Static eletric discharges

[simonelite501]

Can anyone throw some light onto a problem that has recently occured with my daily driver. It's a Volvo 940 2litre turbo saloon, and sometimes, not always, people who are alighting from the vehicle get an enormous static (I'm assuming that it is static) shock from the doors. It's very much like a HT shock and as it's painful, it's getting beyond a joke.
There has been no work carried out on the car, and as far as I can acertain, no vissible faults or damage.
Any idea's, thanks in advance. Simon.

[JMorgan]

Carpets, shoes and clothes. Depending which materials are used can generate quite a bit through friction. There are other ways as well.
If memory serves me 15K volts if you can see the spark. 5k volts to hear/feel etc. Natural generates a lot less as opposed to synthetic. I have heard of sprays that can be applied, also you see them cars with rubber strips bolted to the rear. I have heard someone say that tyres can cause as well but not sure if thats true.

[m111rod]

I agree with the clothing idea, wear cotton underwear!Seriously, I believe that is what causes it. When you open the door keep hold of it all the time, whilst you are getting out. Once you are out of the car, still holding the door ( top of the window frame is best), and standing up, then slam the door. Slam it enough to close it otherwise you know what will happen when you grab the door handle for another go!! Do these shocks strengthen the heart?!

[simonelite501]

Thanks for the input, I don't know wether these shocks strengthen my heart or not, but they do get right up my nose! I've had this car for a little over a year now and this phonomenon has been happening very recently. I've checked the underwear, and although not Calvin Kline, there definetly cotton. The carpets are Original Volvo as supplied and my shoes are the same old converse daps (trainers) that I've had for ages.
I remember guys, when I was at techincal college back in the late 70's, who had a profusion of whippy arials, and black straps dangling from the under side of their MK2 Escorts/MK3 cortina's. Did they ever really work? I was sceptical then, maybe it's time to give it a try! Any more thoughts would be greatly appreciated,as the Lotus is off the road for at least another fortnight, I can't even foist the Volvo onto my wife to use. Cheers. Simon.

[JMorgan]

Not much use but found this
www.sciencenet.org.uk/database/Physics/Original/p00206d.html
or this
www.bbc.co.uk/science/scienceshack/backcat/adamexp/wsstaticincars.shtml
takes a bit of reading but some snippets in here
http://homepages.pavilion.co.uk/jeremys/home.htm

>> Edited by JMorgan on Friday 29th March 20:24

>> Edited by JMorgan on Friday 29th March 20:29

[GreenV8S]

quote:I remember guys, when I was at techincal college back in the late 70's, who had a profusion of whippy arials, and black straps dangling from the under side of their MK2 Escorts/MK3 cortina's. Did they ever really work? I was sceptical then, maybe it's time to give it a try! Any more thoughts would be greatly appreciated

A trick I was told was get an ordinary graphite pencil and draw a line round one of the tyres, from the rim down to the tread. This is supposed to earth the wheel once per revolution. Maybe rubbish but if it works it'd be the cheapest and easiest solution you could ask for!

[simonelite501]

I think you may have just cracked it! Thanks!
My wife, who is a mere slip of a thing at 8 stone and all of 5ft 2, has been driving a lot lately, and when I think back, the problem is happening when she's driving. Because she's shorter than me she has the seat right forward, to reach the pedals. This in turn, means that she has to slide into the car between the drivers seat and the steering wheel. The trim level of the car is "Half leather",the remainder or the seats are "Cloth". I bet a pound to a pinch of salt that the "Cloth" is heavily man made! et voila! Static charge build up. OK, off to the local Halfords for a set of rubber dangly things and a seat cover. Thanks guys, I'll keep you posted.

[apache]

don't waste your money on rubber dangly bits....you need to earth yourself not the car. modern tyres have a high percentage of something (I forget what)which enables the car to earth. When you get out of the car touch your key to the bare metal of the door lock whilst holding the metal bit of the key and make sure it's the last thing to touch the car and you'll be fine

[David Beer]

To the best of my knowledge, i have never worn man made under garments. But i have with several vechs had such sparks. Hold onto the vech and pop your foot on the ground and let your shoe discharge you, before you get out.