Static Shock Super Powers

[DeenT]

Hey all,

I think I have super powers...well they aren't all that super. I seem to be a mega conductor of static electricity at work.

We were mocking up some LED tape on stage today for a project and at multiple times while working on it, I was slightly lighting up the LEDs around my hand (the tape was disconnected from power). In many instances, I have went to do something at a computer and I'm able to blackout the monitor for a second when I touch the mouse. We have a touch panel screen on our stage rack to control house lights and work lights, which I went to turn off the lights the other day and caused that display to blackout briefly as well. Just about everything you can think of has caused a shock at one time or another.

A few key notes: I'm the only one that encounters this issue, I am shocked multiple times a day, our flooring ranges from high traffic carpet, cement, tile, masonite stage floor, to the anti-shock carpet in the tech booth (I'm finding it difficult to believe it's anti-shock LOL). I also wear a few different pairs of shoes so I don't think that's the issue because it happens no matter what I'm wearing. And no, I'm not rolling around on the floor constantly or rubbing my head on the carpet. Also, I don't have nearly any static shock instances outside of work.

To get to the point, what would be causing this much static in only one person, and can I do anything to combat it? I feel like I'm going to fry a monitor at this rate.

Thanks for any tips or good laughs!

 

[derekleffew]

I want to see the puzzled faces when you tell co-workers you're going to try "wearing a Leko."

 

[Chris Pflieger]

Maybe an ankle static strap will help.
Always touch a big metal surface, like the rack first before touching more delicate stuff (like touch screens)

Do you wear a lot of wool?


If you concerned about electronics in one area, then consider a ESD wrist strap setup; they're fairly inexpensive.

Also consider increasing the humidity of that space, if possible.

 

[JohnD]

Consider a Zerostat, and good golly they sure have gotten expensive.

 

[TimMc]

Consider a Zerostat, and good golly they sure have gotten expensive.

When I went back to playing vinyl records I really missed my Zerostat... and found they don't make 'em like they used to and the price was more than my pandemic budget allowed.

 

[FMEng]

Poly fleece is notorious for static charge. Try anti-static dryer sheets when you wash your clothes.

 

[DeenT]

I mostly wear cotton shirts/sweatshirts and denim jeans. Does anyone have any thoughts on ESD shoes?

 

[RonHebbard]

I mostly wear cotton shirts/sweatshirts and denim jeans. Does anyone have any thoughts on ESD shoes?

@LLDeen In my steel toed boots days, I also had steel toed brown 'Hush Puppies' and steel toed black leather dress shoes.
The black leather dress shoes bore a discreet green patch attesting to their steel toed / steel equivalent soles / ESD rating.
As I matured from worker to consultant, I wore the Green Patched black leather dress shoes on days when I was visiting an architect or P Eng's office and knew we'd be progressing directly to a job site. The Green Patched leather dress shoes meant I didn't have to change foot ware before walking from my vehicle onto the site for an inspection tour.

To answer your query: I learned regularly walking through serious puddles of rain / melted snow (on sites yet to be roofed, glazed, closed in, weather tight) soon down-grades the ESD rating. This was in the mid 1960's, things may have changed / improved over the decades.
Toodleoo!
Ron Hebbard

 

[TimMc]

I have a pair of New Balance steel toed shoes with ESD soles. How much they'll help you, I can't say, but for me they ticked a number of boxes - they look like a leather walking shoe, have the ANSI steel toe and the static dissipating soles so I could work around servers and cobbled together video gear.

You might consider talking to your doctor about your electrolytes; you may have too much of a couple elements... but why you're building up and holding such a large charge independent of wardrobe is a puzzlement.

 

[RickR]

I've occasionally used anti static spray on seats that gave me pains. Is there fabric upholstered furniture you frequent?

Anything to raise the humidity will help! An open pan of water in the booth might be an easy thing, heated is best. Place it carefully of course. A hazer on low?

 

[What Rigger?]

I mostly wear cotton shirts/sweatshirts and denim jeans. Does anyone have any thoughts on ESD shoes?

Might be worth a look. Some pyro friends were having problems a couple years ago with static building up and triggering deflagration/detonation in their 1.3G aerial products while loading. Once they went to the ESD shoes, no problems since.

 

[almorton]

I don't know how well they work but you certainly used to be able to get slip over carbon fibre straps that grounded your body instead of letting the shoe insulate you, working a bit like ESD dissipating shoes. Worth trying first before investing in new shoes?

 

[RonHebbard]

I don't know how well they work but you certainly used to be able to get slip over carbon fibre straps that grounded your body instead of letting the shoe insulate you, working a bit like ESD dissipating shoes. Worth trying first before investing in new shoes?

@almorton In my mind's eye, I'm envisioning the little weighted danglers motorists used to have attached under their vehicles purportedly to eliminate / minimize static buildup; potentially considered a safety device to minimize sparking / igniting hazardous vapors while refueling.
Toodleoo!
Ron Hebbard

 

[almorton]

Not entirely dissimilar in idea, @RonHebbard . They wrap around the heel and into the shoe and are stretchy and carbon impregnated to create a path to ground to drain static, but with enough resistance that they don't increase shock hazard if you touch something live.

 

[Chris Pflieger]

Our production staff wears these:
https://www.walmart.com/ip/OTVIAP-A...ble-Foot-Grounder-Anti-Static-Strap/657401630

 

[almorton]

That's kind of like I have seen and was thinking of, yes. At that price it's probably worth a punt to see if it helps.

 

[What Rigger?]

Our production staff wears these:
https://www.walmart.com/ip/OTVIAP-A...ble-Foot-Grounder-Anti-Static-Strap/657401630

I'm totally trying those when(ever) I get back to the gig. Big ol' Duvateen curtains in a semi-outdoor environment. Zap, man.

 

[jonares]

Hey all,

I think I have super powers...well they aren't all that super. I seem to be a mega conductor of static electricity at work.

We were mocking up some LED tape on stage today for a project and at multiple times while working on it, I was slightly lighting up the LEDs around my hand (the tape was disconnected from power). In many instances, I have went to do something at a computer and I'm able to blackout the monitor for a second when I touch the mouse. We have a touch panel screen on our stage rack to control house lights and work lights, which I went to turn off the lights the other day and caused that display to blackout briefly as well. Just about everything you can think of has caused a shock at one time or another.

A few key notes: I'm the only one that encounters this issue, I am shocked multiple times a day, our flooring ranges from high traffic carpet, cement, tile, masonite stage floor, to the anti-shock carpet in the tech booth (I'm finding it difficult to believe it's anti-shock LOL). I also wear a few different pairs of shoes so I don't think that's the issue because it happens no matter what I'm wearing. And no, I'm not rolling around on the floor constantly or rubbing my head on the carpet. Also, I don't have nearly any static shock instances outside of work.

To get to the point, what would be causing this much static in only one person, and can I do anything to combat it? I feel like I'm going to fry a monitor at this rate.

Thanks for any tips or good laughs!

It seems I have the same superpowers at home, in the winter - getting up off the couch often results in the sound from my AV receiver going silent for a moment, and/or the TV going black for a moment.

My solution is not getting up off the couch as often.

- Jon

 

[ACTSTech]

As anti-electronic as it sounds, add some humidity. The one local college had similar issues so they invested in the wrist straps and floor pads and the like. Got better but wasn't great. Wasn't until they cracked the sound board on the studio piano that they realized it was too dry. Little cool mist humidifier keeps it regulated, not too much but no more static and no issues with any corrosion or deterioration of the electronics.

I want to see the puzzled faces when you tell co-workers you're going to try "wearing a Leko."

Two old focusing scoops would be more entertaining, like a reverse jumbo bra.

 

[Chris Pflieger]

As anti-electronic as it sounds, add some humidity. The one local college had similar issues so they invested in the wrist straps and floor pads and the like. Got better but wasn't great. Wasn't until they cracked the sound board on the studio piano that they realized it was too dry. Little cool mist humidifier keeps it regulated, not too much but no more static and no issues with any corrosion or deterioration of the electronics.


Two old focusing scoops would be more entertaining, like a reverse jumbo bra.

We have a CM that keeps their facility at something like 85% humidity. Makes your hair frizzy, but they don't have to worry about ESD at all.