Static Electricity?

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budyog

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Static Electricity?
« on: 3 Jan 2019, 02:11 am »
To give you an idea of my set up I have a garage that is 18 X 24, well insulated and half covered with carpeting over concrete, my Mancave with a big LED TV on one side and the sound system on the other, unorthodox but the way it is set up it is very immersing when watching a DVD concert and or listening to music.
Been this way for years and have had many of parties but my new year’s eve party there were 5 in the wee hours doing o lot of dancing and all of a sudden the TV (which is only 3 weeks old) started to flash with squiggly white lines on a grey screen and loud snaps through  my sound system, it was like lighting was happening inside but could not see the bolts!
My first reaction was to get a shovel load of snow and spread it out on the carpet and then it seemed to stop. Never had that happen before! I have a surge protector on my TV and a Richard Gray 400 on my system and all are on separate circuits, but it was crazy wild, and we were all freaking out and then it stopped. Everything seemed to be still working, seemed because I have not checked it all yet after that night/morning. The TV was for sure and still playing sound, just may have a blown tweeter or mid-range. I will be checking them tomorrow.
My work bench has a metal countertop, and some seem to think it started when they touched it, but that counter top is attached to wood underneath.
Could it have been we created that much static electricity dancing on the carpet and concrete to make this happen?

timbley

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Re: Static Electricity?
« Reply #1 on: 3 Jan 2019, 05:59 am »
I don't claim to be qualified to explain what might have happened, but this does sound vaguely familiar.  Did anybody there recently watch a strange VHS tape and then get a call immediately afterward informing them that they would die in nine days? Have you noticed a strange old preacher guy walking around your house recently?
If no to both of the above, then it seems reasonable that static electricity built up in the carpet could have caused the strange electromagnetic disturbance in your system. I've never seen it do something that intense, but I have heard scratchy noises come from my old Theta Cobalt D/A converter from time to time. The owner's manual warned that it could happen from static electricity. Not sure why only that unit had a problem like that. I would imagine it would be from something not properly grounded.

FullRangeMan

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Re: Static Electricity?
« Reply #2 on: 3 Jan 2019, 12:36 pm »
Nice to see you posting again Budyog.
I think it was not static but a electrical prob, maybe voltage too low.
if it cant be repaired with a hammer you have an electrical problem.

budyog

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Re: Static Electricity?
« Reply #3 on: 3 Jan 2019, 04:31 pm »
I don't claim to be qualified to explain what might have happened, but this does sound vaguely familiar.  Did anybody there recently watch a strange VHS tape and then get a call immediately afterward informing them that they would die in nine days? Have you noticed a strange old preacher guy walking around your house recently?
If no to both of the above, then it seems reasonable that static electricity built up in the carpet could have caused the strange electromagnetic disturbance in your system. I've never seen it do something that intense, but I have heard scratchy noises come from my old Theta Cobalt D/A converter from time to time. The owner's manual warned that it could happen from static electricity. Not sure why only that unit had a problem like that. I would imagine it would be from something not properly grounded.

Lol, no VHS player in the house and no phone calls about death but we did have poltergeist experience! Was thinking about grounds but all my outlets are properly grounded, my new TV has no way of grounding and I just talked to Xcel and no anomalies on my line between the time frame. It was very weird. 

budyog

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Re: Static Electricity?
« Reply #4 on: 3 Jan 2019, 04:36 pm »
Nice to see you posting again Budyog.
I think it was not static but a electrical prob, maybe voltage too low.
if it cant be repaired with a hammer you have an electrical problem.

 :D I just got off phone with Xcel and no anomalies on my line between my time frame. Low voltage? How would that happen? 60 amp service coming to garage, only 1/2 volume and an LED TV and few lights on? I find that hard to believe as I do this same every Saturday night for years and nothing ever like it before! I could repair it all with a hammer.  :lol:

FullRangeMan

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Re: Static Electricity?
« Reply #5 on: 3 Jan 2019, 05:25 pm »
The low tension could be created by hi demand on others equips on the house, as electric showers, heaters, air cond etc you could measure the tension on that outlet at that moment, if it had around 100V or less you could have a TV prob that I can say its very rare.

If it was a apto I could ask:
Your building have a dedicated transformer?
How much KVA per apto you have?

budyog

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Re: Static Electricity?
« Reply #6 on: 3 Jan 2019, 06:45 pm »
The low tension could be created by hi demand on others equips on the house, as electric showers, heaters, air cond etc you could measure the tension on that outlet at that moment, if it had around 100V or less you could have a TV prob that I can say its very rare.

If it was a apto I could ask:
Your building have a dedicated transformer?
How much KVA per apto you have?

Only things that were on in my home using power was a few LED lights, a chest freezer and 1 refrigerator, same as it has been for years.  I would not know how to measure and I do not know how to make it happen again unless I create the same situation which would be almost impossible.

WireNut

Re: Static Electricity?
« Reply #7 on: 3 Jan 2019, 09:22 pm »
My TV and audio equipment are all on a metal rack with wood shelves. None of the equipment or wires touch the metal rack.
The floor is concrete with carpet on top. In the winter I get static buildup from the carpet. Every time I touch anything metal I get zapped.
Once I touched the preamp volume control and the entire system when down, scared the crap out of me but the system was okay (that time).

Another time, my daughter and I were watching a movie (TV sound runs thru audio system) and she went to clean the screen.
Immediately the sound system started popping but it was too late. Just that quick my DAC was fried from static electricity  :(.

Now I use 2 small humidifier's in the winter and anyways touch something metal (other than the stereo) to discharge myself before
touching my audio video system.

No more zaps to my system  :D.

glynnw

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Re: Static Electricity?
« Reply #8 on: 3 Jan 2019, 09:39 pm »
My  listening room is carpet on concrete - a couple of weeks ago I touched the volume knob on my Tortuga passive and it went out, but restarted fine.  Lately so much rain that high humidity eliminates static.  A little bit off topic, years ago I had a turntable with a plastic dust cover and if I wiped the cover off the tonearm would jump up and stick to the cover for a little while.  Spraying carpet with anti-static stuff (fabric softener works fine) solved the problem. In another house I put a metal drawer pull on the front of my rack and wired it to ground - touched it first and problem solved.

WireNut

Re: Static Electricity?
« Reply #9 on: 3 Jan 2019, 09:59 pm »

In another house I put a metal drawer pull on the front of my rack and wired it to ground - touched it first and problem solved.


I was thinking about doing something like that  :thumb:.

JerryM

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Re: Static Electricity?
« Reply #10 on: 4 Jan 2019, 01:02 am »
Personally, I'd return the three-week old TV as defective and ask for a replacement.

budyog

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Re: Static Electricity?
« Reply #11 on: 4 Jan 2019, 01:36 am »
Personally, I'd return the three-week old TV as defective and ask for a replacement.
I like this idea and I may consider it after all, it could be a defective TV!  :icon_lol:

budyog

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Re: Static Electricity?
« Reply #12 on: 4 Jan 2019, 01:40 am »
Reading the other comments and remedies, it had to be static electricity. And thinking more, my DVD player is plugged into the same outlet as the TV and we were dancing to a DVD concert. But nobody was touching anything near the TV or DVD player? Hmmmm..... Poltergeist! :icon_twisted:

FullRangeMan

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Re: Static Electricity?
« Reply #13 on: 4 Jan 2019, 10:30 am »
Only things that were on in my home using power was a few LED lights, a chest freezer and 1 refrigerator, same as it has been for years.  I would not know how to measure and I do not know how to make it happen again unless I create the same situation which would be almost impossible.
The measure procedure is plain simple, I managed to find this famous Fluke german brand for just $40 for you, good til 600V:
https://www.amazon.com/Fluke-101-Multimeter-Equipment-Industrial/dp/B01IB9S6WK/ref=pd_cp_194_3?pd_rd_w=iCNgd&pf_rd_p=ef4dc990-a9ca-4945-ae0b-f8d549198ed6&pf_rd_r=MVHGDEZS993HP42M5WB2&pd_rd_r=1e9645ea-100b-11e9-8e12-93019ec00948&pd_rd_wg=lYG0f&pd_rd_i=B01IB9S6WK&psc=1&refRID=MVHGDEZS993HP42M5WB2

FullRangeMan

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Re: Static Electricity?
« Reply #14 on: 4 Jan 2019, 10:38 am »
:D I just got off phone with Xcel and no anomalies on my line between my time frame. Low voltage? How would that happen? 60 amp service coming to garage, only 1/2 volume and an LED TV and few lights on? I find that hard to believe as I do this same every Saturday night for years and nothing ever like it before! I could repair it all with a hammer.  :lol:
Your 60A electrical installation will not increase the voltage avaliable to your home. If your home and your neighborhood share a sole 100kVA transformer, say 50 homes/custumers each home will have available only 2kVA or 2kWatts.

But what I can see in these current led/liquid crystal TVs they auto power off when tension is too low, so I suspect low voltage was not the problem.

rollo

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Re: Static Electricity?
« Reply #15 on: 4 Jan 2019, 04:08 pm »
Personally, I'd return the three-week old TV as defective and ask for a replacement.


  BRILLIANT !!!!! I would bring it back.


charles

rollo

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Re: Static Electricity?
« Reply #16 on: 4 Jan 2019, 04:11 pm »
I was thinking about doing something like that  :thumb:.


   Good idea it works. Used to use a steel washer and wire to ground before touching anything digital.  However I prefer a grounded mat. Just search Anti static mats.


charles