[Pole2pole]

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.

[jeff1]

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.

[Pole2pole]

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..........

[Andy@w.c.s]

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
 

[jeff1]

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.

[Pole2pole]

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 

[jeff1]

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

[GlassJockey]

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

[Ian_Giles]

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
It almost knocks me off my pointer

Great fun .............not

Ian

[AuRavelling79]

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
It almost knocks me off my pointer

Great fun .............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 ... 

[Pole2pole]

You're not helping much here Malc. 

[jeff1]

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.

[JM123]

static charge in your body and clothing can easily build up to around 5000V - yes I do mean 5 thousand volts

[jeff1]

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
Now don't get giving up WC,  the above is very true and it can be even higher, but very rare.

[Ian_Giles]

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
It almost knocks me off my pointer

Great fun .............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 ... 

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

[Tosh]

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  .  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!

[jeff1]

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!

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.

[Pole2pole]

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. I'm off to the Maplins site. Bugger this every day of my life lol

[jeff1]

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

Tosh I just had a thought  (very rare ) 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.

[Pole2pole]

cheers Jeff. That saved me half hour. Hey Tosh, they're buy one get one free at the minute. Interested???