Static shocks

[bernardgreen]

the generic 100pF assumption may well be high for the small children likely to be using the slide.

I recall that the nominal capacity of the human body to earth is when the person is standing in free air. Laying flat the capacity to ground is several times the nominal. I would imagine even a small child laying flat on a slide would have a capacity to the slide greater than the nominal 100 pf.

When the child stands up his (her) capacity relative to the slide reduces by many times so the potential increases.

V = J / C

where J is the static charge which remains constant until the discharge occurs

So discharging the child while still on the slide will be a lower voltage and therefore less noticable shock.

 

[mattylad]

What you need isa good grounding area at the bottom, perhaps a 6' pit filled with several earth rods (sharpened) 1/2 way into the ground.

They won't be complaining of static shocks after then.

 

[JohnW2]

I recall that the nominal capacity of the human body to earth is when the person is standing in free air. Laying flat the capacity to ground is several times the nominal. I would imagine even a small child laying flat on a slide would have a capacity to the slide greater than the nominal 100 pf.

There are obviously going to be many factors at work, such that any talk of a nominal/generic capacitance is probably pretty futile. One of the main determinants of capacitance to ground is surely going to be the distance from ground - hence probably much less when the person is 'on the slide' than when they are at the bottom, lying on a mat or whatever.

Kind Regards, John