Prevent static shocks from cars?
ive read it is caused with certain types of fabric covering the seat.
what type of material would prevent this and would
a seat cover/mat help?
Answers:
with your bunch of keys, hold on to the metal part of the key and connect your key with a part of the metal work of the car (lightly so you dont scratch anything) then keep it there while getting out. What this does is spread the electrical discharge over more of your skin rather than a single point (which hurts!)
as regards mats etc, no, the rubber iin wheels is preventing 'earthing' of the vehicle during high speed friction( wheels / exhaust velocity etc), conduct the car and your charge with a discharge strip which drags onto the road surface. preferably not rubber or plastic, perhaps a bundle of wires (like a brush) threaded on metal work of the car at the rear, just long enough to reach the road surface.
Hold on to the car frame as you get out of the car - it'll give you a connection to earth.
There's a spray you can get to cut it down. But I just hold the metal part of the door as I get out of the car, holding until I am standing. That transfers any static without the nasty spark.
Polyester is the culprit usually, but it can be what YOU are wearing rubbing the car seat. Its not a big deal if you get out and walk around your vehicle first it should go away. Static from cloth is short lived. You can always get some static guard if you are really worried about it, or keep a small spray bottle of water with you, they work about the same to break the barriers, and also keeps your ckothes from clinging to your pantyhose!! - Just call me Heloise, for short ;))
when I was a kid (100 yrs ago), they used to put 2 straps that just touched the ground on the back of the car to ground it, when you get out of the car it becomes grounded by you touching the ground (and the car), holding onto the frame won't help because, the rubber tires insulate the car from being grounded (You become the pathway for electrical discharge of static electricity from the car, to the ground) ! you could leap out of the car, but how ya gonna close the door ? when ya touch the car door, "ZAP"
I am an electronic engineer that knows this problem from a professional perspective. it always amazes me to hear the rubbish touted by the car manufactures re this. This problem is also the cause of damage to delicate electronic equipment (my area is medical) and I am sure also to mp3's mobile phones etc. carried on the person suffering the shock.
Ever wonder why some people never get the problem whilst you always do?
Earthing straps are of no use nowadays since contrary to popular belief 90% of tyres are NOT insulators, the tyre manufacturers insert a conductive element into the rubber. So what is it?
Those that dont get the shock are probably prone to sweating, the static is as a result of friction between the car seat and clothing, if either is synthetic the problem is multiplied. Dampness dissipates the static, ever tried rubbing a balloon on your jumper and then sticking it to the ceiling? good trick but try doing it on a rainy day and you will fail.
So thats the clue and cure, humidity. Aircon dries out the air and makes things worse. A small aerosol of water and apply it to the area of contact between yourself and the seat (very diplomatic) shortly before leaving the vehicle, no need to even be enough to show a damp patch, will solve the problem
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