Static buildup - roof rack on Gen1 fiberglass top

[WarDamnEagle]

Guys, consider this the esoteric question of the week. Any physicists on the board?

I'm contemplating installing a metal (painted steel or aluminum) roof rack on my 85 4Runner fiberglass top. It will be bolted to the top. The fiberglass top will act as an insulator and I was curious as to the need to ground the rack to keep static electricity from building up on the rack when the 4Runner is driven.

I will probably ground it anyway when I install lights but I thought the forum could use a good challenging question other than "do these tires look too big to you?"

 

[85 SA Toy]

It all depends on what size tire you are running......

 

[pappy]

Guys, consider this the esoteric question of the week. Any physicists on the board?

I'm contemplating installing a metal (painted steel or aluminum) roof rack on my 85 4Runner fiberglass top. It will be bolted to the top. The fiberglass top will act as an insulator and I was curious as to the need to ground the rack to keep static electricity from building up on the rack when the 4Runner is driven.

I will probably ground it anyway when I install lights but I thought the forum could use a good challenging question other than "do these tires look too big to you?"

That is an interesting thought. My first reaction is why worry about it? Unless you have something that could ignite up there I don't see a problem. Certainly static electricity could be generated, but it also does getting in and out of the truck.

 

[WarDamnEagle]

That is an interesting thought. My first reaction is why worry about it? Unless you have something that could ignite up there I don't see a problem. Certainly static electricity could be generated, but it also does getting in and out of the truck.

There is no worry unless you are grounded and you touch it. The metal in a roof rack could hold quite a potential (much more than what your body builds up by sliding across a seat). But to be honest, I'm not particularly worried about it. I did think that it might generate some interesting discussion....or not!

 

[WristPin]

just dont drive it on carpet


they make those rubber tail things that somehow drag on the ground and are supposed to prevent that. i see it on old peoples cars a lot.

i would connect the rack to chassis ground anyway. just so when you put lights up there its more gooder.

 

[WarDamnEagle]

just dont drive it on carpet


they make those rubber tail things that somehow drag on the ground and are supposed to prevent that. i see it on old peoples cars a lot.

i would connect the rack to chassis ground anyway. just so when you put lights up there its more gooder.

Did you mean to say so I'll look more like a goober?




.....just checking.

 

[WristPin]

nope. more gooder.
GOOD+ER
gooder.

yeah thats right. i'm a goober.

 

[Generz]

delete

 

[El_Toyotero]

I doubt that the rack would build up more charge than the body of the truck... in cool/dry weather, my wife gets the sh!t shocked out of her every time she gets out of the truck and touches the door to close it. It's such a ZAP that I can hear the pop sound from the other side followed by a yelp!

Anyhow, I think that the charge the rack would build up would be negligible. If you are concerned though, you could install static wicks on it.

 

[WarDamnEagle]

I doubt that the rack would build up more charge than the body of the truck... in cool/dry weather, my wife gets the sh!t shocked out of her every time she gets out of the truck and touches the door to close it. It's such a ZAP that I can hear the pop sound from the other side followed by a yelp!

Anyhow, I think that the charge the rack would build up would be negligible. If you are concerned though, you could install static wicks on it.

Thanks for the suggestion but I would hate for those to mess up the nice pattern of the contrails behind my 4Runner!

When your wife gets shocked, the static charge is on her, not on the body of the truck. She builds up the static when she slides off the seat to get out and it only discharges when she touches "ground", aka the car body, (which isn't the ground because her shoes keeps her insulated). The body of the truck is grounded to the battery which will not allow a static charge to build on the surface.

Tell her to open the door and to keep her hand on the metal outside part of the door and to then slide out of the seat. She won't get shocked then because the body of the truck will keep her grounded.

....or I could be wrong.