Posts: 8,622
Threads: 898
Joined: May 2003
Reputation:
6
Quote:SYDNEY (Reuters) - An Australian man built up a 40,000-volt charge of static electricity in his clothes as he walked, leaving a trail of scorched carpet and molten plastic and forcing firefighters to evacuate a building.
Frank Clewer, who was wearing a woolen shirt and a synthetic nylon jacket, was oblivious to the growing electrical current that was building up as his clothes rubbed together.
When he walked into a building in the country town of Warrnambool in the southern state of Victoria Thursday, the electrical charge ignited the carpet.
"It sounded almost like a firecracker," Clewer told Australian radio Friday.
"Within about five minutes, the carpet started to erupt."
Employees, unsure of the cause of the mysterious burning smell, telephoned firefighters who evacuated the building.
"There were several scorch marks in the carpet, and we could hear a cracking noise -- a bit like a whip -- both inside and outside the building," said fire official Henry Barton.
Firefighters cut electricity to the building thinking the burns might have been caused by a power surge.
Clewer, who after leaving the building discovered he had scorched a piece of plastic on the floor of his car, returned to seek help from the firefighters.
"We tested his clothes with a static electricity field meter and measured a current of 40,000 volts, which is one step shy of spontaneous combustion, where his clothes would have self-ignited," Barton said.
"I've been firefighting for over 35 years and I've never come across anything like this," he said.
Firefighters took possession of Clewer's jacket and stored it in the courtyard of the fire station, where it continued to give off a strong electrical current.
David Gosden, a senior lecturer in electrical engineering at Sydney University, told Reuters that for a static electricity charge to ignite a carpet, conditions had to be perfect.
"Static electricity is a similar mechanism to lightning, where you have clouds rubbing together and then a spark generated by very dry air above them," said Gosden.
spontaneous combustion...here you have it.
Good thing he wasn't filling up at the gas station.
couple questions:
1) how far would you have to walk to accumulate 40,000 volts of static charge???
2) how do you NOT notice?
Contribute to focuscanada.net's future!Donations of $20 and over get a custom title!
Posts: 4,124
Threads: 162
Joined: Mar 2005
Reputation:
2
Got a link for this? I don't buy it.
Sold: 2001 SE 2.0L SPI w/60mm TB, Steeda Shorty Intake.
Active: 2007 SES Hatch, Motegi MR7 Rims with 215/45ZR17 Michelin Pilot Super Sport Tires, debadged, black painted calipers and drums, RS Knob, CFM Short Throw, Billet E-Brake, CFM Focus pedals, MBRP Exhaust, XCal2, FS Front and Rear Strut Tower Bars, Diamond Plate Floor Mats and Sills, Alpine MP3 Deck, Alpine V-Power 300w Amp, Pioneer IMPP Sub, AlpineType-S door speakers, VF Engineering Rear Motor Mount, F2 RS Spoiler, Tokico D-spec shocks, HTP Cross Brace, EBC Rotors, Hawk HPS Pads, Russell SS Brake Lines, RS Wheel, SVT Blue Seats, Vibrant 2.5" Race Highflow Cat, CFM UDP. Rear SVT bumper to come.
Active: 2005 Jeep Wrangler Unlimited TJ [LJ], Volant CAI, 32" BFG Mud Terrains, and a whole bunch of goodies. 
Posts: 7,019
Threads: 347
Joined: Apr 2004
Reputation:
6
How do you not figure out that this is BS?
TEAM PITA Don't settle for a wannabe, only accept the real deal.
One day I will rule the world. For now, I have to settle for this place.
Posts: 1,486
Threads: 61
Joined: Sep 2004
Reputation:
0
09-17-2005, 04:11 AM
(This post was last modified: 09-17-2005, 04:12 AM by crazikev.)
im gonna go buy a woolen shirt and synthetic nylon jacket, :lol:
2001 SE Sedan
gas mileage King of FocusCanada!
760.8km on 45L
Posts: 2,626
Threads: 178
Joined: Apr 2003
Reputation:
0
crazikev,Sep 16 2005, 01:11 PM Wrote:im gonna go buy a woolen shirt and synthetic nylon jacket, :lol:
[right][snapback]142640[/snapback][/right]
Keep a fire extinguisher handy :P
2000 Black ZX3
Blacked Out Head & Tail lights - APC Clear Turn Signals - 20% Tint All Round - K&N Filter - Cheap ass fogs that are brighter than my headlights - Clarion DXZ745MP - Jensen XA 4100 amp on Mobile Authority 200w 6x8's - Jensen 340w amp on a 12" Rockford Sub, custom enclosure - KYB GR2 Dampers - SHM Springs @ 1.5" - Brembo Cross Drilled Rotors w/ CVR Ceramic Pads - Silver Gauge Bezel - Focus Central 2-Piece Under Drive Pullies - 17 x 7 Rims by Fast Wheels mounted on 215/40/17's - Wings West W-Typ front lip - Coming Soon: Paint, Component Speakers (Spring 06)
Posts: 2,738
Threads: 41
Joined: Jul 2005
Reputation:
4
It'd sure be nice to be able to cut down on my hydro bill..... :blink:
TEAM PITA: Don't settle for a wannabe, only accept the real deal.
*Magnetic Metallic 2015 Focus ST* *Red Candy Metallic 2012 F150 SuperCrew*
*Supercharged Roush Phase 2 Kona Blue 2012 Mustang GT*
Posts: 820
Threads: 118
Joined: Jul 2005
Reputation:
0
09-17-2005, 02:18 PM
(This post was last modified: 09-17-2005, 02:20 PM by Slimsride.)
Quote: Keep a fire extinguisher handy
^^^ NO s**t
"The weak shall inherit...........NOTHING"
Mods so far:
- 2 Inch Drop, Focus Sport Cold Air Intake, Street Glow 4 light strobe system,MBRP Cat back exhaust, 35% tint on front windows, 5% all around the rear. 1 Million Color Flowlighting Underglow kit, Inside and out. SPEEDHUT custom indiglo Guages, Sirius Satellite Radio, Pioneer DH6800 Deck, 15" Solo-Baric L7 Sub,Enkei 17 inch rims, Belltronic Radar Detector
|
Hi, Guest
