Static Electricity is back on the news to-night, after a few mishaps lateley.

Is a strap some medication that helps with wind!

On that note I'm off to St George. Bye all.

I thought it may have a tone to it!

After a few weeks they wear away anyway and so are useless as they no longer touch the ground.

Come under same classification as Hiclones, Fuel savers and the thing Brocky

got offside with Holden about.

Gday Graham,



Was always a fan of Brock but I do not understand "the thing Brocky got offside with Holden about." ???????

Cheers

It was some sort of POLARISER that he maintained would benefit the Holdens.

If you remember there was a period he didnt drive for them and this was the reason apparently.

Here is one article that refers to it


http://www.uniquecarsandparts.com.au/chronicles_1986.htm


Google Peter brocks energy polariser and you will see

Still doesnt dtract from his carrer IMHO

We actually came upon his memorial at the crash site when sightseeing in Perth last week.

Didnt look such a bad bit of road either.


Cheers

Sorry didnt use the spell checker did I.

Dtract = detract
carrer = career

Slaps myself with wet dishcloth.

Yes, I thought Brocky was a very intelligent person as well as a top driver. After the Polariser episode, I lost respect for the man (as did GMH, who cancelled their business relationship).
I think at the time, he was under the influence of some alternate-medicine practitioner-guru, who was filling him with all this sort of stuff.

Re the rubber straps, years ago they were sold to stop one getting car-sick(!), but being of conductive rubber, they would have stopped static voltage buildup between the car and ground (nothing to do with being sick!). This strap would have had no effect when one slides out the car seat, as the static electricity is built up as one leaves the seat, leaving the body charged with a high voltage between oneself and the car. Rubber-soled shoes and seat and clothing fabric affected the level of the static charge developed. Holding onto a metal part of the door as one slid off the seat helped a lot in eliminating the effect. Leather-soled shoes also created a leakage path for the charge.

Yep and at more than 20kph it waved in the wind unless you attached a brick to it



LOL

Hi folks, I think those straps were supposed to fly when traveling but but hit the ground when the car stopped thereby reducing wear and discharging the car through the strap and not the operator as they alighted.

Same principal used on the harbor bridge toll gate for years as the toll collectors used to get zap as they collected the toll from the drivers. The last person on the chain gets the belt.

hi
i have read all these threads and have to say to the non believers
that i am one of the people who get zapped by static electricity on a regular basis both from my vehicles and also shopping trolleys as well yes that's right shopping trolley's as well

i have had very visible sparks witnessed by several people over time jump as i get in or out of my present and past 4wd's and the only way i have been able to stop this is by bolting an old thornproof bike tube to the rear diff this is a much thicker material and heavier than the ones you can buy

i have done a lot of 4wding and always know if the strap has tangled it's self around the diff as i get zapped as soon as this occurs my daughter always suffered with car sickness until i fitted the above strap on 3 different 4wd;s over a period of years

i am aware of all the opinions on here about it being farsical and a state of the mind
but i dont wear synthetic clothing or as little as possiblei prefernatural fibre at all times and have real sheep skin seat covers and am of sound mind and body and very down to earth person in character

but all i can say is your lucky that you dont have this problem the shopping trolley's also zap me to the point where people and myself have seen and heard the crack and i usually utter the word sh*t when it gets me
i have noticed that as i have been pushing the trolley with my hands on the plastic handles for a while and then move one hand to the metal side frame is when the spark occurs it can be as big as the spark from a plug on a generator

i would do anything to be able to avoid this constant experience
but have to endure it
i also have a very good sense of humour and am aware that some of you out there will sling sh*t about what ive written here but i can live with that as every doorg has it's day
cheers everyone
mazcan barry

Barry, I believe you. I don't think you are being farcical or that it is your state of mind. If you are getting zapped, you would know it for sure. It's just your presumptions that are in error.

You presume that synthetic clothing is a problem but your revelation of sheepskin seat covers is a giveaway. The phenomena we are dealing with is known as the tribolectric effect and on the scale of materials involved, sheep's wool is at the extreme as it very readily gives up its electrons. In demonstrating static electricity it is usual to use an ebony rod rubbed with........... yes, sheep fleece or a woollen fabric, as it readily produces the result.

So as you slide out of your woollen seat you generate a static charge on your body which then discharges dramatically. Try placing your hand on the metal part of the door (even over paintwork) and you may escape the zap as the charge is dissipated as it is generated. The rubber strap could be doing no more than your tyres were already doing, think about it. It is probable that you changed some behaviour at the same time.

The shopping trolley? Yep, same thing. Your body movement, probably with clothing with either synthetic or woollen component is rubbing and charging. Even your shoe sole movement on the flooring material can do it. Once again, keep a part of your hand on the uninsulated metal part of the trolley to avoid it. Unless of course you get some kind of vicarious thrill from receiving the shocks. LOL

Another source of zaps is walking across carpeted floors then coming in contact with aluminium framed office partitions or metal door frames. OUCH! This was very bad at one office that I worked in and I could find no solution other than maybe dragging a long earth wire with me.

hi thanks alan
for your explanations and i must ask did anyone ever ask you what happened to your dog while dragging the wire?????? lol
mazcan barry

That's my understanding too Allan - I'd always get zapped getting out of the car if I was wearing jeans, but not if I was wearing normal trousers. It was worse on dry (ie. not humid) days too.

While not such an issue now (with fuel pumps not being able to be locked on anymore) but that is also why you shouldn't get back into your car and back out again during refuelling - just in case the first place you happen to 'earth' yourself is the fuel filler/nozzle where all the vapours are pouring out...

The chain draging on the ground would cause sparks

Have too agree with TonBon,
hold the door frame of the car and you won't be zapped.
Been doing it for years, after a while you will do it without thinking about it,sure beats being zapped !!!!!!