Shocks

Hi Guys, I work, in what little spare time I have, looking after a computer network for a local business.
Every time I get out of my chair I get an electric shock, no my employer has not set it up to keep me working,
Any ideas on how to stop it?
It even gets me through my clothes.

Hello Roger,

LOL, now that would be a way to tell someone to get back to work.

You might see if an antistatic chair mat like below may do the trick.

Lorell Diamond Antistatic Chair Mat 48 x 36 Standard Lip Clear by Office Depot

If you have a grounded outlet near the desk and are handy with a soldering iron, you can take a "banana" type connector and just solder it to a bit of flat copper webbing. If your electric sockets are similar to here a grounded plug has the 2 flat prongs and a banana type that is the ground. You could even use an old electric cord that's the 3 pronged type. The main trick is to check the ground in the electric socket for continuity(if you don't have an ohm meter or multi-meter maybe you could borrow one for the test.) If the ground is Open then the meter won't respond. If it is grounded it will show continuity.

Then it's just get some sort of clip like a spring type clothes pin or alligator clip to hold the copper strip onto your wrist. Or you could buy something like it at a discount house for a few bucks. Anything that drains the static out of your body while you are working.

Brink said:

Hello Roger,

LOL, now that would be a way to tell someone to get back to work.

You might see if an antistatic chair mat like below may do the trick.

Lorell Diamond Antistatic Chair Mat 48 x 36 Standard Lip Clear by Office Depot

Click to expand...

Thanks Brink I will look into that later as the link is broken just now

A slightly off-the-wall idea...
Take your shoes and socks off!
The problem is probably caused by high static build-up between the (carpet?) floor and your footwear.- I believe it's possible to get an anti-stat treatment for ready-laid carpets, but I'm not certain, which may also help.

If you use a swivel chair with arms then some kind of mesh on the arms connected to ground would obviate the clasp on the wrist. Another idea might be an anti-static mousepad. If you're resting the heel of your hand there anyway, another way to avoid the conductor being fastened without spending a hundred bucks.

Or go the other way. Get a big sheet of Saran Wrap and rub it on your hair. At least then the shock will be potent enough to enjoy.

MilesAhead said:

Or go the other way. Get a big sheet of Saran Wrap and rub it on your hair. At least then the shock will be potent enough to enjoy.

Click to expand...

LOL. No arms on chair now the shoes thing I can try

ilikefree said:

LOL. No arms on chair now the shoes thing I can try

Click to expand...

Heh heh heh

Maybe a rubber mat.

Or the standard tinfoil hat. It might not stop the shocks but it keeps the Thought Police(tm) from monitoring.