Static shock problem
Printed From: the12volt.com
Forum Name: Car Audio
Forum Discription: Car Stereos, Amplifiers, Crossovers, Processors, Speakers, Subwoofers, etc.
URL: https://www.the12volt.com/installbay/forum_posts.asp?tid=73617
Printed Date: July 04, 2025 at 6:31 AM
Topic: Static shock problem
Posted By: tcss
Subject: Static shock problem
Date Posted: February 27, 2006 at 7:08 PM
Don't know if this should be here or in "off topic" In our shop demo car, 2005 Acura RSX, everytime you get out of the car and touch something you get a fairly strong static electricity shock. Now, I didn't mind it, but the girlfriend is driving it while her car gets painted and she doesn't see the humor in a little shock. So my life is seeing a little less quality lately. Anybody got any ideas? Can you somehow "ground" this problem out of the car?
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There is no such thing as free installation!
Replies:
Posted By: electrostatic
Date Posted: February 27, 2006 at 8:00 PM
you gotta love static! do you two by chance wear synthetic fabrics like polyester? dont! polyester and fabric seats generate static. leather seats in my experience dont generate much static. i've yet to get zapped whenever i've been in a car with leather seats. i'm one of those who doesn't listen to his own advice :) and wears polyester blends and gets zapped often when getting out of my car. i dont touch the door with my finger tips i use my palm to shut the door, it hurts less.
Posted By: electrostatic
Date Posted: February 27, 2006 at 8:09 PM
you mentioned grounding the problem. how you would do it is to get a seat cover that is static dissipative or that is conductive and ground that to the chassis.
Posted By: godblessdremil
Date Posted: February 27, 2006 at 9:09 PM
Well you can put a grounding plate on the steering wheel. Someplace the person will always touch so the charge does not build.
Posted By: dstang24
Date Posted: February 27, 2006 at 9:20 PM
Do you live in Phoenix by any chance? I've noticed a greater frequency and magnitude of getting shocked in my truck because it hasn't rained here (Phoenix) in over 4 months. It's sooooo dry!
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Team Edge Audio
Posted By: arrow12
Date Posted: February 27, 2006 at 9:22 PM
I agree with godblessdremil. He beat me to it by about an hour though. ------------- That's my opinion. Take it, leave it, or correct me.
Posted By: kirktcashalini
Date Posted: February 27, 2006 at 10:53 PM
I personally would just buy a inexpensive taser, and tase people who complain... Then you can say atleast its not that bad now is it.
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99 Blazer LT. Yellow Top. Big 3. Infinity Kappa Speakers All Around. Jensen CD/DVD flip out. 2 Infinity Kappa Perfect 12DVQs powered by a Alpine PDX600.1 (in one custom box, building a FG box)
Posted By: coppellstereo
Date Posted: February 27, 2006 at 11:07 PM
This has been happening to me too! I dont think it is wiring problems or anything. I got inside and I picked up my digital camera ... zap!
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Posted By: Steven Kephart
Date Posted: February 28, 2006 at 2:42 AM
I think it has to do with the weather. It has been happening in every vehicle I, and the other installers have been working in here in Seattle lately.
Posted By: tcss
Date Posted: February 28, 2006 at 11:17 AM
I live in San Luis Obispo California and it rained here for the first time in a month yesterday. This has been a problem since I bought the car new last April, even before we installed the stereo. Somehow I don't think tasering the girlfriend is going to make my life any easier! Interested in the grounding plate idea, could you guys explain how you would do this?
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There is no such thing as free installation!
Posted By: stevdart
Date Posted: February 28, 2006 at 9:01 PM
I'll bet KIT had a grounding plate on the steering- umm- wheel. KIT had everything. Okay, here's the results of my google search: looking for how to stop static shock in the car? We find that the right humidity will do the trick. And now... automotive humidifier. And you can have that gift-wrapped for your girlfriend, tcss! (...if she keeps a bottle of Evian on hand she'll never have to worry about it running out of water.) ------------- Build the box so that it performs well in the worst case scenario and, in return, it will reward you at all times.
Posted By: tcss
Date Posted: February 28, 2006 at 9:15 PM
Nice!
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There is no such thing as free installation!
Posted By: stevdart
Date Posted: February 28, 2006 at 9:39 PM
My car could use one of those too. BTW, it's interesting to note that people who drive naked don't get shocked when they get out of the car. But the people standing outside the car at the time do.  ------------- Build the box so that it performs well in the worst case scenario and, in return, it will reward you at all times.
Posted By: electrostatic
Date Posted: February 28, 2006 at 10:21 PM
just make sure you use body lotion to eliminate dryness :)preferably without silicone.
Posted By: Steven Kephart
Date Posted: March 01, 2006 at 4:24 AM
Hmmm, looks like my weather theory is out around here as Seattle is anything but dry this time of year. 
Posted By: Paradigm
Date Posted: March 01, 2006 at 10:28 AM
I used to have this problem in a previous vehicle that I had a shop install a system in. After I got it back from them, I would get shocked every time I got out of the vehicle. It seemed like certain times of the year it was worse than others. So does weather have anything to do with it? Eh, who knows for sure. Probably. However, since I did my own install in my current vehicle, I have not had that problem whatsoever. It's been in since August of 2005, so I'll have to wait and see if it starts shocking me come summer. My guess was (and still is) that the grounding of the system needs to be done right, or else you get shocked. I know it's probably the wrong idea, but without testing it, it's all I have to go by. Shop did install - static shock. Paradigm did his own install - no shock. Again, I'll wait to see what happens come summer, but I'm hoping the shock doesn't occur. As to a fix, you could use a grounding strap, which if you do a search in these forums, you'll find some info on them. I've never tried it myself, because, at this point in time, I have had no need to use one. But I did do some research on them, so I'd say they would at least be worth a try. ------------- VEHICLE: 2002 GMC Sonoma ZR2
Alpine CDA-7940
AudioControl EQT x2
JL Audio 1000/1
JL Audio 10W6 (originals) x3
Kicker ZR120
Kicker ZR460
Polk GXR-6 x4
Polk GXR-4 x2
Posted By: coppellstereo
Date Posted: March 01, 2006 at 11:48 AM
on a more serious note: be SURE to discharge any static electricity BEFORE you pump gas!!!
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Posted By: tcss
Date Posted: March 01, 2006 at 12:07 PM
Hmmmm, wonder if I should tell the girlfriend THAT!
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There is no such thing as free installation!
Posted By: electrostatic
Date Posted: March 01, 2006 at 12:28 PM
humidity plays a factor in charge buildup. you'll notice during dry air winter months if you live in those regions you get shocked more frequently. in the summer the air is very humid on the east coast and static is less of a problem. the more moist the air the more conductive it is, and the more charges bleed off and esd voltages are lower. you dont feel esd until the voltage is around 4000 volts. esd affects people differently, the more conductive your skin is, less charging will occur, and the opposite is true, if your skin has a higher resitivity more charging will occur. i work in a static controlled environment and during the winter humidity is kept at 30%. i would prefer it higher more around 40%, but then again i dont pay the bills. during the summer rarely do i have a problem with esd because humidity is much higher in the facility. since i started wearing static-dissipative shoe covers in conjuction with the static-dissipative floors in the facility i've noticed a huge reduction in esd for me personaly. so yes humidity plays a part.
Posted By: geepherder
Date Posted: March 01, 2006 at 8:46 PM
Wow, this thread has taken like wildfire. Just tell your girlfriend to keep her hand in contact with the door the whole time she is getting out. This will prevent her from getting shocked. ------------- My ex once told me I have a perfect face for radio.
Posted By: Blinden
Date Posted: March 22, 2006 at 7:38 AM
I was going to start my own thread, but luckily I found this fairly recent one.
I'm 99% sure that my shocking problem is due to something in the stereo system, because it wasn't happening untill yesterday, when I put new speakers in my door.
Something is running amuck on me though. My passanger side speakers work great (I put them in first), but after putting the drivers side in, the speaker soudns like total junk, muddy and crappy. And THEN I get shocked to boot. Any thoughts? I'm goign to probably tear everything down at some point and rewire everything, but it's WAY to cold to be doign that kind of stuff now, and I'm going to be moving in a couple of days.
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2004 Subaru Impreza WRX STi
Kenwood eXcelon KDC-X579 HU
More on the way...
Posted By: coppellstereo
Date Posted: March 22, 2006 at 12:01 PM
double check your wiring, make sure the speakers are secure and not hitting anything behind or with their excursion vibraion.
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Posted By: Blinden
Date Posted: March 22, 2006 at 12:55 PM
yeah...
thats pretty obvious, but is there anything more specific that would be causing me to get shocked?
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2004 Subaru Impreza WRX STi
Kenwood eXcelon KDC-X579 HU
More on the way...
Posted By: electrostatic
Date Posted: March 22, 2006 at 1:37 PM
your generating static electricity everytime you lift your but off your seat. its called triboelectric charging. it occurs whenever you make contact and separation between a conductor and insulator or insulator and insulator. this voltage between you and your vehicle is causing you to get zapped. touch the metal of your door or any chassis metal as your getting out of your seat and the charge that develops will bleed off without you getting zapped.
Posted By: stevdart
Date Posted: March 22, 2006 at 6:21 PM
Yes, you DO have to tear what you've put in and start over, because it's obvious that there are wiring errors. Fix the obvious problem with the sound...worry about the static shock later. If it's in fact still a problem when you get the issues resolved.
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Build the box so that it performs well in the worst case scenario and, in return, it will reward you at all times.
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