Clean It Up
UK Window Cleaning Forum => Window Cleaning Forum => Topic started by: Pole2pole on February 19, 2007, 09:12:07 pm
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In the last week, i have had 2 electric shocks whilst turning my shurflo backpack on and off. It's starting to make me kind of nervous to perform such a basic operation 100's of times a day. Have you guys got any advice as to what may be causing it. Bought it from the U.S. on ebay so returning it will probably be out of the question.
Cheers chaps.
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What you are getting is a static shock, it may even be from your self, just try touching the ground with your hand before touching your machine, if you have any build up of static in your body, touching the ground will get rid of it safely.
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Interesting........I knew somebody would know something lol. Thanks Jeff. So the machine isn't faulty. I am. Thing is, i'm doing nothing differently to what i have been for over a year. Strange.......... :o
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thats what you get for wearing nylon pants lol
it can be something as simple as changing your shoes or even wearing a nylon coat
make a mental note next time it happens if what you are wearing
;)
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carry a coin in your pocket and every now and again touch something metal thats going to earth, look at a BT pole.
Andrew is correct about your clothing, and in winter this happens even more.
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I did get a shock earlier on to when i touched my son. So maybe it is me. I did get some new boxers recently too lol. And no i aint had them on since the first incident. I don't think ;D
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If it happens just in your fingers, then it is defenatly static electricity, I could write you a big topic on it, but you would have to change your boxers even more often ;D ;D ;D
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This sounds crazy I know,... but you could attach a small grounding strap to your shoe. It only needs to be long enough to touch the ground when you take a step. This will keep static electricity from building up in your body.
Some forklifts and heavy equipment I know of that use non-marking tires require a grounding strap to dangle from the frame of the forklift and touch the ground. This is because of the carbon in the non-marking tires builds up static electricity. A very dangerous situation when you are sitting on top or near a fuel source such as gas or propane.
Maybe you could attach a small grounding strap to a shoelace and have it just long enough to touch the ground as you walk and take a step.
Sounds like overkill I know, but if the shocking becomes a problem, you know you can avoid it.
GlassJockey
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I clean a William Hill shop, and I have to do all the monitor screens.
I do my best not to touch the edges of the monitors with my bare flesh, I try to keep the my microfibre cloth well folded...but every now and then I get one hell of a static shock :o
It almost knocks me off my pointer :-\
Great fun ;D.............not >:(
Ian
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I clean a William Hill shop, and I have to do all the monitor screens.
I do my best not to touch the edges of the monitors with my bare flesh, I try to keep the my microfibre cloth well folded...but every now and then I get one hell of a static shock :o
It almost knocks me off my pointer :-\
Great fun ;D.............not >:(
Ian
Wow Ian - I know you're not the tallest guy in the world but those must be huge computer screens to need a pointer ladder ... :D
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You're not helping much here Malc. ;D
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This sounds crazy I know,... but you could attach a small grounding strap to your shoe. It only needs to be long enough to touch the ground when you take a step. This will keep static electricity from building up in your body.
Some forklifts and heavy equipment I know of that use non-marking tires require a grounding strap to dangle from the frame of the forklift and touch the ground. This is because of the carbon in the non-marking tires builds up static electricity. A very dangerous situation when you are sitting on top or near a fuel source such as gas or propane.
Maybe you could attach a small grounding strap to a shoelace and have it just long enough to touch the ground as you walk and take a step.
Sounds like overkill I know, but if the shocking becomes a problem, you know you can avoid it.
GlassJockey
Its not crazy, I wear one around my wrist, when I'm doing any electronics, the static charge in your body is enough to blow Sensitive ic chips when you touch them, if your not grounded to earth.
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static charge in your body and clothing can easily build up to around 5000V - yes I do mean 5 thousand volts
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static charge in your body and clothing can easily build up to around 5000V - yes I do mean 5 thousand volts
JM you have probably frightened Dino half to death ;D ;D
Now don't get giving up WC, ;D the above is very true and it can be even higher, but very rare. ;)
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I clean a William Hill shop, and I have to do all the monitor screens.
I do my best not to touch the edges of the monitors with my bare flesh, I try to keep the my microfibre cloth well folded...but every now and then I get one hell of a static shock :o
It almost knocks me off my pointer :-\
Great fun ;D.............not >:(
Ian
Wow Ian - I know you're not the tallest guy in the world but those must be huge computer screens to need a pointer ladder ... :D
Malc, 17 telly screens (one big un') top ones are about 9ft at the top of the screen, maybe 8'6" Just out of reach :-[
A 6 footer would probably be ok, but as I'm short & stumpy I need a leg up!
I feel a prat when it happens though as it always takes you by surprise and my squeal gets every head swivling in my direction wondering whats wrong with me :-\
Ian
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Its not crazy, I wear one around my wrist, when I'm doing any electronics, the static charge in your body is enough to blow Sensitive ic chips when you touch them, if your not grounded to earth.
LOL. In a previous life I had the title of 'Unit Communications System Manager' which meant I was lumbered with a nuts job on top of all my other duties and had to look after an Infantry battalions 'Unit Communications Systems'.
It was basically around 200 work stations used by thick squaddies and they made my life a misery; usually by being thick.
Anyway, when someone phoned me because they had another problem with their terminal, I used to have a set 'jokes' I'd make 'em do before sorting their problem out.
For example if their computer screen wasn't working properly, I'd ask, 'Have you tried shaking it?', and I'd hear, 'wait there' and the phone would be put down and they shook their screen ;D. If any further damage was caused I could 'charge them' for abusing military property. (I didn't tell them to shake the computer screen; I only asked them if they had).
But another was to try and get the daft squaddie to the QM department and ask for 'anti-static wrist clips'; which would fix the problem with their computer.
The QM phoned me to stop wasting his lads's time, with squaddies comming in and asking for stuff that didn't exsist.
Or at least I didn't think they did! ;D
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Its not crazy, I wear one around my wrist, when I'm doing any electronics, the static charge in your body is enough to blow Sensitive ic chips when you touch them, if your not grounded to earth.
But another was to try and get the daft squaddie to the QM department and ask for 'anti-static wrist clips'; which would fix the problem with their computer.
The QM once phoned me to stop wasting his lads's time, with squaddies comming in and asking for stuff that didn't exsist.
Or at least I didn't think they did! ;D
Sorry to Disappoint you Tosh, but anti-static wrist straps do exist, and have done for many years now, even BT use them for sensetive electronic equipment.
Have a look in maplins catalogue if you have one, if not go to there web-site and you will see them there.
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I got another one today gang. Luckily,i'd forgotten about the other two,until it happened. It's only once a day,normally towards the end of my shift. :-X I'm off to the Maplins site. Bugger this every day of my life lol
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http://www.maplin.co.uk/Search.aspx?criteria=anti-static%20wrist%20band&source=15&SD=Y
Just found the link for you! with anti-static WRIST STRAPS Tosh ;D ;D
Tosh I just had a thought 8) (very rare ;D) When I did my electronics in the army, we had them then, when ever we worked with cmos chips we would have to wear them, to stop the static in our body blowing the chips.
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cheers Jeff. That saved me half hour. Hey Tosh, they're buy one get one free at the minute. Interested??? ;D
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I got another one today gang. Luckily,i'd forgotten about the other two,until it happened. It's only once a day,normally towards the end of my shift. :-X I'm off to the Maplins site. Bugger this every day of my life lol
Dino,
I'm on my second backpack, and I've not had an electric shock from it; apart from once when I did something daft...
The inside of the round connector on my battery had rusted, so I tried to clean out the rust using a metal food skewer (the sort you'd use for a bar-b-cue). That gave me a shock; as in 'sparks flew'; but I didn't get hurt.
I solved the problem by just disconnecting the connector from the battery.
I am a Geordie. :-[
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Tosh i started wfp shortly after you and never ever had a shock(on second backpack now) until saturday morn, then like i said 3 in the last 3 working days. I just don't get it. As for the anti static bands, i'm having second thoughts. I could do with one but in the line of duty, it's just another thing to have strapped on or dangling from my being and will probaby break after a week or so, but thanks for the link anyways Jeff.
Dino
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Dino
If you buy one, when you go to your custy's, have a look for a pipe in the ground always by the house, with a yellow and green earth wire going into the house, (not available on modern houses i'm afraid ;D) Just clip your wrist strap to the metal and you have earthed your self and got rid of your static. only need to do it for a couple of seconds.
Failing all this I suggest you connect your self up to the mains grid, and sell it back to the suppliers ;D ;D ( thats a Joke don't do it ;D ;D ;D)
Just read your post before posting this, you would not be able to wear it all the time, there about a foot long and would just keep getting in your way.
Is it just the back pack you are having this problem with, or do you get a shock any other time??
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Just the backpack mate. Last year i was getting the same when i was closing the car(touching car door,etc) Had a couple of small ones the last few days when touching others(no jokes please....this is serious ;) So are you saying i would only have to connect it to me a couple of times a day Jeff??? Don't worry, i won't go playing with the grid. My hairs still growing back from the last time i done it ;D ;D
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Just the backpack mate. Last year i was getting the same when i was closing the car(touching car door,etc) Had a couple of small ones the last few days when touching others(no jokes please....this is serious ;) So are you saying i would only have to connect it to me a couple of times a day Jeff??? Don't worry, i won't go playing with the grid. My hairs still growing back from the last time i done it ;D ;D
Sorry for the delay Dino, I have spent the past hour going through my old study files, and it seems to me that you are one of these unfortunate people that pick up static electrons with complete ease. ???
Now the thing is we would need to know if you were possively or negativly charged with electrons, now if you really need to know if you are charged, I could help you build an electroscope, :o don't panic its the sort of experiment we used to do at school, and you may have all the bits needed at home. Its no good to keep earthing your self if your not the source, and building this little experiment can find the source and we could then help eliminate it for you?
If your interested let me know and I'll post the experiment for you to build, if you have the parts to hand, it will take about 10 minutes to build.
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Mate why not.......I'm game :) The wife has always said i'm electryfying. Or terrifying. Or something like that :o. Sorry for me being away, but the misses had the cheek to pull me away from the pc for dinner. Thanks for your help, Dino
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Your lucky, I had to pick my boss up at 6.30pm, looked at the clock and it was 6.20pm, I had ten miniutes to wash my lunch dishes up hoover the living room and get to her to pick her up, and it takes a man to achive that tell your boss ;D ;D
Right here goes with our experiment. :o :o :o (no pun intended ;D)
Materials and Equipment
styro-Foam plate (not important if you don't have one)
styro-Foam cup
Drinking straw (plastic will do)
Clay or kids Plasticine
Aluminum pie pan dish or what ever
Thread (cotton)
Aluminum foil
Masking tape or cellotape (think thats how you spell it ???)
Wooden ruler
Several different materials to test (polyester, nylon, cotton, wool, silk, aluminum, saran wrap, plastic, copper, tissue paper, almost anything!) including a backpack ;D
Experimental Procedure
First you will make an electroscope to test for the presence of static electricity in different materials.
The electroscope at rest. the thread with ball will hang straight down.
Make two holes near the bottom of a Styrofoam cup (not plastic) on opposite sides. A good way to do this is by pushing a sharp pencil, chop-stick or skewer through the cup.
Push a plastic straw through the holes in the cup. Push the straw so that it is almost flush with the cup on one side, but sticking out as much as possible on the other.
Stick 4 little balls of clay or plasicine to the rim of the cup, each about 1/2 inch in diameter.
Turn the cup upside down and and stick it to the bottom of the aluminum pie pan using the clay. Make sure that the cup is right at the edge so that the straw sticks out over the edge of the pan.
Cut a piece of thread about 8 inches long and tie a few knots in one end of the thread.
Cut a one-inch square of aluminum foil. Use it to make a ball around the knots in the thread. The ball should be about the size of a marble. It should be just tight enough so it doesn't fall off the thread.
Tape the other end of the thread to the tip of the straw so that the ball of foil hangs straight down from the straw, right next to the edge of the pan.
Tape the straw to the cup so it doesn't move around when you use the electroscope.
To test the electroscope, create some static electricity. An easy way to create static is by rubbing a balloon on a Styrofoam plate or wooly jumper.
When you do this, you "charge" the plate, which means you cause a buildup of electrons on one side. Even though the plate is charged, the electrons don't move because Styrofoam doesn't conduct electrons.
Once you've created some static electricity, place the electroscope on top of the Styrofoam plate. Be sure to hold the electroscope by the foam cup and not the aluminum pan, otherwise it won't work. Electrons move easily through the metal, so when you put the pie pan onto the charged foam plate, the electrons travel into the pan. The added negative charges on the pan repel the negative charges on the foil ball, which moves away from the pan.
When the electroscope is negatively charged, the foil ball is repelled by the foil plate.
You can use a ruler to measure the distance between the foil ball and the pan. The more charge there is, the more distance there will be. Be careful not to touch the ball or the edge of the plate with the ruler when you measure.
Now, touch the ball with your finger. What happens? ;D ;D
Now that you know your electroscope works, you will use it to test the static electricity present in different materials. Between each experiment you will need to discharge your electroscope by touching the pan with your finger or a metal rod. (you won't get a shock, just like you didn't above ;D
Try charging different objects with static electricity and testing them with the electroscope. Good materials to try are plastic wrap(cling film), a comb, different types of fabric, aluminum foil. .
Once you have built it and had a play with it, lay it on your back pack and see if the ball moves? if it does then your backpack contains a charge, you can either earth it, by sticking it on some damp soil in custy's gardens or by the other methods we have mentioned.
If you are charged, try touching the pie dish and see if you get any movement in the ball, keep it in your van, but don't let the custy's see it, or they'll think you've escaped from some were ;D
If all this fails then suicide is your only option ;D(Only joking don't do it) just get back to me and we'll go another route.
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Bloody 'ell Jeff. Sounds like something from a Blue Peter episode. I'll give it a go. I do appreciate you taking time out to help me out with this one.
Wouldn't a rubber thimble be a simpler way around this? ;D
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Bloody 'ell Jeff. Sounds like something from a Blue Peter episode. I'll give it a go. I do appreciate you taking time out to help me out with this one.
Wouldn't a rubber thimble be a simpler way around this? ;D
I told you I would make it simple for you, or we can go the technical route if you want? :'( Do I get a blue peter badge for this one ;D ;D
A rubber thimble would stop you getting a shock in that finger, but rubber gloves would work better ;D Pink Marigolds spring to mind ;D ;D
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Now i know ya takin the p*ss lol. Pink noooooo,yellow maybe ::)
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Now i know ya takin the p*ss lol. Pink noooooo,yellow maybe ::)
What ever colour matches your mascara & Lipstick, ask your Boss, she'll know what colour suits you best ;D ;D