Static Electricity When I Wax Car

Kevin I get the same thing, I'm not sure why. Was really bad on my old GTR.

I wax my glass as well, the glass generates a lot of static too.

I found that after I waxed the car, it was a magnet for dust and particles too, I imagine because of the static cling. I could literally draw pictures on the car with my finger an hour later from all the dust on it on my black gtr when it was sitting in my garage..

 

Just attatche a ground strap when you wax or clean your car you can get them at any car store and when you done take it off for next time you can clip it on any ground on the car

 

He means a ground strap from the car to the earth. i.e. a metallic strap that you clip onto the chassis that's long enough to reach the ground.

I assume what's happening is akin to walking around your house wearing sneakers during the winter. You build up a static charge because the sneakers insulate you from the earth and then when you touch something that is grounded you get shocked. If you walk around barefoot, you're grounded all the time so you don't build up enough charge to get shocked.

You're wearing sneakers and the car is too... neither one of you is grounding out to dissipate the charge. Maybe the electrical engineers can chime in though.

 

Very normal and common, it's known as the triboelectric effect. trouble with tribbles
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Triboelectric_effect

using a nylon based microfiber towel and wax while rubbing will result in a static charge build up, for fun hold a fluorescent tube and see if you can get it to flicker.

to avoid the buildup of charge you can always wax the car barefoot and your body will act as the ground, don't worry you get shocked as there would be no buildup of charge. leather soled shoes would do the same.

 

Yeah, non metallic surfaces create the static. For wax application upon those surfaces, I use the "Paul Dalton" way, melt the wax in my hand and apply it by hand. Slow wipe, knocks the static down to almost nothing.