Libertine: On the Prowl

Vidi, vici, veni -- I saw, I conquered, I came. _______________________________________________________________

Static

02:35, 2008-Jan-18 .. Posted in daily life .. 12 comments .. Link

It's winter and at this time of the year, there is usually low humidity. And you all know what that means.

That's right -- static electricity.

I can remember being a kid and walking around the house, rubbing my socked feet across the carpet, and touching metal items all over the house with the side of my hand. I did this just to see that blue spark of static leap out to meet my hand and to hear the satisfying crackle. The harder I'd rub my feet, the bigger the blue spark would be.

I used to shock my siblings and, I must admit, the dog. I'd touch him on the end of his nose and he'd grimace as the shock got him. It got to the point where he'd run and hide every time he saw me begin to rub my feet along the carpet. He wasn't stupid.

And I can remember doing the laundry and never using a static sheet in the dryer. I liked pulling the clothes out of the dryer, all stuck together, and hearing the satisfying kkkkkrrrrrrttt as I pulled clothes apart. Sometimes I'd even turn the light out, so I could see the blue sparks as well. But now that I do my laundry at the laundromat, there is never any static, though I still don't use dryer sheets.

I once worked in a plant where magnesium powder was used, and sometimes it was my job to vacuum out the excess powder from the inside of the machine. And this is where I've gotten the strongest static shocks of my life. It was hard to keep hold of the vacuum hose, as strong currents of static would reverberate up the hose. I remember one time, standing about a foot away from another person who held the hose and a huge blue spark of static leaped from his elbow to mine. At that level, it wasn't really fun anymore.

Sometimes, now, I get shocked by my car when I touch metal parts on the frame when getting in and out of it. Not always, though; it depends on the humidity level.

How about you? Are you fascinated by static electricity like I am or do you think I'm nuts?

Leave a Comment

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03:32, 2008-Jan-18 .. Posted by birdsnest
your nuts.
but i've been extremely electric the past few months.
its so bad that i have to touch my wife on the arm before i kiss her because ive been shocking the hell out of her.
shocks to the lips hurt.

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03:33, 2008-Jan-18 .. Posted by readerwil
No you are not nuts, but I am not either hating static electricity. I notice that my hair is acting funny when humidity is low.

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03:46, 2008-Jan-18 .. Posted by Aielman
I live in Florida. I don't think I've been shocked in a decade.

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04:19, 2008-Jan-18 .. Posted by pd
I like very viscous things. You know... honey, golden syrup, condensed milk, double-thickened cream, shower gel, glue.

nuts

07:22, 2008-Jan-18 .. Posted by Chandramoon
well fascinated could be over-stated ha ha!! maybe slightly intrigued!

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09:46, 2008-Jan-18 .. Posted by DeeJay
Ugh, I hate the static crap! I also find my hands get so dry this time of year; I'm constantly having to put lotion on them.

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09:58, 2008-Jan-18 .. Posted by littleMissConfused
I get zapped by almost ever person I give change back too. Some times if I get to close to the registers monitor my hair will frizz out towards it...I get told I have an electrifying personality a lot.

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10:10, 2008-Jan-18 .. Posted by windy
I hate it . My son on the other hand finds it entertaining also. :)

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09:56, 2008-Jan-20 .. Posted by thebigp
I didn't think you were nuts until I read that you used to shock the dog. Isn't that how most serial killers start out...hurting animals?

I kid, really. Please don't hurt me.

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11:30, 2008-Jan-20 .. Posted by littleMissConfused
I still shock the cat. If the cat is dumb enough to continue to sniff my finger every time I rub my socks on the floor, I'm going to keep doing it.He has such a funny look on his face after I zap him, that I can't help myself. The dogs on the other hand have figured it out and won't play along.

EclectaComment

07:25, 2008-Jan-24 .. Posted by Eclectablog
Here's the voltage associated with static discharges at different gaps:

mm gap.....volts
0.5............2850
1...............4350
2...............7350
3...............10350
4...............13350
5..............16350

If you want to not get shocked, touch wood first. Wood disappates electricity much slower than metal, etc. so it won't spark. It really works. I know this because the fire door handles in my dorm in college used just about blow me off my feet in the winter time. Touching the woodwork around it first prevented me from getting shocked when touching the handle every time.

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07:35, 2008-Jan-24 .. Posted by littleMissConfused
"If you want to not get shocked, touch wood first."

Nope....doesn't work. Kissed hubby and got a shock...I had my hand on his....oh wait....you weren't talking about that kind of wood!