How to use the StaticOff Zapper Stopper?
Periodically touch any of the four touch points in the corner. A brief
contact will suffice, but a contact of between 1–3 seconds will
discharge you nearly completely. For release of static cling use longer contact time.
The screws that hold the plate are grounded. Avoid touching them or even getting close to them, as you may be zapped.
We recommend that you install a StaticOff Zapper Stopper at the entrance to every room in your house, and that you develop a habit of touching the contact points briefly as you pass by. We also recommend that you discharge yourself whenever you get up from sitting or lying down. These habits will discharge you frequently, and STOP the static zap!
Is the StaticOff Zapper Stopper hard to install?
Does it require professional installation?
No. The StaticOff Zapper Stopper is installed just like any other
switch cover-plate. It only take two flat head screws and a few
seconds. However,
if you are unsure about any of the installation steps, please contact a
certified electrician to perform the installation. Most importantly —
disconnect the power to the switch prior to installation!
How do I install the StaticOff Zapper Stopper?
Installation could not be simpler: Install as you would an ordinary
light switch coverplate. Simple instructions are provided
inside
the package, under the Zapper Stopper.
Disconnect the power to the switch you would like to install the Zapper Stopper on. Using a flat blade screwdriver remove the two screws that hold the current plate in place. Now mount the StaticOff Zapper Stopper on the switch, secure with the two screws provided, and voila — your StaticOff Zapper Stopper is ready for use.
If you are unsure about any of the steps above, please contact a certified electrician to perform the installation.
You only sell a single bay Zapper
Stopper. Does
StaticOff makes zapper stoppers for
multi-bay switches (i.e. two, or more switches ganged together)
or wide toggle switches?
We plan to, in the near future. But likely it will
not be available before the fall of 2008.
How does the StaticOff Zapper Stopper work?
People
collect static elctricity charge all the time. However the static
charge buildup takes time. The idea behind the StaticOff Zapper
Stopper is simple - it discharges you whenever you touch any of the
touch-points, and does so painlessly. Then you are free to roam about
without getting a shocked, until the charge rebuilds. In most cases
recharging takes between 20-30 minutes.
So simply by a brief touch of the touch-point every once in a while, you rid yourself of the annoying zap, that is not only annoying but may also be dangerous to your electronic equipment, your childern, pets, etc.
Being finally free of the static zap is a great training tool. If you suffer from static shock, you will find that touching the touch-point periodically is an easily aquired habit and you will find yourself trying to touch every switchplate that comes your way.
In more details, The StaticOff Zapper Stopper works by connecting touch-point electrodes (at the corners of the faceplate) to a simple electronic circuit. All are connected to a neon bulb that serves as a non-linear device, which also doubles as a light source indicator. From the neon bulb the charge is drained to ground through a small wire (visible in one of the screw holes) that touches the screw. This conducts the charge to the switch, and from there to the household ground.
Each one of the contact points has an electrode which is connected to a simple electronic circuit. All are connected to the neon bulb that serves as a non-linear device, which also doubles as a light source. From the neon the charge is drained to ground through a small wire (visible in one of the screw holes) that touches the screw, which conducts the charge to the switch, and from there to the household ground.
Would
the StaticOff Zapper Stopper stop my clothes clinging to me and to each
other? Can the StaticOff Zapper Stopper prevent or stop static cling on
my clothes?
Yes, but if the clothes are made of synthetic material they will build
a static charge fast and you will need to discharge yourself much more
frequently. Also, oftentimes, removing the static cling requires a
longer contact with the touch point.
How long should I touch the Staticoff Zapper
Stopper to get discharged?
Even momentary contact — a fraction of a second — touch of your finger
to any of the Zapper Stopper touch points will discharge most of the
harmful charge. However, for a complete discharge, especially if a
person is highly charged, a touch of 2–3 seconds works best.
I never get zapped by a lightswitch. Why use the
faceplate of a
light switch for static discharge? Why should I buy a Zapper Stopper?
StaticOff Zapper Stopper is located on the switch as a place of
convenience only. It is a location that is easily reached, and that has
an electrical ground, at convenient height, and in most cases, it is
located so that most people can find it easily, even at night. StaticOff
Zapper Stopper protects you from zapping any other person, and protects
your precious electronic devices, for up to 30 minutes, just by
draining the charge that is on your body. However, it is
best that you adopt the habit of discharging yourself regularly
whenever you go by a StaticOff Zapper Stopper.
This neon light is a part of the StaticOff electrical circuit. The flash of light you see in the indicator window when you discharge is caused by the same electrons that are carried by your body, on their way to an electrical ground. Try and see which of your friends is most 'electric'! Select a specific activity like walking around the room, rubbing against the furniture, stroking your cat, or simply standing next to the StaticOff Zapper Stopper and rubbing your feet on a carpet. Have each of your friends perform this activity, and then touch the contact points on the Zapper Stopper. See who can generate the brightest flash of light!
When I touch the Touch Point, the light keeps
glowing for a very long time. What gives?
That is a sign that you generate a lot of static electricity and need
to discharge yourself more frequently. It may be due to extreme air
dryness, wearing especially well insulating clothing, or just something
specific to your body at that time. Do not worry — after a split second
touch, you can keep going and the chances of being zapped are greatly
reduced.
I touch the touch point but see no light. Why? The most common reason is simply that you do not have any electrostatic charge on you.
How long does it work? How long will I be
zap-free after I discharged?
That depends. Your body recharges all the time. Some of the factors
that the effective protection time are low level of humidity in the
air, wearing synthetic clothing, sitting on synthetic covered
furniture, petting pets, etc. In most cases, a discharge will work for
at least 10 minutes, and in many cases for over 30 minutes. But the
only sure way to avoid being zapped is to discharge yourself often.
Make it a habit to discharge yourself every time you go by a StaticOff
equipped switch!
How does the StaticOff Zapper Stopper work?
The StaticOff Zapper Stopper works by connecting touch-point electrodes
(at the corners of the faceplate) to a simple electronic circuit. All
are connected to a neon bulb that serves as a non-linear device, which
also doubles as a light source indicator. From the neon bulb the charge
is drained to ground through a small wire (visible in one of the screw
holes) that touches the screw. This conducts the charge to the switch,
and from there to the household ground.
Each one of the contact points has an electrode which is connected to a simple electronic circuit. All are connected to the neon bulb that serves as a non-linear device, which also doubles as a light source. From the neon the charge is drained to ground through a small wire (visible in one of the screw holes) that touches the screw, which conducts the charge to the switch, and from there to the household ground.
Does the StaticOff Zapper Stopper work during a
blackout?
Yes.
The StaticOff Zapper Stopper is not connected to the power grid, nor
does it consume any amount of energy. However electrons flow from your
body to the touch point and from there to electrical ground. The
electrical ground stays connected during a blackout.
Who gets zapped the
most?
Anyone who comes in contact with a lot of synthetic materials has high
'zap' potential. A person who wears synthetic clothing or anyone in a
house that has synthetic carpets or has synthetic covered furniture are
all likely to get zapped. Snuggling up in synthetic blankets or
stroking your pet will generate great amounts of electrostatic charge
and makes you a great ZAP! candidate. Almost all of us are
'ZAP-ceptible', but women and children tend to wear more synthetic
clothing than men do and often suffer the most. Babies frequently get
zapped by their parents. Imagine picking up your baby to show love,
only to give it an electric shock. This is actually a frequent reason
for why babies cry when they are picked up.
I never get zapped. How come?
There are a few lucky people that seem to never get zapped. Sometimes
it is a matter of the environment they live in. But mostly those people
have an almost constant layer of sweat about their body. The sweat
evaporates and takes with it the electrical charge. Those are the lucky
ones. Some simply have very thick skin and they do not notice being
zapped. Consider
that even if you never felt a ZAP you can STILL zap your electronic
equipment. Most electronic equipment is vulnerable to much lower
electrostatic charges a person can feel.
Static electricity???
Static electricity is an electrical charge that is not moving. A static
charge is the collection of a large number of free electron or the
opposite — the lack of electrons — relative to other bodies, with the
ground being the most prominent. In dry climates, people tend to
generate and collect static charges, sometimes as much as 55,000V! This
can generate sparks — micro lightning — as large as several inches, and
even 3000V is sufficient to fry most electronics equipment if it hits
in the wrong place. And as you know, nobody can predict where the
lightning will strike!
Why does this happen?
Simply put, any movement of one material against another causes an
increase of atomic energy levels. The increase of energy results in
energized electrons that tend to jump from one atom to the next.
Insulating materials tend to impede electron movement. Thus, when
insulating materials is rubbed against another object, the friction
causes electrons to jump from one material to the other, causing a
charge imbalance. Therefore, an imbalance will be developed between the
two materials. Such an imbalance is known as a potential difference
(which is measured in volts). This is electrostatic charging.
Accordingly, any type of friction developed from walking, sliding, or even sitting is likely to build up an imbalance of energy on our bodies, leading to static electricity. The charge quantity generated, depends on the type of materials that are moved against each other. Synthetic material tends to create static electrical charge the fastest, but even conductive material (like the human body) collects static electricity. Just walking across a carpeted room can generate several thousands, or even tens of thousands, of volts of electrostatic charge.
Why do we get 'zapped'?
So, the human body can be easily charged when in contact with
insulating materials, such as our clothes. When you are standing
charged in the middle of the room, the air surrounding you is an
excellent insulator, which means electrons do not flow away to or from
you. Zapping occurs when you get near an object that has a different
charge level than yours. When you get close enough and the charge
difference (called 'potential difference' in geek speak) is high
enough, the air between you and the object ionizes, which means it
becomes an excellent conductor. At this point electrons flow between
your body and the object at a great rate. The flow of electrons through
the ionized air is seen as a spark. The pain you feel when you get
zapped is due to the speed of discharge. However, this may not be the
only pain: there can be another pain if the other object — remember the
one that had a different charge level than yours? — happens to be
another person, or your brand new 52" HD television.
In humid environments, a charge of excess electrons vanishes, literally, into thin air. They 'hitch a ride' on the water molecules that are in the air, and just go away. However when the climate is dry, excess electrons simply collect on our body. These electrons MUST go somewhere — to a larger body such as a metal cabinet, or to ground.
So when you are charged, and you get close enough to an object that has a different charge level, a ZAP! occurs.
If the item that gets zapped is an electronic device — say you walked across the room in order to change a DVD, and zapped your new DVD player, the damage may be more than just the pain you feel. You will 'ouch' once from the initial zap, and then when you have to spend several hundreds of dollars to replace the DVD, big screen TV, computer, telephone, printer, or whatever else you inadvertently destroyed, then your wallet will really say "ouch".
Air, especially dry air, is an excellent insulator. It takes approximately 3,000V to arc across 1 mm of dry air. Thus, when a person that has collected on his/her body 18,000V, for example, gets close to a grounded or large conductive object, an arc will occur when the distance between the two is within 6 mm — about 1/4". The air between the person and the object becomes ionized, (that is there is a path of air molecules that starts conducting electricity) and an arc results. When arcing occurs, the discharge is very fast. It is not the discharge, but the speed of the discharge, that causes the pain when you get zapped. The amount of energy all those electrons carry is miniscule, so if you thought of collecting all those zapps, powering your home, and getting 'of the grid' you will not get very far. However the speed of discharge is akin to a high current for a very short time. Our neurons are electrically operated, and amplify this short current surge to an ouchi level. If we can slow down the speed of discharge, since he energy amount is so small, our neurons will never feel it. This is what the Staticoff Zapper Stopper does: Slow down the speed of discharge, and thus — NO ZAP!
For the real geeks
Colomb's law quantifies the force electric potential 'potency' as:
F = k (q1 X q2) / d2
where F is the force, q1 and q2 are the charges, and d is the distance
between the charges, k is the proportionality constant, and depends on
the material separating the charges.
If you understand that and how this applies to a static charge, you deserve your geek of the week award. But if you don't, what it means, in simple words, is that if you more you are charged, you will get zapped at higher distance, and likely it will be more painful.
Should you be unhappy for any reason following the purchase of the StaticOff Zapper Stopper through our web site, contact us within 30 days of the date of purchase. We shall provide you with an RMA number. Ship the Zapper Stopper back to us with the original packaging, and we shall refund your purchase price. Please make sure to indicate the RMA number on the outside of the packaging. Please note that shipping and handling charges are not refundable.