Question of the Day - 14 August 2023

Static-electric shocks are a common and, as you say, annoying problem here, particularly in the casinos (but not exclusively so).

When two surfaces (e.g., the sole of your shoe and the carpet) build up an electrostatic charge, if the voltage gets high enough, you'll feel the consequences when you touch a conductor -- metal, water, or another person, for example -- as the discharge creates a little shock.

Several reasons explain 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 is naturally dry in the desert most of the time and air-conditioning and central heating dry it even more. The manmade 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 manmade fibers and rubber or plastic soles, you can build up a high enough voltage in that environment that it's 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. The size of your body and feet (bigger equals 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 avoid being shocked in the casino.

Wear natural fibers rather than manmade -- 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 eras of (dirty) coin-operated slots and pandemics.

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

You can buy shoes, accessories, and clothing that dissipate static electricity to minimize the discharge. Google "electrostatic discharge (ESD) wear" for what's available. This gear won't prevent electric shock, just dissipate static electricity.

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.

Downy Wrinkle Releaser is really not much more than Downy fabric softener that has been diluted. When you travel, you can carry a one- or two-ounce spray bottle from the travel section of Target or a similar store and put about a quarter to a third softener in the bottom. When you get to where you're going, 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 into the casino. If you rent a car, spritz the seats to reduce the build-up when getting in and out of the car.

Anti-static wristbands help reduce shocks. They work via "passive ionization." The bracelet employs conductive fibers that help reduce the voltage getting transferred to your person. And they're quite reasonable, $10 or less.

You can also touch an object you know will give you a shock with a key first; you'll see and hear, but not feel, the spark. 

If you've 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.