Many people experience shocks when they get out of their car. Often they believe that the car is charged - but this is not normally so.
Sitting in the car, electrostatic charges are generated on the car seat and the person's body, due to contact and movement between the clothes and the seat. When the person leaves the seat, They take half of this charge with them. As they get out of the vehicle, their body voltages rises due to this charge - a voltage of 10,000 Volts is not unusual.
When they reach to touch the vehicle door, the electrostatic discharge and shock occurs as their hand approaches the metal door.
The voltage build-up can often be avoided by holding onto a metal part of the door frame as you leave the seat. This provides a return dissipation path for the charge on your body.
If you have forgotten to hold the metal door part as you leave the seat, a shock may often still be avoided by touching the glass window before you touch the metal door. The glass may be conductive enough to dissipate charge, whilst preventing the rapid discharge which is felt as a shock.
If you have your keys in your hand - let the spark discharge through the keys not to your fingers, and you won't feel anything!
Many people experience shocks when they get out of their car. Often they believe that the car is charged - but this is not normally so.
Sitting in the car, electrostatic charges are generated on the car seat and the person's body, due to contact and movement between the clothes and the seat. When the person leaves the seat, They take half of this charge with them. As they get out of the vehicle, their body voltages rises due to this charge - a voltage of 10,000 Volts is not unusual.
When they reach to touch the vehicle door, the electrostatic discharge and shock occurs as their hand approaches the metal door.
The voltage build-up can often be avoided by holding onto a metal part of the door frame as you leave the seat. This provides a return dissipation path for the charge on your body.
If you have forgotten to hold the metal door part as you leave the seat, a shock may often still be avoided by touching the glass window before you touch the metal door. The glass may be conductive enough to dissipate charge, whilst preventing the rapid discharge which is felt as a shock.
If you have your keys in your hand - let the spark discharge through the keys not to your fingers, and you won't feel anything!