The Electrifying xB
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Joined: Dec 2003
Posts: 109
From: San Diego - North COWnty
The Electrifying xB
My xB is covered in magnetic spots. Almost everytime when I get out of the car I get a shock - the longer I drive the worse it is. Does NOT happen in the rain however. Cud the spots (being magnetic) be causing a charge to be built up while driving? Somesort of interaction with the earths magnetic field? I'm gonna take them off for a few weeks and see if the shocks stop. Humm.
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Scion Evolution
Joined: Jan 2004
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From: In the Hot Tub
What about shocks when I get out of my car?
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.
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.
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Joined: Nov 2004
Posts: 230
From: Miramar, FL
Whenever current runs through a wire a manetic field is created. For years auto manufacturers have used the chassis of the vehicle as the negative return for the electrical system to cut down on wire. This means that there are magnetic fields being created all around the chassis and anything that is conductive that is attached to it. These magnetic fields extend beyond the boundaries of the vheicle.
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