Human static electricity generators: Can a person’s body generate static electricity?
By Andy Kaiser
Article ID: 125
Is your body a static electricity generator? Do you produce static electricity, shocking everything you touch? Do watches, computers and other electronics behave differently for you than for other people? Is every handshake a shocking experience?
It’s understandable this super-power can be frustrating, perhaps dangerous. It’s at least a major inconvenience. However, before you assume your body can generate static electricity using methods unexplainable and unknown to science, you should first look at your environment. Why? Static electricity is everywhere. And under the right conditions, it’s easy to generate.
A case study is reported in The Daily Mall about Mavis Price, the “super-charged grandmother whose touch BLOWS UP kettles”. As we read the story, we find the author embellished the facts a bit, beginning with the title itself. But no matter, let’s examine the story as presented:
Mavis Price, since the 1950s, has had the unusual ability to generate electricity in her body. Her first experience with this ability began, in her words, when she “plugged in a television set and ended up blowing up the television and flying across the room.”
Her static electricity generation symptoms include:
She can’t use a computer, as her static-creating ability interferes with them. As she says in the article:
“I went on an IT course, but it was a nightmare because every time I touched the computer it would either freeze or shut down.”
Her household appliances have a very short lifespan. As the article says:
She estimates she has destroyed 15 kettles in the last few years. Housework has also become a problem, with 20 irons and ten vacuum cleaners biting the dust after falling foul of her apparently supercharged touch.
The symptoms aren’t confined only to her house. The article gives several examples of her being outside of home and experiencing shocks and higher-than-usual static electricity buildup. The “facts” are either largely subjective or unverifiable, but it’s clear Ms. Price does have problems with static electricity.
How to generate static electricity
How does a human body generate static electricity? There are many factors increasing static electricity generation, including:
- Wearing certain clothing (including shirts, jackets, pants and shoes). Wool, rubber, fleece, vinyl and synthetic materials increase the effect.
- Having a house without grounded outlets, or having a house with bad wiring
- Walking a certain way. Shuffling and dragging one’s feet will increase electrostatic buildup.
- The humidity of where one lives. The lower the humidity, the better the conditions are for static generation.
- As well as general humidity, having unusually dry skin may increase the ability to store static electricity.
- Most any time an object moves against another object. The object types and surrounding environment will determine how much static electricity is generated. As anyone with a balloon knows, it’s very easy to do, as in these simple science lab experiments involving static electricity.
Testing people for static electricity generation and dispersal
Let’s assume the electrostatic generation ability is true as reported. Or at least, assume the symptoms are true, and that Mavis Price generates more static electricity than a normal person.
This is the fun part. We get to test.
1) Get a multimeter. This will allow us to not only measure the static buildup in her body, but also measure the “zap” when she touches a grounded piece of metal. It would be interesting to see if the measurement is truly beyond any normal person’s ability to generate static electricity, or if another person in the same conditions can produce the same measurements.
2) Strip Ms. Price naked. …Okay, maybe that’s a little extreme, and probably not very appreciated by Ms. Price herself. However, clothing greatly contributes to static electricity buildup. Particularly footwear. If you’re generating static electricity and you’re walking around in woolen slippers on a thick shag carpet, don’t be surprised. Now, take off the slippers. Walk around on a hardwood floor in bare feet. Examine the clothing as well as the shoes: is wool, fleece or synthetic material being worn? Remove those and test again. Or, if walking around unclothed isn’t acceptable, wear cotton instead.
3) Examine how you walk: When you walk, do your legs (and clothing) rub together? Are you shuffling your feet? Both methods will increase static buildup.
4) Measure the humidity: the drier it is, the more likely you’ll have problems with static electricity. Install a humidifier. And crank it up. Increase the humidity in the air and see if the symptoms still persist.
5) Examine the house electrical wiring. I’ve saved this for last, but I think it’s definitely a factor here. While some combination of the above reasons contribute to the “human static generator”, we should focus particular attention on the house wiring. I say this because:
She apparently has destroyed dozens of irons, kettles and vacuum cleaners. Such devices are pretty simple and robust, and should not be effected by static electricity. Yet they’ve all been plugged into her house wiring.
The article insinuates she’s lived in the house for a very long time. The wiring is probably old, and in need of repair or not grounded. Either issue could lead to small appliances (including computers) having short lifespans.
Conclusion
It’s probable her house has electrical problems. She also probably lives in a dry environment and wears clothing or shuffles her feet excessively when she walks, contributing to static buildup. A change in environment and behavior are in order, as well as a call to an electrician. It’s telling when the article has quotes like this:
“I am just an electrifying person really, who seems to build up an unusual amount of static,” she said. “People have suggested going to the doctor, but I don’t know what they would be able to do.”
This is a refusal to look critically at a problem, and an assumption that an untested pseudo-scientific explanation is the answer. The results are a lifetime of damaged electrical equipment and painful constant shocks, all without any effort made to stop them or find out the cause.
As for Ms. Price, a call to a doctor may not be the first step. It would be better to speed-dial an electrician. Ms. Price says:
“No one has ever been able to offer me an explanation to why this happens to me.”
Explanations in this case are easy, but it seems Ms. Price has no motivation to find the answer.
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Shalom Wertsberger:
Well several comments:
First, you can not measure static charge with a multimeter. You need a surface voltmeter. Simply stated the energy is insufficient to activate a multimeter, ignoring that a digital MM will fry.
I think that the European equipment is generally more sophisticated than the US one. And thus, a kettle may contain electronics that tells it when to turn on or off, a vacuum cleaner may have variable speed, etc. Static charges can kill such devices.
As for the house wiring – while possible, I note that it is the United Kingdom. Their electrical standards are several orders of magnitude ahead of the US electrical standards. They use generally excellent wiring, and had significant electrical inspections for a long time, at a level that simply does not exist in US homes. I am not certain how that such fault would work. Clearly, lack of grounding can not – by itself – kill a purely motorized or resistive device. If one assume bad contacts, 1) wouldn’t it be visible elsewhere?, and 2) by now, that bad contact would have burned itself to crisp over the years.
So I suspect that it is her clothing, and possibly super dry skin.
A humidifier is an expensive solution – you need to drive the relative humidity to about 40%. To do so to a whole house you need a BIG humidifier.
However, I wanted to introduce another solution: The StaticOff device shown in http://www.staticoff.com will allow a person to discharge painlessly just by touching any touch- point. After such discharge, I am certain that it will take even Ms. Price some time to recharge, during which she will be able to do what she needs to do without killing her devices. This device is unique in the market.
Full disclosure: I am the inventor and CEO of StaticOff.
Shalom Wertsberger
26 February 2008, 11:39 pmSecret Agent Man:
“Simply stated the energy is insufficient to activate a multimeter, ignoring that a digital MM will fry.”
Hold on a second here, either it’s enough voltage to fry a multimeter or it’s not enough energy to activate it. You can’t have it both ways.
“A humidifier is an expensive solution – you need to drive the relative humidity to about 40%. To do so to a whole house you need a BIG humidifier.”
That’s an odd claim, as a whole house humidifier can be added to most forced air heating systems for a few hundred dollars. By the time you’ve purchased and installed 30 to 40 $10.00 light switch plates you could have installed a whole house humidifier that draws water directly from you water line. The whole house humidifier has the advantage of making your skin and nasal passages more comfortable on top of reducing static electricity. The “Staticoff” wall plates can’t make the same claim.
As for the device being unique, a competing company makes a hand held version that can be taken anywhere and attached to a lanyard. You could even wear a watch with a metal strap and tap that against a grounded surface to get a painless static discharge.
18 March 2008, 1:57 pmKathleen:
I know exactly what Ms. Price is talking about. Both myself and my sister do this and more. I turn off street lights at night - in other words the main lamp thinks its daylight. I’ve crashed the operating system in computers 1/2 a dozen times in a year or 2 and crashed the computer thousands of times. I’ve taken out hard drives, rams, etc. in printers, computers (including lap tops), brand new computerized tills, debit machines, etc. A friend of mine is a psychologist and he used his galvanic skin resistance test machine on me and had never seen anything like what I made that machine do. So for all of you who think that humans don’t emit “special energy” that is not necessarily static (cause I’ve rarely been shocked myself - although I have shot out flairs that have been many inches in length). My sister kills more machinery than I have - I do more computers (although I have killed my vacuum) - she kills household appliances. No Ms. Price - you’re not nuts. There was a teacher in a special computer college who knew exactly about this issue. Some people emit a strong opposite polarity to others. Those of us that emit this opposite polarity cause this issue. When I took my daughter to the college because she wanted to take training in computer graphics, I walked by a young man doing a program (and almost completed) that set up a complete football stadium. I eliminated the entire thing off his computer when I walked by it. He freaked. The teacher looked at me and very casually walked by the computer in the opposite direction and it magically reappeared. No this is not BS. He and I discussed the issue at great length afterward. I knew I’ve been able to do this for many years but no one had ever been able to give me an explanation. He says he’s come across about 10% or less of the population that deals with computers had this to very degrees. So mine has been varified by electronic equipment (I do create significant energy charge), we do kills computers, programs, etc., and any type of equipment that is electrically driven.
19 March 2008, 10:50 amCritical Critique:
Looks like we have X-Mens and Sith Lords in our midst. Be afraid. Be very afraid… LOL! ;-D
27 March 2008, 12:59 amPhaeton:
Sorry for my bad English.
31 March 2008, 4:13 amI have same problem. It’s much stronger on spring. For example,Yesterday when I was at McDonalds. 1. On exit I was shocked by the door of my car. When I was paying for meal I shoked employee with my hand. It was so strong that she recoiled. Then I went on exit door and door handle shoked me. Later at home light bulb burnout when I tryed to turn lihts on… Coincidence???
It is just one day of my life with static electricity. I am thing of wearing rubber gloves but people would say that I’m out of my mind so I suffer every single day. It’s painfull to open doors with metal handle, car doors and so on. When I dischardge it lasts for about 3 or 5 minutes maximum.
achein:
just wanted to share - i’ve stopped every battery powered watch i’ve worn. i gave up wearing one at age 13 and haven’t tried since. the first few times, we replaced the battery. it would take about a week to two weeks for it to stop completely and if i stopped wearing it for a while (days to weeks) it would start working again. this happened with at least five different watches over many years. Since it would happen any time of the year, in any weather, i don’t think it had anything to do with my shoes or dragging my feet.
recently, i found out that my uncle has the same problem
2 April 2008, 11:33 pmCritical Critique:
All claims and no proof. Nice try, but it’s not that simple…
3 April 2008, 4:17 amDB Skeptic:
What testing have you performed to verify your body is generating this static electricity, and your environment is not? For example, my own car has bad static shielding - It shocks me all the time. I have a streetlight outside my house that flickers and turns off whenever I walk underneath it. My home television antenna reception quality decreases greatly when I walk towards our TV. All attributable to my environment and faulty electronics.
As for other claims like “shooting out flares many inches in length”, disabling computers without touching them, regularly killing household appliances… You’d better get yourselves to a science lab, apply for the Randi million-dollar prize before it’s ended, or start using your massive energy generation abilities to save on home electricity costs. Think of the money you could make. Think of the massive scientific advances you could spearhead to help mankind. Think of how you can use this ability to help others. If greed, altruism, goodwill and fame aren’t enough motivators, then I have to conclude that you’re either mistaken about your situation, or, frankly, lying.
Critical Critique:
I concur.
3 April 2008, 9:22 amDB Skeptic:
“Yes, I’ve seen a few of them. Simply changing their footwear always ‘cures’ the problem.”
This seems to indicate that, from what Randi’s seen, the issue is caused more by normal static electricity buildup than by any special powers.
So, for anyone interested in testing if this phenomenon is real: take a close look at the feet!
New 2 me:
Searching the internet I was trying to find out what to do about all my *episodes. I too have not been able to wear watches for as long as I know. However, I started noticing the big/ costly problems start 6 or so years ago. Numerous appliances, Tons of light bulbs have popped, blow-dryer, flat iron, a couple alarm clocks, a few cell phones, I tried a watch (waste of money, at least the time was right twice a day!) Surround sound player, TV,… I could go on. Today I went to lunch and found out three of my credit cards were declined; knowingly having the money on there I insisted they try and try and try again, still declined. Came home and checked balances online and sure enough they were fine. Called one of the companies, they stated I demagnetized them, question for the ones who know about this stuff, is this static related too?
I am interested in the steps for testing to make sure I reduce the amount of static I endure.
1. How would I encounter a multimeter/ voltmeter?
2. I am constantly wearing this grubby pair of slippers; however, they are Victoria Secrets Pink COTTON slippers
3. My legs do not rub together; however, when it is cold and I am at home I tend to wear baggy clothing. I’ll be more cautious about that
4. We have a couple humidifiers already “cranked up”, not related to static, but coinciding
5. As far as wiring, I have moved three times, currently unpacking from the last move from April 1st. Location does not matter, this occurs at other environments, parents homes, friends homes, however, mine is the worst, maybe it is because I am here the most too!
Basically, I know I am not a super woman. I am just trying to seek advice being a single mom of a 6 year old is hard enough, now I have to deal with all these cost of replacements. I try keeping these under warranty or extended warranty, but this should somehow be resolvable. I am afraid to do my hair. I recently fried my cell phone and Verizon said they had not seen anything like it, had to go w/o a phone for 3 days. These are all inconvenience.
Help needed!
7 April 2008, 9:45 pmAndy Kaiser:
New 2 me,
I’d start simple before working with multimeters. Go with what Randi alluded to: What happens when you change your footwear? Go barefoot. Then wear shoes with a rubber sole. How do these change your experience?
11 April 2008, 2:36 pmNick @ Critical Critique:
I hope this is not just some creative deception to simply waste our time. Some people get the kick watching skeptics crack their heads to figure out made up stuffs like this while laughing at us…
11 April 2008, 9:44 pmKathleen:
To those non-believers - whatever! No! I’m not lying. My energy has been documented by a psychologist using a galvanic skin resistance monitor. And I’m sorry, but unless we’re in the dark ages of Fred Flinstone with a foot powered car - I don’t shuffle my feet when I’m driving my vehicle which has the proper static equipment. My house is typically at around 30-40% humidity due to the quantity of plants I have and if not I use a humidifier. As mentioned, I’m not the only one that does this in my family. We’re not special, unusual or abnormal - as the computer expert noted, about 10% of the general population has this reverse polarity thing as he described it. And that is documented. Human energy is also very well documented both electricly and through special cameras. Reiki has been used for healing for 1000’s of years and that uses energy. I am a scientist actually and I deal in facts. I can’t always explain what is going on since my science isn’t physics (my science specialties deal more with chemistry and biology), however there are many physicists that have documented this energy. The one thing I would like to see is if companies like Microsoft could build some sort of safety measure into their system to stop the numerous crashes that are caused to computer equipment by myself and 10% of the population since not only is it bothersome, but due to down time with our company, its extremely expensive and time consuming. For those non-believers, maybe they need to read a few more physics science journals. For the lady that can’t find a solution to her problem, I’m sorry I can’t provide a solution (I wish I could because it does cause serious problems in our everyday lives). All I can offer is support from someone else that has suffered with this same issue for upwards of 40+ years. If there are any scientists out there that are interested in conducting research on this, as a fellow scientist, I would be more than happy to oblige. I’m sure that you wouldn’t have any problem finding willing subjects since most of us would love to find a method of mitigating the more serious side effects. Shutting off street lights I personally find amusing although from time to time it has been a bit troublesome. Its the more serious issues of shutting down bank instant teller machines, our company computer systems and shooting electricity from ones fingers at people and things that are far more serious. And for those that think rubber mats, cotton clothing, static mats, static guards, higher humidity, properly grounded electrical systems, etc. are mitigation tools to this issue - dream on! I’ve spent far too much money on money wasting devices that are supposed to stop “static”. Its not necessarily static. Just because its energy doesn’t mean its static. In the past year alone I’ve crashed the operating system on my main company computer twice and Microsoft and Norton have had to re-install the programs via the internet since (with great difficulty) since we were not able to do it from this end (for reasons unknown to us all). Yes its a mystery. Is it a lie. No. Both my sister and I have numerous friends that can attest to this weird phenomenon that afflicts upwards of 10% of the population to some degree. To those non-believers, go to the University library and read up a bit on physics that deals in energy.
17 April 2008, 10:10 pmDB Skeptic:
You still haven’t answered any of the questions I raised above, just gave more examples of your powers and how they affect your life.
>To those non-believers, go to the University library
>and read up a bit on physics that deals in energy.
What kind of energy are you referring to here? There’s many different kinds. You seem to indicate your power isn’t with static electricity. What energy type do you claim you have? Kinetic? Heat? Mechanical? Photosynthesis? Gravitational? Sound? Chemical?
You’re giving a lot of symptoms without any scientific detail, assuming we should just “read up a bit” on some vague, undefined form of energy that you say you have, others have supposedly measured, but no one can define. Again, I stand by the last paragraph I wrote to you, Phaeton and Achein above.
Nick @ Critical Critique:
Yep! That’s quite a common thing by claimers…
18 April 2008, 1:32 amMac:
Ok you people don’t kow the half of it! I have been living with this problem for years and it just gets worse and stronger. First stuff would short out lights would flash dim or burn out completly (and home school and work) there was a street light on the way to work whenever i walk by it it would shut down when i was about 10 ft passed it, it would turn back on…every day for 3 years! Others have witnessed this..there was a time where the lights in my car all went nuts for a few minutes until i got out of the car my friends were with me…needles to say they were a lil freaked. But these days it worse metal shocks me, other people, plastic yes plastic..cloth…wood…i am freakin afraid to touch anything…i mean these are mean crackling visible shocks mini blue bolts or electricity…don’t get me wrong if i could control it would be cool but i can’t…i mean i could probably light a cigerette with some of the electricity i produce or absorb whichever…ive changed shoes clothes fabric softners, static guards, you name it …. i can stand on a wooden surface touch something and get shocked not move then touch something else and get shocked again….to tell you the truth it really pisses me off. Im not claiming to have powers or anything just living proof that the human body is capable of carry a powerful electic charge or atleast manipulating it involinatry or not.
18 April 2008, 6:27 pmMac:
Oh and light switches and power outlets….now thats the worst ..that sucker just jump to my hand before i even touch the damn things…..needless to say i don’t touch em anymore…i use a glove if im at home but if im out i just avoid them.. I am not a fake…i don’t know why this is happening to me….i am more than appy to offer some time of proof…if anyone can offer some kind of medical or scientific explantation besides “oh its just static…blah blah blah..change ur shoes” beleive you me these kinds of shocks want to make me rip my hair out!!!
18 April 2008, 6:34 pmNick @ Critical Critique:
Yet, more claims and no proof… doesn’t anyone read Andy’s requests and the questions put out?
19 April 2008, 12:51 amMac:
dammit i fried another cell phone…why me
20 April 2008, 9:39 pmNick of CriticalCritique.Com:
I guess not…
21 April 2008, 1:48 amDB Skeptic:
ALLis0NE1111:
People with lots of static charge in their body.. you may not know this but your diet has a lot to do with the energy levels in your body too. The food’s you eat could make you more prone to static charge. I highly suggest you people with the same phenomenon get together and figure out the simularitys of your diet. When the entire family households have the same problem, it is usualy because they eat the same food.
13 May 2008, 8:57 amCritical Critique:
Please do tell me what are the foods that can generate electricity in me. I really want this power! LOL! ;-D
13 May 2008, 10:33 amKathleen:
In reply again!!! For all of you non-believers, put your money where your mouth is. I’m in no financial position to pay the kind of dollars that a research study of this nature costs. Either put up or shut up. There are a lot of us, as I’ve already mentioned about 10% of the population, that has this issue. All humans have energy - its what supports our life. Some of us however seem to “leak” it more than others for reasons that are presently “yes” not well understood or documented but they are documented. I am a scientist. But I do not have the time nor the money to waste trying to get skeptics to believe something that they obviously don’t suffer from. Its not my shoes nor the lack thereof, its not my clothing or the lack thereof. Rubber gloves, static guards, etc. do not aleviate the issue. If you skeptics need so bad to see the evidence then bloody well pay for it or shut the heck up. Those of us that suffer from this have too much going on to waste out time with the likes of you. Again - pay up (for a research study which will cost a minimum of $100K) or shut up. This is the last I have to say on the issue. And, if you read my last replies, my issue was scientifically documented by a psychologist on a special meter. No I do not have this information to supply to the general public. It was for his study purposes.
15 May 2008, 9:06 amNowhere:
“my issue was scientifically documented by a psychologist on a special meter”
That wasn’t a psychologist, it was a Scientologist. You heard him wrong. The “Special Meter” was an e-meter and has NOTHING to do with static electricity issues.
Besides, why would a psychologist be involved in measuring the static charge in a human being? You have a lot of terms messed up. I’ll bet you’re just a nutter who wears a lot of polyester and refuses to admit your clothing could have ANYTHING to do with it.
15 May 2008, 10:27 amDB Skeptic:
I think you’re confusing healthy skepticism with accusations. You’re also misrepresenting the burden of proof: if you’re going to claim something, we have no obligation to believe you or pay for your $100K research study - it’s up to you to prove your claim.
Also note that there are plenty of organizations who will validate/invalidate your claims for low cost or free. The New England Skeptical Society and the CSICOP and (if you’ve already been in the media) the JREF come to mind.
If, as you insinuate, you have a power beyond the known laws of physics, fine. But don’t expect to be taken seriously unless you can prove it.
Mac:
So I have taken it apon myself to try and find the real cause of the “electrical energy” we seem to be plagued by, trying te usual again way we walk, what we wear, shoes, gloves, electrical issues around the house…none of that made any differnce what so ever. I have a healthy diet…(stay away from fast food..blah)….so I don’t think food has anything to do with it..because most of that energy is converted and used up by the immune and nervouse systems. However I have found those of us who suffer more stress tend to get “shocked” more often. Recently many things have changed my life for the better, honestly I have never been happier so my stress has almost completly disasappered….I started to noticed I was getting shocked less and less. Now it may be infrequent but it is still there, it will never truly be gone..but atleast now it is more managable. I believe the stress we let our daily lives create and the stress of these “electrical occurences” is too much and we overload causing large (compared to the average person) amounts of energy to disperse. This makes more sense than many of your sceptic theories as I suffer from this..I may not have the answers yet but I am trying…and if at the least make it so others can cope with this.
21 May 2008, 8:01 amEvolution perhaps….or just freak occurences who knows. By the way I have bought a new phone and hope this one doesn’t fry like the last 2 (warranty)..recently I have been experimenting with deep meditaion trying focus the body’s energy to see if there some type of control for these occurences. I will let you know how that turns out.
stan:
I have a partner in my business who can crash a certain computer application just by standing near it,He can go to each terminal in turn and they all crash or hang.The computer screen has certain sections that fade and comeback when he stands near.We have both touch screens and lcd and all do the same.Windows operating system is still working in the back ground,just the application that is running.We thought bluetooth on mobile phone, but other staff (10 of us)have got it but don’t affect the computer.We put earth strip by computer for him to touch but it made no difference.Doesn’t do it with his laptop or his computer at home.Either he has these energy powers or he has something in his pocket which we know not of.Perhaps the sceptics can inform me of a device that can do these things as mischief can’t be completely ruled out.
27 May 2008, 2:01 amhttp://critical-critique.blogspot.com:
I suppose evolution has made creatures like the electric eel to produce a discharge of up to 650 volts, enough to stun a human being. Some insects also produce light. Perhaps, humans can evolve to generate electricity and produce light as well. However, we do need strong evidence that what is claimed are in fact real, and not just made up or confused declarations…
Nick
27 May 2008, 2:43 amNone:
Stan,
Your coworker doesn’t have any magical electro-static charge. The computers are crashing because the moron wears magnets, you know, the ones dippy hippies think will balance their Chi or some such nonsense. They’re just strong enough to interfere with computer operation at close range. I’ll bet he doesn’t wear the magnets at home, which is why his laptop is OK.
Then again, you could just be an idiot looking for patterns where there aren’t any. It could just be that the application is unstable and you happen to notice the coworker around when it crashes. The times it crashes without him around are mentally written off or ignored.
27 May 2008, 7:46 amAndy Kaiser:
Stan,
You mentioned an “earth strip”. I don’t know what this is. Can you elaborate?
Doesn’t do it with his laptop or his computer at home. Either he has these energy powers or he has something in his pocket which we know not of. Perhaps the sceptics can inform me of a device that can do these things as mischief can’t be completely ruled out.
I think the fact that the problem doesn’t happen with his home equipment is a nice indicator you’re being tricked in some way.
As for devices to cause problems, I’d need to know more about the symptoms, as well as your work environment. But based on what you said so far (about screens fading in/out), that sounds exactly like the effects you’d see from a magnet. Either a strong simple magnet, or an electromagnet (which would work at a much greater range, and could be turned on and off covertly). Note that magnets can also cause permanent damage to monitors. Your coworker could be held liable.
27 May 2008, 2:35 pmstan:
Definately not imagination, we are in a shop and and we have no problems whatsoever with any of the staff using the computers as they are used as a point of sale retail system.Only get problems with the one person.The earth strip was a length of aluminium foil attached in front of the till draw with a wire to ground(earth) so he put his hand on it before using keyboard or touch screen and the pos application froze.We use one computer as the server with 4 others hard wired (networked together) If he crashes the application on the server we can still use the other teminals to do transactions.So the network still works as does SQL on the server.Sometimes the pos application program just shuts off to leave the desktop when he is near.
27 May 2008, 4:25 pmhow many magnets and at what distance would cause an effect
None:
how many magnets and at what distance would cause an effect
I’ve seen chaos like that caused by those idiotic magnetic bracelets people wear for their circulation. I’ve also seen refrigerator magnets on the side of a computer case cause issues. While computers are designed to handle such minor magnetic fields, customized cases, poorly designed cases or even an improperly attached motherboard can all make the PC vulnerable. There are even some older Pacemaker and cell phone models that interfere with cheaper PC hardware, particularly poorly shielded CRT monitors.
It could also be his clothing. Some cloth combinations can build up static while sitting still typing. The minor movements of the arms can, with the right clothing combination, build up enough charge to shock. One of my fleece shirts, combined with the wrong t-shirt, can make my fingers spark if I wear it in dry weather, and that’s just from sitting around. His clothing could be building up a charge through his movement, which is then discharged through the keyboard.
28 May 2008, 7:44 amstan:
problems above all caused by mischief with car remote immobiliser/alarm key fob
14 June 2008, 4:08 pmCritic:
Mac,
You’re probably frying cell phones because of faulty / poor wiring in your home. Try using a decent surge suppressor when you plug it in to charge it. Have an electrician inspect your wiring.
A cell phone damaged by a power surge while charging can fail later during use. Damaged parts may last until put under the strain of actively broadcasting a call to a tower.
15 June 2008, 12:23 pmAdrienne:
I have LYME disease and have developed this static electricity thing. I zap my dog all the time and I can see the spark fly out of my fingers. I get a shock when I touch water from the faucet. I can not touch my mouse as it shorts out . I watch it fly across the screen then I have to reboot. Somewhere I read that lyme people get this problem. It is getting very disturbing. I can touch anything without a spark or zap. I work in a recording studio as well and try to ground myself so I don’t burn up my equiptment.
16 June 2008, 1:15 pmI had a dream that I was moving stuff around with my electricity. Pointing my fingers and moving stuff at will.. that was pretty cool.
Maybe it is a new thing that will benefit us later when the world gets worse than it is now..
Did some research:
Adrienne,
I did some research and if you’re experiencing a spike in static electricity in your body after getting infected with LYME then it’s because your pituitary gland is damaged, causing excessive urination, causing dehydration, making you a better conductor.
If what you claim is true it’s because of a medical condition that if left untreated will slowly kill you. It will destroy your ability to function. There’s nothing mystical, para-scientific or paranormal about it. A parasite has damaged part of your body and if you leave this untreated it will kill you.
Get to a doctor before it’s too late.
16 June 2008, 2:12 pmNick:
That’s a better explanation… I also wonder why all these people are not appearing in TV or in some “New Discovery” program of some kind? Where are all you guys hiding?
17 June 2008, 7:07 amDid some research:
Nick,
It’s amazing how quick people are to jump to claims of magical or paranormal properties when simple, science based answers are readily available. It’s as if they’re afraid to face the prospect of a mundane, even boring solution.
There’s no credible evidence to suggest anyone has any kind of “special” powers when it comes to generating static electricity. In the vast majority of cases it’s because of the clothing combinations people are wearing. They refuse to believe it’s their clothing because they don;t understand the physics of static electricity and only associate static with a very limited number of fabrics.
Faulty wiring is the next cause. Perhaps your outlets are improperly grounded. Perhaps the insulation on some of the wiring is going. Perhaps the power supply to your home is corroded. All of these things are possible explanations for the phenomenon described above.
As for computer crashes, viruses, faulty drivers and an overloaded CPU can all explain that. And yes, there are problems that will cause a computer to crash when a mouse is moved or a key pressed. It’s also common for a PC to be frozen and no one to notice until they try to use it, but then assume it happened when they touched the PC, because that’s when the screen saver was deactivated revealing the damage.
Finally, there’s medicine, real medical conditions that can increase your body’s conductivity, all of which need treatment and indicate more serious problems.
The bottom line is if you get a lot of static shocks, there’s something very, very wrong in your home or your body, you aren’t a mutant or in possession of magical powers.
It doesn’t make you special.
17 June 2008, 7:57 amNick:
Yes, of course. It’s not a matter whether someone believes in it or not. It’s not a matter whether it’s real or not. The matter is, there is no clear and concrete evidence that such things exist…
Nick
17 June 2008, 11:43 pmMark Bellis:
It’s funny how the photographer’s digital camera managed to work around the electric gran, and all these people commenting on how they fry electronics have sent in their thought using a computer…
9 July 2008, 10:04 pmFor the record, static is only a problem to electronics when you’re directly touching the circuit board - otherwise the charge is going to remain on the outside of the box…
Brook:
Ok, lets bump the conversation up a node or two. I am 37 yrs. old and have a curse involving much of what has been said above. I do however believe there is documentation, it walks and talks and is me. 5 other people in my family suffer from a similar curse, and I will describe it more fully. I am 37, and have purchased 26 VCR/DVD players in the last 48 months, I have shocked people on the other end of a phone line, and in the dark if I get close to a light switch you can visably see the arc from my finger tip to the lightswitch before I touch it. I dim streetlights when I walk below them, and haven’t been able to wear a watch since I was 13. For awhile pocket watches worked, but as I get older, the effects are more severe. It is real, it is financially cumbersome, and it freaks people out. Imagine walking down the street with a friend and with each streetlight the power dims temporarily and once the distance is great enough it comes back on, until you reach the next light… I worked in a government building several years ago, and in conversation it came up with some friends, a representative from Emergency Services was there and over heard, the next day he brought a seizmograph(sp?) because he didn’t believe me, and it went off. I also can’t use wall testers to find studs, or eletric testers to find live wires because the signal is constant. Yes, I am using a computer to type this message, I’ve learned first to ground myself before touching any electrical equipment, and second it doesn’t happen all of the time, it seems more common when I am angry, or deep in thought etc. I just wanted to respond because there are many people that are different in the world, this is just another (dis)ability.
19 July 2008, 12:37 amMGV:
I am so amazingly astonish while reading all your experiences and happy at the same time, as I thought I was the abnormal one. My daughter gave me a watch and within 2 weeks it stopped. I sent it back to her in the Netherlands for her to changes it and guess what, when it reached her it was working. So she sent it back to me, I wear and again it stopped. I went through several ones and when I take it off after awhile and put it in the draw and check it again after 15 minutes, it works. The other day, my hubby was working on the computer, I walk up and check some recipes, when he gets back to the PC, he noticed that the mouse battery is down…He knew right away that I had worked on the PC. Also last week my car did not want to start, the battery. i tried again after 5 minutes and it worked and it is still working, this is a brand new battery. Most of the time, when I walk by a radio or stereo and it’s on, the receiver/sound goes bad, until I walk away, it’s get back to normal. Like most of you say, this has nothing to do with shoes or carpet, because it happens to me everywhere and anytime. Lately it has happened more often.
28 July 2008, 6:01 pmrichard laffan:
every time i go to open the car door i get shocked,and i too have crashed computers.i also give other people shocks which can be annoying.i do have dry skin although i doubt that is soley the cause,also i have shot arcs of electricity between my fingers and metal objects several inches away.
8 August 2008, 10:07 pmrichard laffan:
i must add that this is not a power,more of a hinderance.these charges are generated by friction in movement.i work in a hospital and constantly get and give shocks.the floors are rubberised paint and the shoes we wear are rubber.the charge is generated and carried in the body.it is irrelevent if you do not believe this as scientific study has proved it real.some people are just better conducters than others,it is not a special ability,that’s just stupid.
9 August 2008, 3:06 pm