She's electric

[venta]

OK, I've always been prone to generating static electricity. If someone is going to get a shock off a metal thing, it's going to be me.

But over the last couple of months it's been getting a bit silly. My hair is constantly sticking to me/other people/passing objects, I crackle, I get shocks off anything remotely metallic. If I get undressed in the dark I sparkle :)

Which is all quite entertaining in its own way, but I'd like it to stop now. Before I start frying small electronics components. I'm mildly worried every time I pick my laptop up at present.

So, what should I do/not do ? I suspect the fleece I often wear doesn't help, what with it being largely synthetic. I seem to be worst at work, where we have the sort of carpets that don't get on well with rubber-soled shoes, but I'm usually just wandering about in socks. Is it time to break the clogs back out ?

What clothes should I be wearing ? I'd have thought "natural fibres" would be a good start, but wool seems to be something of a mistake.

Is there any truth in the rumour that touching a radiator is a good means of earthing yourself, or was that just some old wives' tale I learnt when I was little ? If not, how do I (practically) earth myself ?

Comments

[cardinalsin.livejournal.com]

I have exactly the same problem. The best solution I've found has been to take my shoes off, but since you've already tried that, I'm stumped.

I wouldn't recommend touching the radiator, unless you want to stand next to it all day. It will indeed earth you, in a most painful manner.

I think its not just the quality of the fibres, but the friction generated by them? In other words, the more the fibres of your clothes rub together, the more charge is going to be generated. How this helps, I'm not sure - perhaps a string vest would be safest :)

[maviscruet.livejournal.com]

Wow. I've only ever generated one spark to the best of my knowledge.

Maybe you need to find someone like me who does not generate and use them as an earther......

[drdoug.livejournal.com]

'Tis the time of year I reckon - all crisp and clear and increasingly vernal. I noticed about March last year that I was getting a lot of static, and I'm getting it again now.

Is there any truth in the rumour that touching a radiator is a good means of earthing yourself

In Britain, yes there is. If your building complies with the Wiring Regs, radiators are connected by whopping great conductors to a good earth where the supply comes in to the building. (If you want to know why, try Googling for 'earthed equipotential bonding' or something like that.) You need to touch a bare metal bit, rather than the painted bits, but it should work.

[nevecat.livejournal.com]

I do that lots too...I think long hair + jumpers may make it worse...

[al-fruitbat.livejournal.com]

I'm probably not as afflicted as you, but I certainly have static 'issues'. The coke machine at work has me conditioned so I pre-emptively wince when I put money it, and I habitually close my car door with my elbow.

[kissifa.livejournal.com]

I've been getting that a lot too of late. Initially I put it down to a change in trainers, but now I'm not so sure.

Looking at the BBc news article about those neon light tubes stuck in the ground that are illuminated by the electricity in the air around a pylon I'm wondering if our increased static generating abilities might not stem from some similar source...

[nalsa.livejournal.com]

Socks & short-fibre nylon carpets are a bad combination, regardless of the socking material. The fleece is a bad idea, as is pretty much anything fluffy, especially given the length of your hair. Unfortunately, winter is also great for generating static, although I've never had a good explanation as to why.

BTW, anything metallic and water-related must be earthed, by law. So, the central heating is going to be grounded at some point, as are taps, water pipes, and steel bathtubs (but not the galvanised ones that hang on the back of privy doors a la the Beverly Hillbillies). You can also earth yourself by touching the PSU of a PC, which, unless it's dreadfully faultly, ought to be earthing itself quite happily just by being plugged into the mains.

[lathany.livejournal.com]

I had a physics teacher who commented that the people who generated the most static electricity were the people who shuffled. I've never really observed people's walking habits enough to say whether I think he was right.

OK. Maybe that wasn't terribly helpful.

[erming.livejournal.com]

I know that you used to be able to get an anti static spray, as it was used on our carpets so that computers don't get a nasty surprise.

If you could get hold of it, then it might be worth going over your fluffy stuff with it.

[verlaine.livejournal.com]

I had a big static electricity when I first started working at Upminster Library, but it's been months now and nary a tingle. I think it's all down to willpower - you just have to show physics that you're the boss and you won't be intimidated, and eventually it just gives up and goes away.

[thegreenman.livejournal.com]

Couldn't you connect one of those conductive hang-down-on-the-road thingies people stick on cars, on your ankle?

I mean the thing people buy for car sickness under the (mistaken) impression that car sickness is caused by static electricity.

[http://users.livejournal.com/_corpse_/]

When I was in the US and I first moved into my apartment, I could barely move for electric shocks. I was told that problem was in part due to the dry air (air conditioning, dontcha know). The solution was to run the shower for a couple of hours with all the doors open to increase the mositure in the local atmos and... er... wet the air.

It worked.

So there you go.

Just make sure the air around you is always moist.

[neilh.livejournal.com]

The office here in Japan is dreadful for generating static, not a good thing when you're dealing with prototype hardware.

Someone assumed it was because too many people here shuffle, but I put it down to having played with Van De Graaf generators too much as a child.

So I earth myself about once an hour, I've found the best way to do this is with knuckles, since they're quite pointy (static likes points, hence living in your hair) and don't have many nerves (unlike fingertips), so it doesn't hurt so much.