Static electricity build up on my car

Indricotherium

My car builds up a MASSIVE electrical charge on any drive.

I'm sick of it. Every time I put my hand on the top of the door to shut it I get a jump. Cue expletive.

It's gotten really bad.

Is there any way to stop this other than culchie tails on the back of the car.

Anan1

Hold the door frame until your foot touches the ground when exiting the car.

johnos1984

Anan1 wrote: »

Hold the door frame until your foot touches the ground when exiting the car.

Add to that hold it tightly and you get no shock

You'd see these on a lot of cars about the place:



Anti static strap. Attached to the metal structure of the car and grounds it every time it touches the road.

I think they're not as fashionable as they once were. Some manufacturers make some ridiculous claims about them preventing tiredness and car sickness, curing aids etc etc.

They should stop shocks though, as long as you attach it to bare metal.

johnos1984

JamesL85 wrote: »

You'd see these on a lot of cars about the place:



Anti static strap. Attached to the metal structure of the car and grounds it every time it touches the road.

Snake oil they are.

johnos1984

johnos1984 wrote: »

Snake oil they are.

Ah, damnit , I had just edited my post to include that aspect re ridiculous claims by manufacturers and you ninja quoted me!

Indricotherium

JamesL85 wrote: »

johnos1984 wrote: »

Snake oil they are.

Ah, damnit , I had just edited my post to include that aspect re ridiculous claims by manufacturers and you ninja quoted me!

Also they are the Culchie tails I want to avoid.

dr.fuzzenstein

Used to have this problem changed my shoes and never again did it happen!
Some shoes seem to have plastic soles that prevent static charge being dissipated (don't ask me how), you can also try a static strip as used when working with sensitive electronic equipment.
This will usually happen with runners and/or bargain basement work shoes, i.e. anything cheap-ass nasty.

I had the strip that's hanging out from under the car, did nothing.

biko

Does it happen even if you touch the door without moving?
After a drive just open door a tad and touch the metal.
I find that the motion of twisting in the seat to get out of the car also can generate this shock. Depends on the seat material.

colm_mcm

It's normallt shoes that cause it, does it happen to anyone else who uses the car?

dr.fuzzenstein

colm_mcm wrote: »

It's normallt shoes that cause it, does it happen to anyone else who uses the car?

Interesting question, but I was always on my own in the car, was on the road at that time.
Theoretically yes, if you go out with a group of friends, there should always be one or two who always get zapped and other who never have the problem.
Think we gotta call Mythbusters.

colm_mcm

Down to the shoes, some will allow the static to run through to the ground, some won't.

dr.fuzzenstein

colm_mcm wrote: »

Down to the shoes, some will allow the static to run through to the ground, some won't.

Exactly. One way to find out would be to fit an anti-static strip to the shoe and see if situation improves. Drawbacks may include looking extremely geeky for a few days.:p

Indricotherium

colm_mcm wrote: »

It's normallt shoes that cause it, does it happen to anyone else who uses the car?

It happens to the OH whenever she gets out of the car first.

BigEejit

I get shocks off my car before I get into it, very rarely when I get out. I have taken to touching the car with a coin or a key before touching the door handle.

cadaliac

colm_mcm wrote: »

Down to the shoes, some will allow the static to run through to the ground, some won't.

+1
Happens me when wearing certain shoes in mrs Cadaliac's car. I know the shoes and don't wear them for that reason. My own car doesn't seem to build up the static as much.

colm_mcm

Aftermarket nylon seat covers may make it worse too I'd imagine?

The Bishop Basher

BigEejit wrote: »

I have taken to touching the car with a coin or a key before touching the door handle.

I do that too. Works a treat on cars, gates, ATM machines etc etc.

Nissan doctor

Indricotherium wrote: »

It happens to the OH whenever she gets out of the car first.

If its not just happening to you(i.e shoes not the problem) then there may be an issue with the cars own earthing points.

It can be difficult to trace all the cars factory earth points but you can buy aftermarket earthing kits which can easily be fitted.

Indricotherium

Nissan doctor wrote: »

Indricotherium wrote: »

It happens to the OH whenever she gets out of the car first.

If its not just happening to you(i.e shoes not the problem) then there may be an issue with the cars own earthing points.

It can be difficult to trace all the cars factory earth points but you can buy aftermarket earthing kits which can easily be fitted.

Is there a description of where to find them online? It's a current model corolla.

It seems to happen less when there is a layer of dust on the car and more when it's clean.

prettygurrly

i've just got used to closing the door with my elbow!

Indricotherium

prettygurrly wrote: »

i've just got used to closing the door with my elbow!

I'm gone beyond that. I can't close the door without exclaiming f**k. It's awful in carparks.

colm_mcm

would you still get static from closing it with the glass I wonder?

danjo

I would suspect your clothes are causing it. Nylon in particular can cause high static. Moving about on the seat before exiting causes a build up.
Be careful when getting out at a petrol pump. :eek:
Try quickly tapping your knuckles against the door.

Indricotherium

colm_mcm wrote: »

would you still get static from closing it with the glass I wonder?

This is a good idea. I will try it.

dharn

you could be carrying the static charge, and the first thing you touch will cause you to earth it thereby getting the shock ,so closing it with the glass would not help

johnos1984

Honestly the easiest and best way to avoid this is to grab the door hard and the charge will not be felt

galwaytt

It's not the car - what you're experiencing is 'triboelectric charge' - which is caused by friction of two surfaces. Most of the time it's shoes - usually on carpet or plastic, - (got cheapie mats.. ?)....I bet it only happens when it's dry, as dry, hot/warm conditions make it worse.

If you use some polishes etc on the dash and plastics, it can make it worse, too.

As mentioned by others, it can be the clothes too, and lot's of plastics etc exacerbate the problem. You can actually buy dissipative Static Cleaning foam, for plastics, e.g. this: http://www.caulfieldindustrial.com/electrolube-antistatic-spray-asa250ml/p-122259pd.html

swimming

try avoid wearing cotton clothes or something I believe alot of the time, its caused by alot of friction between your clothes and skin and it leads to a build up of charge..not sure though, just my opinion!!

David09

I used to get jolts off the door of my focus every time I stepped out of it. Each time I'd nervously reach for the door expecting to be zapped.
This went on for a good while until one day I noticed under the bonnet that the battery negative "-" connection was loose so I tightened it. It may be just a coincidence but I never got shocked after that.

dr.fuzzenstein

swimming wrote: »

try avoid wearing cotton clothes or something I believe alot of the time, its caused by alot of friction between your clothes and skin and it leads to a build up of charge..not sure though, just my opinion!!

Always thought Nylon and other synthetic fibers is what you want to avoid.
At least on a hot day, that stuff will just cling to you and be really uncomfortable.