Many drivers and passengers of cars have encountered such a situation - they get electric shock when leaving the car. What does it mean? When, after a trip, I had to open the door, or accidentally touching the body, there were unpleasant sensations.
The body seemed to shake, there was a burning sensation, an unpleasant chill ran through. It immediately becomes clear that static electricity is to blame.
Static electricity and the car
Everyone knows the effect of combing hair with a plastic comb. When the hair "stands on end".
Or when taking off synthetic clothing, a slight crackle occurs. And if this is done in complete darkness, then small sparks-discharges will even be visible. The same thing happens inside the car with people.
Why does the car get electric shock? There are many reasons for this. Let's try to identify the most common:
- Sometimes the person himself is indirectly to blame for this situation. The fact is that in the process of movement there is friction of clothes on the upholstery of the seats. The person himself begins to accumulate static electricity. This often happens if the clothing contains natural wool or synthetic fibers. Without knowing it, leaving vehicle, it hits the door, the body and a discharge occurs. The answer to the question: “Why does it shock when you get out of the car?” becomes obvious. Partly they are to blame.
- The car itself begins to accumulate a static charge. This can happen in different ways.
1. The body of the car is electric, because during the trip the car moves in space and comes into contact with air. It builds up a charge. The longer the movement time, the more accumulation occurs. Dry weather also contributes to an increase in charge.
It goes without saying that a person sitting inside has the property of possessing an electrical potential. The whole question is what value does its charge have. If the same as the vehicle, then no one will feel anything. If plus and minus, then a discharge will occur upon contact.
2. In another case, when the car door is shocked, there is another reason. This is a machine malfunction. Due to various circumstances, the wires of its electrical wiring may be damaged. Under the influence of friction or rubbing, or falling out of the fixing devices, they begin to rub against the body parts. And the isolation in this place is breaking down.
Insulation damage
The bare section of the wire begins to come into contact with iron. There is a so-called "breakdown to ground". The machine begins to resemble a capacitor of appropriate dimensions and with a fairly strong capacitance. And when the driver or passenger gets out and grabs the door or the handle, they get an electric shock.
Watch a useful video on how to detect a current leak on a VAZ 21102:
A trifle, a trifle?! No matter how!
Although at first glance it may seem that there will be no particular harm from a static discharge, this problem should be considered more seriously. When the body of the machine is shocked, a micro-discharge occurs. good example, but having a different nature, a piezo lighter can serve.
Piezo lighter grenade
And if for some reason there are vapors of gasoline or other flammable substances in the cabin? This micro-lightning is able to ignite them, and the consequences can be the most tragic.
Solving the question: “the machine is shocking - what to do?” Should be immediately.
There is one more important circumstance to this. While driving, the driver constantly performs a series of important functions- its' his job. Controls the machine, turns on and off various functional devices -, direction indicators, toggle switches parking lights, far, near light.
Constantly shifts gears if the car is standing mechanical box speed switching. And if at this time there is a blow by static electricity, then out of surprise he may well lose control. With all the ensuing consequences.
Fighting "illness"
The reason why the machine is shocking has become clear. It remains to figure out how to get rid of it:
1. One of the important actions - station visit Maintenance . This is especially necessary if static discharges are felt very strongly. In a workshop the car will pass diagnostics, where it will be determined whether everything is in order with its electrical equipment. Faults found will be corrected.
2. Attaching antistatic strips. Perhaps on the road it was possible to overtake a heavy-weight fuel truck. Immediately striking attached to the metal frame of the body steel chain for asphalt. This is grounding.
You can do the same, only more elegant. The chain is not required. And here is to install special means Antistatic agents are quite capable.
3. Should take care of the car whether it's a foreign car or a model domestic auto industry. The most economical solution would be to purchase covers. You just need to ask in advance about their antistatic properties.
Of course, you should pay attention to your wardrobe. Sadly, if possible, exclude from it those things in which static electricity is more likely to strike.
4. To humidify the climate in the cabin it is desirable to use special aerosols.
- Firstly, the action of this substance will remove the static charge in the cabin, or even nullify the effect of "static".
- Secondly, humid air has a beneficial effect on the well-being of the driver and passengers of the car.
Video to see what to do if the car is energized:
Conclusion
If all previous actions did not lead to anything:
- the electrical circuits of the car are in order;
- clothing style is completely changed;
- aerosol and strips to remove the charge of electricity are present.
But from time to time, a slight click upon contact with the machine reminds you of the laws of physics, there remains one more effective tool.
You get out of the car, and at that moment he mercilessly shocks you. Remember that embarrassing moment? Today we will establish the cause of such increased aggression of the car and eliminate it.
Why does the car get electric shock?
First of all, you need to understand the reason for the appearance of this, to put it mildly, aggressive behavior of your car. According to the laws of physics, the car starts to beat with current as a result of discharges of static electricity, by the way, it can be formed for several reasons - due to the electrification of the car body and / or your clothes, as well as seat upholstery or covers. And the most unpleasant thing, given that we are preparing to welcome spring and summer, the intensity of electrification is higher, the lower the humidity. The only thing that can calm similar situation- despite the fact that the electric discharge is accompanied by unpleasant pain sensations, it is absolutely safe for humans.
No matter how boring and tedious it may seem, but without explaining some physical laws, it will not work to get to the heart of the problem, so you have to talk a little about them. As already mentioned, the reason that the car is shocked lies in the appearance of static electricity. Let's look at its source on the car body. Everything is simple here - electricity arises on the body when it is rubbed against air (remember the school physics course and the experience with an ebonite stick). Moreover, this can happen not only when the car is moving, but also under the influence of the wind, even if it is resting in the parking lot. At a time when someone is trying to close the car door, the electric charges of the body and the person are equalized by the same electric shock.
The absence of an electric charge on the car body does not always save the car owner from such lightning. Here we already have to blame clothes, especially synthetic or woolen clothes, which, as a result of friction against seat covers, accumulate a significant electrical charge. At the moment when a person leaves the car, touching it, the above-described process of charge equalization takes place.
How to fix the problem?
How to fix this problem, how to return the car to its former friendliness and hospitality? The obvious answer is to wear clothes made from natural fabrics, as well as the absence of synthetic impurities in the seat covers. But we must admit that such methods do not guarantee a 100% result, moreover, there are much more effective ways. First of all, these are special antistatic strips offered in the assortment of any car accessories store, which are attached between the body and the ground. Only when choosing them, it should be borne in mind that only models with a conductive filler (graphite, aluminum powder) are the most effective, in extreme cases, with a wire inside, so do not rely on carved from old rubber the tape will get rid of the beating current. Treating the covers with an antistatic spray will also reduce the degree of electrification.
All of the above methods will help to cope with the aggression of your iron horse, however, so to speak, in order to consolidate the result and fully guarantee safety, we advise you to follow some recommendations on getting out of the car. So, having opened the door with the intention of leaving the interior of the car, you need to grab the metal edge of the door with your hand (attention: not by the handle!) And only after that step your foot on the ground. Closing the door with a part of the body covered by clothing can reduce pain. And the most interesting thing is that the skin of the hand on top has a higher resistance than its inner side, take this into account the next time you get out of your aggressive car.
Over the past decade, we have been able to observe the process of total electronization of cars. Manufacturers are trying to supply electronics to any vehicle unit and assembly, introducing more and more new systems with a digital interface, aimed at ensuring the comfort, reliability of the car. As a result, it was electrical equipment that became the main headache for car owners. Suffice it to mention that in some cars the length of all wires exceeds one and a half kilometers, and the weight approaches one centner. It is clear that it is extremely difficult to monitor such an economy, and in the event of breaks or shorting of the electrical wiring, localize trouble spot it becomes more and more difficult.
Causes of static electricity.
One of the consequences of such malfunctions is the so-called "breakdown to ground", manifested by electric shocks. Since the voltage of the on-board electrical network is low - 12V - this does not threaten the health of people inside the car. But it should be recognized that the sources of electric shock in the vehicle may not be related to electrical equipment. Moreover, among the main reasons why the machine is shocked, the malfunction of the electrical part is by no means the first place. Let's try to understand this issue with.
Causes of stress on metal parts of a car
Complaints from drivers and passengers that the car is electrocuted are becoming more and more frequent. The situation is really getting out of control. But automakers are not to blame for this. They, on the contrary, are interested in the driver/passengers. However, this phenomenon in most cases does not really pose a threat to human health, since it is associated with the occurrence of static electricity. But the unpleasant sensations experienced during a microshock are still painful and certainly do not give pleasure to the subjects who received them.
There is an opinion that the magnitude of the potential difference of static electricity can reach values of the order of hundreds of volts, and this is already a significant value. In reality, the voltage level is significantly lower, and the duration of the discharge is so short that such a blow simply does not have time to cause tangible harm to the area of the body that felt it. Be that as it may, but if electric shocks become frequent, this phenomenon can and should be resisted, and for this you need to figure out which modern car there may be sources of current on metal surfaces.
Electrostatics is well known to all of us from school lessons physics. IN real life we encounter this phenomenon quite rarely, and the car is exactly the place where, due to a number of objective reasons, this physical process appears most often. Usually the driver and passengers are shocked when leaving the car, which is explained by the accumulation of electrostatic charge on the body of the car. An important factor, contributing to the accumulation of a static charge, is low air humidity (at a humidity level of 85% or more, the moisture contained in the air effectively absorbs free electrons).
Often main reason the occurrence of electrostatic voltage is clothing, especially containing a large percentage synthetic materials or fully synthetic. In such cases, after long journeys, electric shocks will be permanent, albeit random. The same can be said about the seat upholstery, interior and door cards. Fans of dressing up their car in covers should also check if they are made of a material that contributes to the accumulation of static electricity.
It is possible that the reason why the car is electrocuted when exiting it is that the body itself is subject to the accumulation of static charge. When driving in dry weather, the flow of oncoming air rolling on the car contains a considerable amount of dust particles, which, as you know, are good batteries charged ions. Upon contact with the body, these ions flow to the metal, creating an electrostatic field, which, in turn, in contact with a surface with the opposite charge, causes a discharge. Its strength will depend on how long the static energy has been building up. If immediately after long trip get out of the car on a hot summer day, it is likely that the electric field of your hand will be in the role of a discharge receiver.
However, it is this reason that is rare, and some experts even argue that such a phenomenon is impossible, since the charge of dust particles is negligible, and when it hits the car body, the charge spreads over the entire surface, finding areas with the opposite charge where the static is completely dissipated. A much more plausible version is the accumulation of static in your clothes made from synthetic fabrics. Contacting the seat upholstery, which in cars of medium and budget price category It is also made from fabrics with a high percentage of synthetics, clothing becomes a natural receiver of static. And when it comes time to leave the car, we open the door, grab onto its outer metal part and feel a slight but unpleasant electric shock.
Let us note that different people the conductive characteristics of the skin can vary within fairly wide limits, so for some such a discharge will be almost imperceptible, while for others it may be quite painful. In most cases, changing clothing or upholstery material will drastically solve the problem of electrostatics, and if not, then the cause should be looked for elsewhere.
Breakdown of high voltage wires
Unfortunately, such a phenomenon as a breakdown of explosives occurs quite often. It can even be argued that for any car with solid mileage, this is more of a norm than a malfunction. The reason is not necessarily a damaged wiring - moisture, dust and dirt contribute to current leakage. And not only from candles or an ignition coil - a modern car is literally crammed with electronics. Rubbing wires, loosening connectors, violations of the insulating layer - all these reasons lead to the fact that when you touch it, you will receive an electric shock. It is unlikely that you are such a zealous owner for a long time that you wash the wires and components of the car under the hood every day.
But if there are suspicions that the cause of static discharges lies in engine compartment- this is easy to check without any testers: just look into engine compartment with the engine running in total darkness. If there is a constant breakdown, you will definitely see it. In such cases, of course, it is necessary to take relevant measures, otherwise a small nuisance may well develop into big problem. So “breakdown to ground” is one of the most common causes Why is it electric when you open the car door?
Other vehicle components
A potential difference can also occur on other parts of the vehicle. An example is the brake system: the contact of the pads with the surface of the discs is also not complete without the appearance of an electric field strength, and under favorable circumstances, the accumulated charge can flow to the body. In most cases, the stopping process is preceded by braking, so when leaving the car, its body can also be shocked. Moreover, static can accumulate on rims simply because of their rotation while riding. The problem is solved by using special antistatic devices.
How dangerous is static electricity?
It is known from a school physics textbook that the action of an electric discharge can be dangerous only at a voltage level measured in hundreds and thousands of volts. In a car, such values \u200b\u200bare simply nowhere to come from, and given the short duration of exposure to a static charge, we are not talking about harm to health. Leaving aside the reasoning about the variability of the pain threshold in different people, except for unpleasant sensations different strength, there are no other tangible consequences. But the presence of electrostatics is considered unacceptable in cases where flammable substances may be present in the area of action of the charge. In a car, these can be, for example, gasoline vapors.
A small spark is enough to cause trouble, and sparking is an almost constant companion of a static discharge. Therefore, you need to be very sensitive to possible fuel leaks, and if you smell gasoline or liquefied gas (when using HBO), you must immediately find out the cause and eliminate it. There is another indirect danger from static electricity. The fact is that the driver, no matter how experienced he may be, does not perform all the operations associated with driving a car unconsciously. And driving in dense city traffic requires full concentration throughout the entire trip, leaving no time for the car owner to relax.
Under such conditions, an accidental discharge of current can cause loss of control. When driving on high speed a fraction of a second is enough for an uncontrolled car to cause serious accident. So static is not as harmless as they say. In any case, in relation to the car.
Finally, don't forget and that if, due to the small value of the static charge for a person, it is not dangerous, then for sensitive electronics operating at voltages of the order of several volts, it can already lead to failure certain electronic component. So if you are shocked when you touch the car body, this phenomenon should still be fought.
How to get rid of static electricity
Considering all the above facts, and also taking into account that the electric shock itself is very unpleasant, if only because of its unexpectedness, it can be assumed that those car owners whose car often gets electric shock are looking for ways to eliminate this phenomenon. This is what we will talk about now, since ways to deal with statics have been invented. enough. We describe those that, in our opinion, deserve attention:
- In cases where the discharges are strong enough and occur frequently, main advice one is a visit to a car service. It is highly likely that the cause lies in faulty electrical equipment, which in itself is dangerous. In view of increased complexity electrical circuit It is extremely difficult for a non-specialist to find the cause of a voltage leak on their own in a modern car. A professional auto electrician, using specialized equipment (autoscanner), will be able to quickly detect most network problems and, accordingly, eliminate them, saving you from possible troubles.
- Surely many of us have repeatedly noticed cars, in the back of which there were rubber strips hanging down to the ground. That's what it is effective remedy, allowing you to get rid of the occurrence of static electricity on the machine body. And for a certain category of vehicles (for example, for a fuel truck), the presence of such a grounding device is mandatory. You can easily verify this, and here a more reliable device is used - a metal chain, which, during movement, upon contact with the roadway, gives it all the accumulated static charge. The stores sell the Antistatic agent - graphite / aluminum strips on rubber base, which cost a penny, and their installation does not take much time.
- If your car is upholstered with static-prone materials, you should consider purchasing seat covers with anti-static properties, which are much easier and cheaper than changing upholstery.
- Of course, exactly the same advice applies to your clothes. In any case, if you are planning a trip in a car, try to wear only things made from natural fabrics.
- Since static electricity occurs only in conditions of low humidity, one of effective means getting rid of it is to moisturize the cabin. To do this, you can use special aerosols or evaporator humidifiers, the effect of which is similar to car fragrances. Note that dry air itself is quite harmful to the body, so the use of a humidifier will be useful even if there is no problem with static.
- It can be quite effective to use special sprays that should be used to treat seat surfaces. True, their action is limited in time, but if other methods are not applicable in a particular situation, this one can also be applied.
- The more often you carry out wet cleaning inside the car, the less likely you are to encounter such an unpleasant phenomenon as a discharge of static electricity. We have already explained the reason - a humid environment helps to reduce the electrical conductivity of the air.
- Finally, the last useful advice, answering the question "what to do if the machine is shocked irregularly." If you want to insure against such surprises, before leaving the car, touch any metal part inside the cabin. By doing so, you will lower the electrical potential of your skin, minimizing the chance of receiving a static discharge. This method applicable always, especially if for some reason you do not want to use other methods.
It happens that the native car begins to mercilessly endow with "charges of vivacity" - to shock every time you try to get out of it after the end of the trip. Because of this, you have to be creative, and open / close the doors of the unit with the help of the body or even from the foot, which does not have a very positive effect on the condition paintwork and the body as a whole.
It is logical that such a problem should be eliminated, but is it possible to do this without having to pay for expensive service stations?
Why is this happening?
To eliminate the effect, you need to find its cause. Let's start with the most popular, which is the most unreliable and absurd.
So, on the forums of car owners, there are speculations that the body of a car or truck is energized due to the fact that it is gaining charge while driving, when air is rubbing along the body of the unit.
As a result, the dirtier the vehicle, the more actively it will give you pain. In fact, this is a complete lie, most likely invented by the owners of car washes.
The real reason why the body is gaining a static electrical charge may be as follows:
- The occupant's clothing rubs against the synthetic seat covers, causing static electricity to build up on the occupant;
- The car has faults in the wiring or the body is broken;
- Another answer to why the machine is constantly shocking is the lack of antistatic tape and other devices that remove excess accumulated energy.
Even if all these conditions are not applicable in relation to your vehicle, then the electric field strength can arise even from contact brake discs with pads or from the rotation of the wheels during movement. Because of this, each car is rather specialized trucks in particular, must be equipped with antistatic accessories.
Do not forget that there is another reason to study all the recommendations regarding actions in case the machine is shocked. It lies in the ability of our clothes to become electrified in the process of rubbing against woolen or synthetic covers. As a result, a decent static charge accumulates on passengers, which "drain on the body" as soon as they touch it. Moreover, you can “catch” a spark not only when leaving the vehicle, but simply by touching any of its internal parts made of metal.
What to do?
The most elementary solution to the problem of what to do if the machine regularly shocks is to use sprays with antistatic effect. They need to be sprayed not only on covers, but also on your clothes and passengers. Agree that this is not always convenient, and allows you to reduce the level of accumulated charge, but not remove it completely. If the result obtained is not enough for comfortable use, then fix the problem with really different methods.
For example, conduct a comprehensive study of the entire electrical system of the car, and make sure that the spark plugs are working. If they are in a defective condition, they can supply a charge to the motor, and pierce a spark directly on its body. Also, when you get electrocuted while exiting own car, pay attention to high voltage wires present in its wiring, and dirty engine, plastered lubricants. Both of these are a direct path to the accumulation of static charge.
If it is not possible to eliminate the breakdowns for one reason or another, use the experience experienced drivers. They know how to eliminate this trouble and what can be done quickly if the machine is shocked.
According to them, there are several options for protection:
- Special tapes with anti-static effect, which should hang from the car and reach to the ground. They are made from expensive material, and therefore it is important not to save money and not to buy budget fakes;
- If the electric shock is not a passenger car, but a large special-purpose truck carrying explosive goods, then a metal antistatic circuit, also touching the ground, should act as a "lightning rod";
- Often, drivers prefer not to spend money, but to make an impromptu grounding. It looks something like this: using a terminal, a ground wire is connected to the body, the second tip of which is cut off so that it drags along the ground.
As you can see, the most aesthetic option is to use antistatic tape. Again, it is important not to buy a product with a wire inside, as it quickly begins to rust, which means it oxidizes and stops passing current. A correctly purchased tape should be fixed to any body part made of metal and free of paint at the point of attachment, but not to a bumper or something else, where it will become just another decoration.
Many drivers and passengers faced such a situation - getting out of the car, they received an electric shock. Intuitively, this is due to static electricity. To get rid of this problem, you need to find out the cause of the accumulation of electric charge.
1 Why the car is shocked - 4 main reasons
When removing a synthetic item, many heard a slight crackle, and in complete darkness, sparks can be seen. The same situation occurs with the car. During friction between bodies, an imbalance of atoms appears. Since interacting bodies have the ability to transmit electricity low, the charge is redistributed, static electricity appears. So a person becomes the owner of a certain charge. Depending on the sign of the charge, a reaction occurs between the car and the person. If the charges match in signs, then nothing will happen, if the charges are different, then while touching the metal part of the car, a person will feel an electric shock.
There are many reasons why a machine builds up static electricity:
- The car body, moving, comes into contact with air currents, and as a result of friction, a small electrical discharge accumulates on it. Its value increases depending on the duration of the trip. In dry and windy weather, the charge increases. A charge of about 1000 V is concentrated on the car body.
- The machine may be electrocuted due to a faulty electrical wiring. It may be damaged by different reasons: due to rubbing of the wires, insulation failure, the wires could jump out of the connectors. Bare wires in contact with metal parts body, a "breakdown to ground" occurs.
- Electric field strength can occur on the discs when the wheels rotate while driving, on contact brake pads with discs. To avoid the accumulation of unwanted charge, the car should be equipped with antistatic devices.
- The reason for the accumulation of electricity may be malfunctions in the car electrical network. Faulty spark plugs can supply a spark directly to the motor housing. The car can be electrocuted due to high voltage wires, contamination of the motor, lined with the remnants of lubricants.
Often the culprit for the accumulation of static charge is a person. If the clothing is made of synthetic materials or wool, then static electricity accumulates on a person when rubbing against car covers. Discharge will occur at any time, as soon as a person touches a metal part of the body, even while inside the cabin.
2 Is there a danger from static discharge and what is it
At first glance, it seems that there is nothing terrible, except for an unpleasant sensation, in a small static discharge. But this issue should be taken seriously. A good example of a micro-discharge that jumps at the moment when the machine is energized is a piezo lighter. If gasoline vapors accumulate in the passenger compartment, the resulting spark can ignite them and cause a fire. If for a person a static charge does not pose any danger, since it is too small in size, then for technology it may be enough to disable the device.
There is another side to this issue. While driving, the driver has to a large number of movements to drive a car: switch speeds, turn on various indicators, instruments and devices. If at this time he is shocked, he may make a mistake, which will lead to emergency. Therefore, as soon as the machine began to shock, you need to solve the problem immediately.
3 Methods for dealing with static electricity - will the tape help?
The simplest and affordable way avoid electric shock in the car - use antistatic sprays. They are applied by spraying on covers, clothes of the driver and passengers. True, the method is inconvenient to use and allows only to reduce the effect of the discharge, but not to remove it. Since it usually shocks when leaving the car while touching a metal door, plastic deflectors can be installed to protect against electricity. They do not pass electric current, which means that there will be no discharge when in contact with the human body.
There are several ways to ground a car:
- With the help of special tapes with antistatic effect. They cling to the body of the car so that, hanging down, they reach the ground. When the car moves, the accumulated discharge will go into the ground. Tapes are made of expensive material, so it's not worth buying a budget option to save money, cheap tape will not have the desired effect.
- On truck co special purpose, especially if it is carrying explosive cargo, the presence of a "lightning rod" is mandatory. Only instead of an antistatic tape, a metal chain clings, which should also touch the ground.
- Some drivers, in order to save money, resort to self-made grounding. With the help of a terminal, one end of the wire is connected to ground to the car body, and the second is made so long that it reaches the ground and drags while driving.
More reliable and aesthetically pleasing is antistatic tape. When buying it, you should pay attention that there is no metal wire inside the product, since over time, oxidative processes act on it, it begins to rust and does not transmit electric current well. Inside should be a graphite or aluminum insert.
In order for the tape to effectively perform its function, it must be hooked to a metal part of the body that is not covered with paint. If you attach it to plastic bumper, then it will serve only as another decoration.
Since one of the reasons for the appearance of static electricity is the material for the manufacture of seats and clothes, you need to change the covers, sewing them from natural fabrics. This also applies to clothing. In dry air, static electricity accumulates more, so regularly dry clean and wet the interior. To humidify the air, you can use special aerosols. They reduce or remove static electricity and have a beneficial effect on human health by moistening the air.
A technical inspection at the service station will also not hurt to eliminate problems associated with electrical wiring and electrical systems. If after this the problem is not solved, then the above methods of dealing with the electric charge accumulated on the car body can be applied.
X Do you still think that car diagnostics is difficult?
If you are reading these lines, then you have an interest in doing something yourself in the car and really save because you already know that:
- Service stations break a lot of money for simple computer diagnostics
- To find out the mistake you need to go to specialists
- Simple wrenches work in the services, but you can’t find a good specialist
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