Electric shocks

[Tyler Durden]

Just throwing this out there - I keep getting electric shocks when exiting my current Mk7 Golf, either from the door or when reaching back into the car to remove the key.

I know logically I am somehow being charged and discharged through the car (I hope it is that way around) what I do not understand is why.

This is my 4th Mk7 Golf in 13 months, my clothing and foot ware have not changed much over the last 13 months and the previous 3 Mk7 Golfs (2x Highline, 1x GTI) did not have this issue at all. In fact I never had a single shock from the previous 3 Mk7 Golfs.

The only difference is the current Golf has been fitted with OEM rubber mats.

Any ideas? Could it be the mats?

 

[ChrisK]

My other half suffers from this no matter what car but only sometime like for weeks on end then nothing for months but I don’t get it at all or should I say I get it rarely. But that said she’s normally the first one out of the car so any static that’s built up in the car she gets as soon as her foot hits the ground.

Thinking about it when she does get the shock she will put her feet on the ground when leaving the car standing up and losing touch with the car then turn to close the door and it's then she gets the whack as her fingers comes close to the doors metal and electricity arcs across from her fingers to the door and in the dark you can see a small blue flash.

I suppose you can pick up static from the upholstery rubbing against your cloths but it seem to me it more likely to happen in the warmer months of the year so I think most of it is airborne static electricity as the only time I’ve had it is just before a thunder storm.

 

[Genegenie]

My better half used to get the same, but the opposite. Like, she would get regular shocks that could be heard, and seen at nite, from other cars, inc Mk5 Golf, but not on our Mk 7 and I was never affected. Kinda funny I guess except it made her nervous getting in and out....

 

[DV52]

I don't think there is any mystery about this phenomenon- unless of course our wives are electric superheroes (which is entirely possible)!

It's got to be electrostatic discharge caused by the build up of electricity from rubbing two different material together. Carpets can do it, certain types of shoe soles can do it and for women, stockings. The trick is to make sure that there is minimal insulation between the cabin and the road surface. I would have thought that modern tyres wouldn't be great insulators because of the amount of carbon in them. So the body of the car wouldn't be a problem. Floor mats placed on top of the car's carpet can be a good insulator if the owner keeps the car clean ( that's my excuse for not cleaning the inside of my car)

 

[Whackamac]

I have had that problem with more cars than I can count. I have learned to ground myself with my arm to the door pillar before touching with my hands. It hurts less.

 

[Sandman GTI]

Shock prevention!

I know Avanti is going to correct me no matter what I say, but here it goes. Any moving object can build up static, from air flowing over car, electrical current inside car, tires rubbing on road. At work our forklifts can develop a great charge that really hurts if someone comes up and touches the lift. This is why you install a ground chain that hangs on back of truck and drags on ground to transfer current to ground like grounding rod. The tires as you stated are an insulator but can transfer current to the ground if the carbon content In tire is higher. Passenger tires however use more silica (sand) in order to increase wear resistance and therefore tire life. More silica also tends to help things like rolling resistance and how smooth tire feels. A higher silica tire however will have a flat spot on cold days and not roll smooth for a couple miles until warmed up. As the cars come with OE tires they may contain more silica, when you buy replacements the problem may get better as aftermarket tires may have more carbon in them. Maybe switch brands at this time to see if that helps. Like the fork lift you could mount a chain or cable from under car and let it drag on ground. However the chain will wear quickly and one does want the chain to break off and hit another car at 80 mph. Might not be legal on cars also.

What you wear can also affect strength of charge. Wear metal shoes when you get out and it will hurt less.

Options:
1. Let girl friend our wife get out first.
2. When you get out, put feet on ground but do not touch anything else, hold a key and touch it to metal object or back to metal on car. The edge of key will take shock and should not hurt you. (This a why they tell you to touch metal before you take pump nozzle to tank to prevent shock when gasing up.
3. Try different tires and or brand when you do change.
4. Keep doing it, maybe you like the shock.

I think touching key back to car is best, just try not to scratch it, use inside door jam of frame.

 

[smartino]

When I first got my car I was geting shocked constantly. I got in the habit of touching my elbow to the side of the door as I exited the car. Never realized that when I finally put new tires on the car the issue went away.

 

[Sandman GTI]

I was right Avanti!

When I first got my car I was geting shocked constantly. I got in the habit of touching my elbow to the side of the door as I exited the car. Never realized that when I finally put new tires on the car the issue went away.

Good to hear that helped. I have had this in past but not for a long time. I guess as my truck is 18 years old, my aftermarket tires do not cause this.

 

[Genegenie]

Taking comments on board; a woman at work used to be wholly responsible for monitors going haywire whenever she walked past wearing nylon tops. That said, when my better half was taking regular jolts she would get regular 'hits' even when we both alighted from the same sofa at the same and wearing clothing of identical material i.e cotton underwear, t-shirts & socks, leather trainers and denim jeans. She would take amperage / voltage no matter what, it made her well-apprehensive and, while it doesn't happen anymore (touch wood), she certainly doesn't miss those days of car electricity....

 

[Mark V1]

Many aircraft tyres are electrically conductive for this very reason...

 

[Running Man]

The Force is strong in you young Durden

 

[PaulJoseph22]

I used to work for a company that manufactured hard disc drives. They had to ban all nylon tops and underwire bras as they would blow the heads of the rotor arms.

 

[Avanti]

I know Avanti is going to correct me no matter what I say, but here it goes. Any moving object can build up static, from air flowing over car, electrical current inside car, tires rubbing on road. At work our forklifts can develop a great charge that really hurts if someone comes up and touches the lift. This is why you install a ground chain that hangs on back of truck and drags on ground to transfer current to ground like grounding rod. The tires as you stated are an insulator but can transfer current to the ground if the carbon content In tire is higher. Passenger tires however use more silica (sand) in order to increase wear resistance and therefore tire life. More silica also tends to help things like rolling resistance and how smooth tire feels. A higher silica tire however will have a flat spot on cold days and not roll smooth for a couple miles until warmed up. As the cars come with OE tires they may contain more silica, when you buy replacements the problem may get better as aftermarket tires may have more carbon in them. Maybe switch brands at this time to see if that helps. Like the fork lift you could mount a chain or cable from under car and let it drag on ground. However the chain will wear quickly and one does want the chain to break off and hit another car at 80 mph. Might not be legal on cars also.

What you wear can also affect strength of charge. Wear metal shoes when you get out and it will hurt less.

Options:
1. Let girl friend our wife get out first.
2. When you get out, put feet on ground but do not touch anything else, hold a key and touch it to metal object or back to metal on car. The edge of key will take shock and should not hurt you. (This a why they tell you to touch metal before you take pump nozzle to tank to prevent shock when gasing up.
3. Try different tires and or brand when you do change.
4. Keep doing it, maybe you like the shock.

I think touching key back to car is best, just try not to scratch it, use inside door jam of frame.

Heh heh, I don't own the forum, you are not out on how static electricity is generated, when I had my corrado, I used to get shocks of that, and at night you would see the spark, in my case it was that I had some rubber soled boots and if my then GF had a skirt and nylons on, I would get a static shock when exiting the car, I probably don't notice now as all cars since had some sort of remote unlocking facility.

 

[Running Man]

Heh Heh, why do you do that Avanti?

 

[Sandman GTI]

Just giving Avanti a hard time!

Heh Heh, why do you do that Avanti?

Avanti is a knowledgable guy so I know if I was not right with my info he would correct me. Tires are one subject I can trump him on (I think) as I have mucho experience with them and how they are made. I think I did well on my answer as Avanti did not post a correction.

It is a good day!