Shocking discovery: I am not a well-grounded person...

[widebody911]

I'm trying to be positive about this situation, but I'm starting to get some resistance: for the past couple of weeks, I seem to be generating a lot of static electricity. I'm constantly zapping any metal around the house that I touch, and even worse, the wife and the cats. I've learned that cats do not like a zap to the tip of the ear.

I don't know if it's a weather thing or if I'm not getting enough (or too much) copper in my diet.

I'm not worried about it, but it is annoying - at least to those that I come in contact with. Should I be worried?

[legion]

I only have that around here during dry winters. Have you tried a humidifier?

[JackDidley]

Is this you ?




Maybe you just need some different sneakers. I once lived in an apartment with carpet that did not like my Converse Allstars. I was always throwing sparks

[kach22i]

Originally Posted by legion

I only have that around here during dry winters. Have you tried a humidifier?

Same here, good suggestion.

[Gogar]

Have you changed your fabric softener?

not even kidding

[GH85Carrera]

Every shock you feel, is you getting grounded. If you were not grounded you would never feel a shock. Just like a bird on a wire.

[id10t]

Mix liquid fabric softener with water, about a 50:50 mix, shake well, and spray carpet, etc. using a spray bottle.

We have a bad static problem on carpet in some of our classrooms, this is a trick I learned from networking folk. Passed it on to the janitors and no more static issues.

[wdfifteen]

Are you positive or negative?

[Evans, Marv]

Low humidity and you're wearing shoes that insulate you from the floor when you get up from sitting or laying down. Just touch something to discharge yourself to save others from shock. Or just give your wife a kiss to prove there's still some electricity in the relationship. Reminds me of physics lab decades ago when we would line up on chairs holding hands while the first person put his/her hand on the Vandergraaf (Sp,?) generator and the end person would touch some hard studying student on the ear lobe.

[legion]

It sounds like you have short, temporary episodes of being grounded.

You either need to be grounded all of the time or not grounded all of the time...

[GH85Carrera]

In the dead of winter here when the humidity gets real low, I take my keys out of my pocket and hold the metal key firmly in my hand. I put it close to the screw on a light switch and the spark jumps from the key to the screw and I don't get shocked at all. I do the same thing when I get out of my car. I take the key out of the ignition and just keep holding it until I am out of the car and I hold the key close to the door lock and the spark jumps from my key to the lock.

[Tobra]

Maybe if you drove some old British cars with positive earth it would balance you out.

[widebody911]

Originally Posted by Evans, Marv

Just touch something to discharge yourself to save others from shock.

I think touching something to discharge myself would in and of itself give others a shock...

[widebody911]

Originally Posted by Tobra

Maybe if you drove some old British cars with positive earth it would balance you out.

I would love to, but have you seen E-type prices lately?

[widebody911]

Originally Posted by JackDidley

Maybe you just need some different sneakers. I once lived in an apartment with carpet that did not like my Converse Allstars. I was always throwing sparks

And that is what I wear 99.99% of the time.

[Jrboulder]

I had a car with waffle pattern cloth velour seats which regularly built up a static charge. I found that if I held the metal part of my key and then touched that to the car body I wouldn't feel the shock.

[LEAKYSEALS951]

This is so bad for me I have developed the habit of grounding myself to my wife by touching her on her her shoulder of something before trying to actually kiss her.

[Tobra]

Originally Posted by widebody911

I would love to, but have you seen E-type prices lately?

You seem like more of a Mini Cooper or Bugeye guy to me.

[JackDidley]

Originally Posted by widebody911

And that is what I wear 99.99% of the time.

Me too. No problem in my house now. Not much carpet.

[dad911]

go barefoot. and take wok off your head, you're acting as a van der graaf generator.