of course this is the right forum. We discuss all things electrical every day.

As for a fix for your problem, might I suggest a mini-lightning conductor? Shoved up your ass? And run a cable to the ground so static will never build up.

Sorted.

Mr Magnolia

Get an anti-static strip from halfords or the like, if that doesn't work try an uncle-static strip. Have you bought new shoes recently (seriously)?

Caliden

Change your shoes. I had a pair of shoes that did that to me and it's annoying as ****

fozzle

Use conditioner in your hair. Honest, works for me.

uglyjohn

let me think.....according to the bit of physics I remember from the leaving I have 2 suggestions:

1. sellotape lots of metal thumb-tacks to your skin with the points away from you....static charges dissipate faster from pointy things.

2. walk around barefoot or keep touching conductors as often as you can...this should get rid of the charge before it gets a chance to build up to a noticeable level.



better idea.....keep one hand in a bottle of sulfuric acid, any charge pick up will be channeled into that.

Ruu_Old

Wear a giant anti-static bag, you can get them in different colours if that helps.

Thrill

Schlemm wrote:

I keep getting static electric shocks off of EVERYTHING!

My sister suffers from the same problem. She had to give up a job because of it.

She even has to get someone else to turn on the T.V. for her. If no-ones around she turns it on but she gets a nasty buzz from it. It is really strange and she has found no way of getting rid of it.

sternn

Change your shoes!!!!

Mr Magnolia

OP (or anyone else), seriously, if it is that bad you can get an anti-static anklet that 'grounds' you after every step, this will stop the shocks.

Schlemm

Ruu wrote:

Wear a giant anti-static bag, you can get them in different colours if that helps.

Hmm I may have to consider replacing my lovely pink fleecey onesie with one of these...:D

dame

Schlemm wrote:

Hmm I may have to consider replacing my lovely pink fleecey onesie with one of these...:D

You wear a fake fleecy onesie? :eek: in May?? :eek:

It's not that hard to close a car door without touching the metal, unless you like contorting yourself and getting noticed for it. Seriously though, buy better clothes, none of the crappy man-made fibres.

Femelade

i get a shock of my car everyday. i now close it with my bum..dont get a shock then..or maybe i do, but i dont feel it with the padding...:)

Jimoslimos

Aye, a combination of weather and shoes causes it to be worse. I work in a lab and with washing my hands several times a day its unnerving knowing I'll be shocked every time I touch the taps.

Schlemm

dame wrote:

You wear a fake fleecy onesie? :eek: in May?? :eek:

It's not that hard to close a car door without touching the metal, unless you like contorting yourself and getting noticed for it. Seriously though, buy better clothes, none of the crappy man-made fibres.

I can't get enough of that onesie!

zuutroy

Don't go to Vegas.

Tom Dunne

zuutroy wrote:

Don't go to Vegas.

Or Arizona.

When I lived there, I feared for my life when putting petrol in the car.

Ruu_Old

tom dunne wrote:

Or Arizona.

When I lived there, I feared for my life when putting petrol in the car.

I think there was a Mythbusters episode on this, I think it showed that alot of people would pull out the nozzle while everything on fire making it..much, much worse. It was the wimmens (Ted:..whimmen*tut*) that caused most of these accidents apparently, while hopping out and back into the car when fuelling.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PGVqwCVqCh8

Drift

If you have fancy car seat covers it may be worth taking them out for a while to see if it makes a difference. My mother used to get lots of shocks and when she removed her car seat cover she was sorted. I think her choice of shoes affected her too.

byte

Touch metal with your knuckles as opposed to your fingertips first. There are a lot less nerves on your knuckles than on your fingertips, so you won't feel the shock.

Hypnotoad

Get some sort of costume and become a superhero.

Black Swan

Ruu wrote:

It was the wimmens (Ted:..whimmen*tut*) that caused most of these accidents apparently

If you lads would stop charging us up, maybe we would have less static electricity?

Mr_Roger_Bongos

My house wasn't 'earthed' properly, so i used to get a static shock off ALL metal covered appliances - fridge, microwave, freezer, light switches, sometimes even the TV.

I started touching the wall (im assuming that would 'earth' me) before the appliances and haven't been shocked since!

Schlemm

Hypnotoad wrote:

Get some sort of costume and become a superhero.

How about onesie woman?

I didn't know that you could earth static electricity...hmm.
Right I'll be off getting wellies and conditioner so!

Schlemm

Ruu wrote:

I think there was a Mythbusters episode on this, I think it showed that alot of people would pull out the nozzle while everything on fire making it..much, much worse. It was the wimmens (Ted:..whimmen*tut*) that caused most of these accidents apparently, while hopping out and back into the car when fuelling.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PGVqwCVqCh8

Eek! Bring back petrol pump attendants!

Tar.Aldarion

Why don't you just harnass the power?

Sir Digby Chicken Caesar

this used to happent o me all the time about 4-5 months ago, it stopped about a month ago or so.. and then 3 days ago it started up again

now I'm getting shocked off everything... i've gotten used to it though, a few times I haven't noticed until I walked away and thought 'wait.. did I just get shocked?'

Hal1

What if you held on to someone while in contact with metal objects, so the charge would pass onto the other person. Would that work?

zuutroy

Hal1 wrote:

What if you held on to someone while in contact with metal objects, so the charge would pass onto the other person. Would that work?

Most likely the currents quickest path to ground would still be through you...If you jumped in the air and touched the object and the person together they'd get shocked.

lucernarian

Happens to me too. Ever since we got the new car, it happens to whoever touches the outside of it first. Same when I take off some clothes (not tracksuits:p). Touching the water pipes in the hotpress before I do, reduces the shock, but doesn't prevent it.

Jurassic_chili

the reason why the petrol pump went on fire there was because of the static electricity, if you go into a car while pumping gas be sure to touch the metal hood of the car before touching the pump again to stop stuff like what happened in that video happening

Tom Dunne

Jurassic_chili wrote:

the reason why the petrol pump went on fire there was because of the static electricity, if you go into a car while pumping gas be sure to touch the metal hood of the car before touching the pump again to stop stuff like what happened in that video happening

Great, thanks for pointing that out.

I thought she was a witch or something and had mis-cast a spell while filling the tank.

Of course if she was a witch, she probably would have a broomstick and they don't run on petrol. Silly me.

PCros

Get the strip in halfords, you just attach it to the back of the car and all the electric charge goes through that.

Works great for me...no more shocks and it only costs €7.59!

arseagon

PCros wrote:

Get the strip in halfords, you just attach it to the back of the car and all the electric charge goes through that.

Works great for me...no more shocks and it only costs €7.59!

That's a whole €.59 more than I'd be willing to pay. Looks like i'll just have to put up with getting shocked.

Cake Fiend

tom dunne wrote:

Great, thanks for pointing that out.

Yeah, I was confused too.