Question of the Day 2010-12-02

Why do I get shocked every time I'm in Las Vegas?

We assume you're referring to electric shocks, as opposed to being outraged at the general drunkenness and debauchery, or we figure you wouldn't keep coming back. If so, this is an interesting question and one that we haven't addressed for several years, so here's a recap, plus some of the subsequent observations and tips that we received from other readers.

Static electric shocks are a common and annoying problem here, particularly in the casinos (but not exclusively so). First the physics lesson (if you don't care, just skip this paragraph). All materials are made of electrically charged atoms. There are equal amounts of positive (protons) and negative (electrons) charges in the universe, which naturally try to stay in balance in all situations. However, when two materials touch, friction causes some of the charges to move from one surface to the other, causing one material to become positively charged and the other negatively so. If the materials are able to conduct the charges away, they'll dissipate and recombine to achieve the natural neutral balance again. But if the two surfaces (e.g., the sole of your shoe and the carpet) are separated faster than this can happen, the electrostatic charge builds up. If the voltage gets high enough, you'll feel the consequences when you touch a conductor -- metal, water, or another person, for example -- the discharge creates a little shock.

There are several reasons why Las Vegas in general and casinos in particular tend to be trouble spots for static. When the air is dry, static-charge build-up is enhanced. The air's naturally dry in the desert most of the time and air-conditioning and central heating dry it even more. The man-made floor coverings and furnishings favored by casinos for their durability are also insulating materials that are particularly good at generating static electricity. If you're wearing man-made fibers and rubber or plastic soles, you can build up a high voltage in that environment, which is transferred from your clothing and shoes to your body. In extreme circumstances, more than 15,000 volts have been recorded and around 5,000V is common.

Many people don't even feel a shock from a static-electricity discharge if it's less than 2,000-4,000V, but some people are more sensitive, which might be the case with you. The size of your body and feet (bigger = more charge stored) and the way you walk can also be factors affecting how much charge you generate, as can your clothing.

Here are some tips that might help:

Wear natural fibers rather than man-made -- cotton's comfortable in the heat and usually gives no static problems. You could even go so far as to don cotton gloves, as some people used to in the era of (dirty) coin-operated slots.

Try wearing leather soles instead of rubber or plastic. (Going barefoot works, too, but that's not too practical in a casino.)

Try not to shuffle/scuff your feet when you walk, as that extra friction will increase the charge build-up.

As dry air is part of the problem, you could try carrying a mister/spritzer with you, to keep yourself and your immediate airspace more humid.

READER TIPS:

"Here are a couple of simple things that seem to have been overlooked altogether.

Downy Wrinkle Releaser is really not much more than Downy fabric softener that has been diluted. When I travel, I one of the cheap 1 or 2 ounce spritz bottles from the travel section of Target, and put about 1/4 to 1/3 softener in the bottom. When I get to where I am going, I add water from the tap. In addition to using it to get wrinkles out of your clothing, you can spritz it on the legs of your pants etc. before you head out of your room. It makes a world of difference. If you rent a car, sprits the seats as well (I learned this the first summer I lived in Phoenix) to reduce the build up when getting in and out of the car.

The casinos actually could, but are not likely to, use a bug/garden sprayer loaded with straight fabric softener and spray the carpets throughout the casino as well. This is what we used to do in one of our offices with all the computers and office equipment etc. The change was dramatic."

"One more tip that works for my wife is a pair of thin driving gloves, works real well -- if she remembers to bring them!!!"

"I hope this helps as well. There are places that make shoes, accessories, and clothing that dissapates static electricity to minimize the discharge. I worked in high tech where it was mandatory to be grounded when working with electronic components. When I can remember, I wear my ESD boots to Las Vegas to stay 'neutral.' There are some sites that sell ESD heel straps, shoes, etc., but don't buy the wrist straps -- you have to be somewhere you can plug into. This gear will not prevent electric shock, just dissipate static electricity. The website is gndzero.com. Good luck!"

"I, too, was bothered by shocks. I found that by touching the object first with a key or so you see the spark and hear it but you do not feel it. I usually hold a nickel or quarter when around slot machines and touch them with the coin first."

"I have another suggestion for static electricity, that isn't the best solution, but saves a bit of pain. I find trying to touch my wrist to a structure before touching something with my hand equals the charge out and is much less painful. It takes a bit of a habit to get into, but I worked in an office with static-inducing carpeting, walls, and metal door handles, so it was necessary to quickly learn to deal with the environment."

"A further comment on static electricity: If you have built up a charge, the shock will be inversely proportional to the amount of your surface area that touches a conductor. That is, if you walk up to the door and just flick the doorknob with one finger, the shock will be worse than if you grab the knob fully with both hands."

"Re the QOD about 'the shock' which I also hate, hate, hate: I found a product in Japan about the size of a AAA battery that you hold in your hand then touch periodically to objects that would normally shock you. The static charge is discharged in a little built-in light filament that gives a little flicker and no more shock. I wore it on one of those retractable clips and found this little gadget to be invaluable."

If static shocks are a problem, carry a dryer sheet in your pocket -- it doesn't have to be a whole sheet, just cut one in half. It should at least reduce the shocks if not completely do away with the jolts."

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