My shocking Volvo

[yankinwaoz]

'99 V70

Just wondering is others have the same problem. Whenever I get out of my V70, I get a nice shock when I close the door. It is because I'm standing on the ground outside and I touch the door handle.

It doesn't happen when I enter the car. So it must be caused by a build up of static electricity while driving.

It is not fun. It is actually a pretty big shock, loud enough to hear, but it doesn't burn or anything. So I can live with it.

Anyhow... got me thinking about why it is there and what to do about it.

I assume that the body can hold a static charge. Could it be from the car's electrical system? Could it simply be from friction from driving? I dunno.

When I lived in Australia, I saw a lot of cars with electrical discharge straps hanging from the underside. They have to be replaced because they drag along the ground and get beat up. But I was thinking that I might try one, if I can find one in the US.

However, I also can't help but think that might cause other problems. Because I'd be introducing a ground to the car's electrical system, I could think that it might cause a the battery to drain into the earth. Or perhaps the system uses the metal body as a negative return conduit to the battery as many cars do.

Thoughts?

[JRL]

HAND CREAM!
(Really)

[Necromancer]

It's static electricity and it's hell in he winter time, at least here in Pittsburgh.

Now for the trick: From the time you open the door and before you start sliding on your butt to get out, hold a metal part of the car door as you get out. It can be painted and as long as it's metal you'll never get shocked.
I usually hold on to the frame around the window or the door handle it's self if your model has a metal handle.
It's not the car. I do notice that it happens less with leather seats.

[Maxbaby]

Static strips can actually work but it's a little hit and miss. Wifey used to insist on one with her previous cloth upholstered vehicles (She has leather now). You should be able to find them at any auto parts store for $5 to $20. Make sure that you don't simply attach it to a painted or undercoated surface but that it makes contact with some bare metal, and you should be able to find something on the underside of your car that's exposed enough, in order for the strap to make good contact.

[yankinwaoz]

Hmmm.... I have the cheapy V70 with cloth seats. It is winter, in southern California. It is a bit dry right now... but I have not noted if it occurs when wet or dry outside. I'll have to pay attention to that.

I'll try the "keep constant contact on metal" trick. Will that simply discharge the static electricity as soon as my foot hits the ground?

Come the think of it... I'm wearing light duty hiking boots with rubber soles. Perhaps I'm not grounding the car at all! Perhaps I am the one holding that static charge and I'm discharging into the car when I touch it. I can't imagine that the car would discharge into me unless I was barefoot.

A simple test will confirm this. After a long drive, I'll touch the door handle before stepping out. If I get zapped, then it means that I'm holding the charge. Maybe that is why the trick of holding metal while, and not after, getting out works.

If this is true, then a discharge strip off the car will not help. On the contrary, I need the discharge strip hanging off of me

I'll report back next week with the test results. I have to drive to Vegas and back... lots of seat time in dry conditions to build up a charge!

[matthew1]

Semi-related: if your car gets struck by lightning and you're in it, DON'T GET OUT. The charge held in the car will travel to ground through you when you step out. Drive to a fire station and tell them you've been struck and to ground your car.

[zenmervolt]

Semi-related: if your car gets struck by lightning and you're in it, DON'T GET OUT. The charge held in the car will travel to ground through you when you step out. Drive to a fire station and tell them you've been struck and to ground your car.

If you drive to a fire department and ask them to ground out your car because it has been struck by lighting, the only thing that will happen is that they will laugh at you.

Lightning doesn't charge the vehicle, it simply uses it as a conductor. The tires do not insulate the vehicle well from the ground (there is sufficient carbon in tires to make them reasonable conductors, some brands/models of tires are better than others) and will allow only a small charge to remain (something on the order of a normal static shock). Second of all, as long as it's raining, even the minor insulating ability of the tires will not matter as there will be a path to ground through the rainwater that is dripping off the car.

http://www.newton.dep.anl.gov/askasci/p ... y05081.htm

[Necromancer]

I'm not sure if what Matthew said is true or not but I do know that tires wont protect you from a lightning strike.

Lighting will happily jump the gap from metal to ground tires or no tires.
The only thing that 'protects' you is the metal shell of the vehicle.
A convertible offers little or no protection from lightning even with the top up.

Now, if one assumes that the car could take on a static charge from a lightning strike, then the tires would insolate (static but not lightning).
And what Matthew says could be true.

In any case, the reason he gets shocked getting out of his car is because of friction when sliding on the seat.
Get in the car, sit there a minute (don't even start it). Then get out normally. You'll get static shock.

[matthew1]

Another reason not to pay attention in science class!

My high school teacher taught my class that way back when... this idea must have been from the days when tires were all rubber.

Thanks for clearing that up, zenmervolt.

[Solutech]

Id say its probably shoe related . I used to get a hell of a belt whilst wearing running shoes but not while wearing my anti stat work boots . No surprise there hey lol .

Anyways I got in the habit of shutting the door with my ass cheek rather than my hand . Works fine unless you drive in the nude