You’re probably wondering what static electricity has to do with the DualLiner truck bed liner. Most of us think of static electricity as a funny way to zap our friends and family after shuffling across the carpet. And it’s a safe bet that most of us never think about exactly how much power is in every single spark that flows from our fingers, but a single electrostatic discharge (ESD) from your finger can be up to 20,000 volts! With that kind of power, a single spark can cause major problems, and not just for the friends that you can reach.
The buildup of static charge that leads to a spark occurs when friction and movement occur between two non-conductive objects that are touching. If you have a drop-in bed liner, you’ve probably been shocked by or felt the tingling charge on items like coolers, plastic children’s toys, or soft moving blankets after they have spent some time in the back of your truck. This is because a plastic bed liner allows items to slide around easily in the bed which causes friction allowing electrons to easily hop from one object to another and build up an electrical charge.
When you’re moving a table or hauling a cooler filled with drinks to the tailgate party it’s not really a problem, but if you’re moving any type of electronics, even a small ESD can ruin your device. Most circuitry in our modern electronic devices is designed to handle no more than the standard 120 volts that comes from every wall outlet, which is why electronics technicians wear static guards that can easily channel an electrical charge from their bodies into something else before it can discharge and ruin the circuitry they’re working on. It may be surprising, but even though a spark from your finger is small and quick, the high voltage can quickly burn out the delicate components inside a television, computer, or nearly anything that contains a circuit board.
But unlike a plastic drop-in liner, the DualLiner modular bed liner system uses a special ZeroSkid rubber mat to cover the floor of your truck bed. This rubber floor of the DualLiner system acts as an insulator and will not carry a static charge. Also, the DualLiner will help prevent the dangerous situation of gas cans sliding around and generating a static charge during transit. Preventing cargo banging into the sides you truck further protects your cargo and the soft rubber surface that won’t mar or damage delicate or large items like big-screen LCD televisions.
But static can cause more damage than just ruining our electronics. We’ve all heard stories and rumors about a small spark from someone’s finger at the gas pump that sets off a devastating blaze that can destroy property or even claim lives. But in everyday life, most of us pay little attention to the very real dangers that electrostatic discharge poses at the gas pump which is why most gas stations recommend filling gas cans on the ground.
Recently, you may have noticed a brand new warning label on the gas pump the last time you filled up. All across the country, notices similar to the one above have been appearing on pump screens in a new campaign to make sure customers are aware of the dangers of static when fueling up. If you’ve been hauling something like plastic gasoline containers that have been sliding around on your drop-in bed liner there is a chance of a dangerous ESD, not only from the bed liner, but also the gas cans.
Now you should always place your gas can on the pavement to electrically ground it and counteract the static build-up that happens as gasoline flows into it. Slippery plastic drop-in bed liners just can’t compare to the grip and protection of the ZeroSkid rubber bed mat available with the DualLiner modular truck bed liner system. Whether it’s an annoying shock after sliding cargo in or out of your truck bed, or a potentially dangerous electrostatic discharge that can ruin your devices or cause a devastating fire, you can protect yourself from static build-up in the bed of your truck with a Dualliner.
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