How do i earth myself??

[southerncomfort]

So I keep zapping everyone and today whilst leaning across the back of my unbacked pony, I managed to zap him too! Not ideal.

I've zapped my kids and the dog. Now whenever I touch anything metal I get a massive shock. The other day I went to hang something up on a radiator and their was a massive blue spark. You could hear it in the next room.

Assuming that im not actually a witch discovering my latent powers....how do I make it stop?!

 

[Sandstone1]

Its probably something you are wearing.

 

[oldie48]

Please don't waste it, tap into your electricity supply or hook up to the electric fencing. Seriously, I think it's something you are wearing, possibly shoes or something made of a man made material?

 

[Spottyappy]

Change what you are wearing, to natural fibres. Also, make sure your shoes are something that doesn’t conduct static, too.

 

[hollyandivy123]

What shoes are you wearing when this happens...I had to chuck a work pair as I was zapping everything including strangers back when you could shake hands as part of a greeting

 

[Penny Less]

I used to get this when getting out of the car and then touching something metal like a parking meter, and also when
touching the horse. The car thing I put my hand on the top of the car before I get out, that seems to work, and the horse I used to have to earth myself on a wall !

 

[Kaylum]

I am like that now. Haven't been like it for a bit the static has come back this week. Think it's the heat and damp skin. Doesn't matter what I wear.

 

[Rowreach]

I zap the cat quite often, but only when I bend down to ground level. It doesn't happen at table height.

 

[Nicnac]

Sell it to the National Grid - you'll make a fortune!

Seriously it's what you're wearing. Fleeces are notorious for conducting energy as are some riding leggings. Natural fibres only and rubber soled shoes

 

[PinkvSantaboots]

Fleece tops are the worse I find for generating static I wear a few indoors, and if I take them off in the dark you can see the sparks coming off them, synthetic fibres like nylon will do it as well.

 

[southerncomfort]

Ah right....fleeces are out then. Just realised that my coat is fleece lined so that makes sense.

Given how much leccy my kids use it would be very useful to be a one woman dynamo!

Just wondering...is it OK to deliberately zap someone if they are really annoying? For example, if your husband keeps breathing through his mouth and making that really annoying clicking noise in his throat even though you've shouted 'STOP CLICKING!' three times?

 

[Snow Falcon]

Ah right....fleeces are out then. Just realised that my coat is fleece lined so that makes sense.

Given how much leccy my kids use it would be very useful to be a one woman dynamo!

Just wondering...is it OK to deliberately zap someone if they are really annoying? For example, if your husband keeps breathing through his mouth and making that really annoying clicking noise in his throat even though you've shouted 'STOP CLICKING!' three times?

Totally fair game. Mine does it too. ?

 

[Equi]

I used to get this with my dad old car it was so annoying! I became like ocd person having to touch the floor every time I was about to get in or just out of the car.

as for hubby - a little prod with the taser hands won’t hurt ?

 

[tda]

Yep, stopped wearing fleece tops a good few years ago.

 

[L&M]

Fleeces make me very static, and worse in freezing weather. If you use fabric conditioner that can help reduce the effect.

I have zapped my lad several times when changing rugs so am now very careful what I wear!!!!

 

[cobgoblin]

Wear leather soles rather than synthetic or rubber.

 

[Bob notacob]

Change what you are wearing, to natural fibres. Also, make sure your shoes are something that doesn’t conduct static, too.

No , exactly the opposite. You must wear shoes that Do conduct so the charge constantly leaks away. As cobgoblin says ,leather soled shoes will work. Its the saame reason why aircraft nose wheels are designed to conduct electricity .

 

[Keith_Beef]

Change what you are wearing, to natural fibres. Also, make sure your shoes are something that doesn’t conduct static, too.

What shoes are you wearing when this happens...I had to chuck a work pair as I was zapping everything including strangers back when you could shake hands as part of a greeting

No , exactly the opposite. You must wear shoes that Do conduct so the charge constantly leaks away. As cobgoblin says ,leather soled shoes will work. Its the saame reason why aircraft nose wheels are designed to conduct electricity .

Bob not a cob is right: you need soles that conduct the static away from your body into the ground. Since I got OH a new pair of Minnetonka slippers, she gets static shocks much more frequently than before; the only thing I can think of is that the soles of these new slippers are insulating her from the floor.

I'm sure I read somewhere that car tyres have something added to the rubber so that you don't get a big spark when you start filling your tank at the pump...

 

[Annagain]

I have the same problem. I have to touch the wall and run my hand up it to the light switch or I get a big zap - same with the cooker, I have to touch the work top and run my hand along to the cooker. My dog is 16 now and doesn't see brilliantly so she gets particularly upset if I zap her as she can't work out why. I just grab whatever's near me before touching her if I can. Same at the farm, I touch the stable door or wall before putting rugs on and gate post before touching the gate.

 

[Keith_Beef]

I have the same problem. I have to touch the wall and run my hand up it to the light switch or I get a big zap

In the US, OH used to get shocks from the light switch at the bottom of the stairs in the house we lived in.

She was worried that she was getting a shock from the mains, so I opened the breaker on that circuit, took the switch apart and looked inside, and there was nothing wrong with it.

It turned out to be static from the synthetic-fibre carpet on the stairs and the landings; the spark was going from her finger tip to the screw holding on the fascia, with was earthed through the back-box.

 

[Annagain]

In the US, OH used to get shocks from the light switch at the bottom of the stairs in the house we lived in.

She was worried that she was getting a shock from the mains, so I opened the breaker on that circuit, took the switch apart and looked inside, and there was nothing wrong with it.

It turned out to be static from the synthetic-fibre carpet on the stairs and the landings; the spark was going from her finger tip to the screw holding on the fascia, with was earthed through the back-box.

Yes, I was worried when it first started happening but it started with the switch and the cooker at the same time. It would be a bit odd for them both to develop a fault at the same time and one that only affects me - OH doesn't get the same problem.

 

[southerncomfort]

I've done the light switch thing too. I told my husband he must have wired it up wrong! Oops! ?