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Air Medal or two
 
afterburn 549's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jul 2003
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Why did older cars have earth ground straps?

If you have been on the planet for a while, you can remember when cars trucks and especially cop cars had two straps hanging down from the back touching the road.
Now I know fuel trks use specially made tires to ground to the road, and aircraft hook a ground up B4 fueling.
That is understandable.
But back in the day, lots of cars dragged straps.
Now do I need little steel taps for the shoes I wear....remember those?
Or more importantly, do I need ground straps?
Next month we can discuss why flat ground straps are used.

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Old 06-20-2024, 08:55 AM
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Ground straps were to stop static electricity. I need them for my truck. Winter time it shocks the crap out of me when I get out.
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Old 06-20-2024, 09:02 AM
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I still have a couple of those in an old box somewhere. My dad always had those on his cars when I was a kid. Supposed to be for static electricity, so you didn't get zapped when you touched the door handle.

.
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Old 06-20-2024, 09:05 AM
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I guess cops were very tender? and, why do they not use them nowadays?
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Old 06-20-2024, 09:12 AM
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I could really use them on my Tundra as I get zapped all the time.
And maybe some curb feelers.
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Old 06-20-2024, 09:33 AM
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I remember in the late 70s neighbor across the street had a Monte Carlo with Cragars, big and littles, rake, air shocks, he had (2) hanging from the rear bumper more for aesthetics than anything(he also had the mini-chrome mud flaps)
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Old 06-20-2024, 09:50 AM
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My cousin had a toy model of a Texaco gasoline tanker that had a little chain hanging down dragging the floor.

I became aware that the real fuel tankers had grounding straps, too. I was probably 5 and this was in the '60's.

I don't really remember them on cars though.
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Old 06-20-2024, 10:38 AM
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I dunno why people don’t feel the need anymore but if I had a Prius, I’d hang a set of those brass nuts in the rear.
Old 06-20-2024, 10:48 AM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by speeder View Post
I dunno why people don’t feel the need anymore but if I had a Prius, I’d hang a set of those brass nuts in the rear.
It'd be kind of funny if the brass nuts on the Prius lit up at night, maybe a blue glow.
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Old 06-20-2024, 10:51 AM
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Old 06-20-2024, 11:30 AM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by afterburn 549 View Post
Now I know fuel trks use specially made tires to ground to the road...
Huh, I just learned something new. Could you please explain how these work? I'd think, being rubber, they wouldn't provide any ground.
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Old 06-20-2024, 11:45 AM
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Many fires were started in dry areas from the sparks from the metal ground straps.

The only time I get shocked is getting out of my Velour seats in the El Camino. I learned long long ago too use the key I just pulled from the ignition to touch the door lock knob. The spark jumps from the key to the lock knob before I touch it. No more static and I feel no shock.

I have never felt a shock going to get in any vehicle.
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Old 06-20-2024, 12:14 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Dixie View Post
Huh, I just learned something new. Could you please explain how these work? I'd think, being rubber, they wouldn't provide any ground.
"rubber" as you get it from a petro-plant or from a tree is an insulator. It's also kind of crap on its own for tires, so for that and other reasons we load it with carbon black (basically soot). Hence your black tires. It's better for its use and a little more electrically conductive. Now, load it with more conductive things and you can dissipate the static charge. No charge buildup = no electrical sparks.

In some workplaces that really, really care about static electricity - like with flammable liquids/gasses and propellants/explosives - you wear dissipative footwear and even make sure that your "rubber" tired furniture conducts enough electricity to the floor so as to prevent a charge buildup.

I've been places where you had to stand on a mat and get measured - if you weren't dissipative enough (i.e. "grounded") you couldn't even insert your access card to open the door.

And, now thinking about this, I finally understand why lots of vehicles like ambulances might have loose chains dangling and jingling. Thank you! Now I realize that I kind of knew but didn't really ponder it...
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Old 06-20-2024, 12:34 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by GH85Carrera View Post
Many fires were started in dry areas from the sparks from the metal ground straps.

The only time I get shocked is getting out of my Velour seats in the El Camino. I learned long long ago too use the key I just pulled from the ignition to touch the door lock knob. The spark jumps from the key to the lock knob before I touch it. No more static and I feel no shock.

I have never felt a shock going to get in any vehicle.
As a 1980s kid and young 1990s driver in the cold midwest and on crap tires I was told to "poke" at the doorframe with my elbow to make the shock at least go to a less painful spot.

I guess some of the earlier "super MPG efficient" tires were even worse for static - though IDK if that's still the case.
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'78SC, lots of other boring cars...
Old 06-20-2024, 12:37 PM
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drifters will drag chains behind their cars to make sparks.
Old 06-20-2024, 12:39 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by mjohnson View Post
"rubber" as you get it from a petro-plant or from a tree is an insulator. It's also kind of crap on its own for tires, so for that and other reasons we load it with carbon black (basically soot). Hence your black tires. It's better for its use and a little more electrically conductive. Now, load it with more conductive things and you can dissipate the static charge. No charge buildup = no electrical sparks.

In some workplaces that really, really care about static electricity - like with flammable liquids/gasses and propellants/explosives - you wear dissipative footwear and even make sure that your "rubber" tired furniture conducts enough electricity to the floor so as to prevent a charge buildup.

I've been places where you had to stand on a mat and get measured - if you weren't dissipative enough (i.e. "grounded") you couldn't even insert your access card to open the door.

And, now thinking about this, I finally understand why lots of vehicles like ambulances might have loose chains dangling and jingling. Thank you! Now I realize that I kind of knew but didn't really ponder it...
In addition to dangerous situations (around inflammable explosive materials) working with sensitive electronics often also has a requirement for folks to be grounded (wrist straps, mats to stand on, etc...).
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Old 06-20-2024, 12:40 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by herr_oberst View Post
It'd be kind of funny if the brass nuts on the Prius lit up at night, maybe a blue glow.
So, blue balls. Perfect, so those cars don't multiply.
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Old 06-20-2024, 12:41 PM
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Air Medal or two
 
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Dixie-
I have no clue but could guess.
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D troop 3/5 Air Cav,( Bastard CAV) and 162 Assult Helicopter Co- (Vultures) South of Saigon, U Minh Forest, Delta, and all parts in between
Old 06-20-2024, 12:48 PM
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Back in the saddle again
 
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Quote:
Originally Posted by mjohnson View Post
"rubber" as you get it from a petro-plant or from a tree is an insulator. It's also kind of crap on its own for tires, so for that and other reasons we load it with carbon black (basically soot). Hence your black tires. It's better for its use and a little more electrically conductive. Now, load it with more conductive things and you can dissipate the static charge. No charge buildup = no electrical sparks.

In some workplaces that really, really care about static electricity - like with flammable liquids/gasses and propellants/explosives - you wear dissipative footwear and even make sure that your "rubber" tired furniture conducts enough electricity to the floor so as to prevent a charge buildup.

I've been places where you had to stand on a mat and get measured - if you weren't dissipative enough (i.e. "grounded") you couldn't even insert your access card to open the door.

And, now thinking about this, I finally understand why lots of vehicles like ambulances might have loose chains dangling and jingling. Thank you! Now I realize that I kind of knew but didn't really ponder it...
Quote:
Originally Posted by afterburn 549 View Post
Dixie-
I have no clue but could guess.
mjohnson got you.
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'08 Boxster RS60 Spyder #0099/1960
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Old 06-20-2024, 01:32 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by mjohnson View Post
"...Thank you! Now I realize that I kind of knew but didn't really ponder it...
An honest thank you. I love knowing why.

I once watched YouTubes about tanks for a month. Why? Because I didn't realize how fascinating they are. Plus, you never know when the girl's dinner conversation will switch from clothes and makeup to WWII tanks.

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Last edited by Dixie; 06-20-2024 at 01:54 PM..
Old 06-20-2024, 01:49 PM
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