Static

[Sonny]

Dose anyone out there get hit with static electricity when they get out of there P5. I Know I have cloth seats but I thought this would go away after a while, it hasn't. Sometimes I'm so chared up I can see a spark when I touch the door to close it. If it is just me can someone tell me what I can do about it, thanks.

 

[REMillers]

Yep happens to ALOT of us, try touching the pillar on your way out, that normally cuts down on it.

 

[shackles10]

never happened before but for the last month or so it happens almost every time i get out. i run a finger along the padding on the door and most the time i don't get shocked if i remember to do that

 

[azeli73]

http://www.protege5.com/vbb225/showthread.php?threadid=12268&highlight=shocked

 

[sundevilMP5]

gotten so used to it...just take the shock...but sometimes it's REALLY bad and REALLY hurts

 

[uclap5]

i love the static, its hilarious when i watch people get out of my car and get zapped.

Just grab the outside of the door (the black part) as you are getting out.

 

[SpicyMSP]

This happens to me ALL The time in my MSP too!

 

[shackles10]

what a perfect post. i just got back from taking a girl i'm dating to get her car and she got shocked when getting out. i made fun of her, called her a puss, blah blah blah. we come back to work and i get the hell shocked out of me and i have yet to hear the end of it. i had to prove to her that people were just talking about this because she didn't believe me. took her long enough to believe their are people that love their car enough to have a whole message board about it lol

 

[chuyler1]

just a reminder...make sure you do touch your door before pumping gas into your car...the last thing you want to do is get zapped with a fuel nozzle in your hand. BOOM

 

[shackles10]

yep, same reason they don't want you using cell phones at gas stations... STATIC

 

[Sonny]

Thanks I thought was just me.

It is kind of funny watching my kids trying to get out of the car. I know that kind of sick but it makes me laugh. I'll take the pain and keep my car, maybe it wll keep my wife from driving it.

 

[shackles10]

no kidding, any way to keep women off the road is welcome. ha ha just kidding ladies

 

[asterix]

try seat covers

I solved this problem on my last car, an old Volvo with sorta fake velour cloth seats, by buying sheepskin-type seat covers. They were pretty expensive, but I was never again shocked on those low humidity days. I'm thinking I need the same on the Mazda. Anybody got any ideas where to get nice seat covers for the Pr5?

 

[AndrewSilverMP5]

If you're interested ... here's the science behind static electricity:

Static electricity (known as net electric charge to scientists) occurs when 2 insulators (objects that do not release electrons easily) come into contact. Cloth car seats and, say, your pants are good conductors. Electrons are 'stolen' from the car seat, and you become electrically charged. When you touch an ungrounded, good conductor of electricity (large metal objects-e.g. cars) electricity is discharged. Ouch.

It most happens during winter because that is the season with more days of 'dry air' (a very bad conductor). So electrons remain stuck on you.

A common misconception is that friction causes static electricity. It doesn't. It merely increases the surface area in which electrons may be transferred. So you could climb as gently as you can from your car and still be shocked to hell.

Simple solution: Hold on to the metal part of your car door or roof as you get out ... or if you're trying to get in, touch your keys to the metal door first.

Hope it helps

~Andrew

 

[AndrewSilverMP5]

er ... i meant to say cloth seats and pants are good <i>insulators</i> not conductors ... me dumb.