Calling all electrical experts

So, my rope has gotten a bit "experienced" and turned fuzzy. When I rap these days, there's static electricity buildup as the rope slides through the belay device. I can feel it because there's plenty of sparks between me and the rope. Two questions:
1) Is there any significant risk these sparks will turn my rope on fire?
2) What is the best method to "shave" this rope to get rid of the fuzz?

Patrik wrote: So, my rope has gotten a bit "experienced" and turned fuzzy. When I rap these days, there's static electricity buildup as the rope slides through the belay device. I can feel it because there's plenty of sparks between me and the rope. Two questions:
1) Is there any significant risk these sparks will turn my rope on fire?
2) What is the best method to "shave" this rope to get rid of the fuzz?

Seriously?!!? 10/10

Patrik wrote: So, my rope has gotten a bit "experienced" and turned fuzzy. When I rap these days, there's static electricity buildup as the rope slides through the belay device. I can feel it because there's plenty of sparks between me and the rope. Two questions:
1) Is there any significant risk these sparks will turn my rope on fire?
2) What is the best method to "shave" this rope to get rid of the fuzz?

1) Yes there are literally 100's of well documented cases of ropes exploding into flames from heavy fuzz build-up.

2) The best way is to send it back to the manufacturer for a "Cauterizing" treatment. Most companies don't like to do this and they'll give you a huge song and dance. Don't let them talk you into a new rope. Insist that you want the treatment.

Good Luck

rocknice2 wrote:  Insist that you want the treatment.

Good Luck

This. The people at the store or over the phone will act like they dont know what that is but just keep saying, "I know what the treatment is, just give me the treatment".  

When it comes to your rope "Turning on Fire", I have never heard of such a thing. However, your rope will burn. This depends on several things. It needs to get hot enough. Then, it needs enough oxygen. At that point you have all the essentials for a fire: heat, fuel, and oxygen. But your rope will not burst into flame form a spark. Consider a campfire. You need tinder, kindling, and fuel, in that order. The tinder has a lot of surface area in relation to its mass. That is because it has to heat up to the point where it is hot enough to vaporize in order to burn. Solids and liquids will not burn. I don't care what you think you have seen, solids and liquids will not burn. When your tinder burns, you insert more of it to get things hotter. Then you start with kindling. Get it? A spark will not start a fire in your rope. If you are serious with your question, and you don't understand my explanation, you shouldn't be climbing. If you insist on climbing, and are still worried about your rope, try the cauterizing treatment. Or perhaps you can have the fuzz plucked. This is very expensive because it must be done with tweezers by hand. I am currently working on an invention which will do it mechanically. Perhaps you would like to invest? One more thing... Why were you calling on electrical experts?

I've been researching this phenomenon for the past while. In my experiments I've noticed that there is a not insignificant chance of the rope catching on fire if exposed to too high of voltage such as a lightening strike or arc lighter. If you're significantly worried you could send it to me for further testing

Yeah, man, sparks, they are dangerous!

TL/DR - no danger, unless you have a Tesla coil, or a natural equivalent (lighting)

When the Trango Vergo gets back from being recalled in the next decade it will be able to use the static and thermal energy produced by the rope as a renewable source of energy to become the best auto-braking belay device making atc’s obselete. Only reason the recall has taken so long is that they are entirely reengineering the product.

Obviously a troll because just having a mountain proj account makes you an expert on everything, so op knows the answer already. 

cragmantoo wrote:

Yes I can solve it...

But that's beside the point.  Come on people this is an important topic.  Will the OPs rope burst into flames?  I think we also need to extend this question to include climbing pants.  I have noticed static electricity accumulating in my stretchy climbing pants lately.  The static cling is embarrassing enough, but if they burst into flames, I'm done for!

Cyclestupor: I understand your concern about your pants bursting into flames. I have heard of spontaneous human combustion, which could be a related topic. But back to the real, pressing problem. Perhaps you should shave from the waist down. I believe this would help. Perhaps the helpful responders to this topic could do some research. If nothing else, a quick, pre-climb dip in a nearby water source would serve as a deterrent. This could cause problems in colder weather.

cyclestupor wrote:

Yes I can solve it...

But that's beside the point.  Come on people this is an important topic.  Will the OPs rope burst into flames?  I think we also need to extend this question to include climbing pants.  I have noticed static electricity accumulating in my stretchy climbing pants lately.  The static cling is embarrassing enough, but if they burst into flames, I'm done for!

This recently happened to me:

cragmantoo wrote:

This recently happened to me:

This concerns me greatly.

I've noticed that removing a fleece pull-over really fast can counteract the static on the rope. But of course you need to be able to go hands-free on rappel to do that.

per Wikipedia. Super interesting!

The static spark doesn't have enough energy to to ignite the rope.

Why did I post? What's wrong with me? Really, I know better. Sheesh. Mondays and post travel fatigue seriously mess with my judgement.

Victor K wrote:
Static Electricity, per Wikipedia. Super interesting!

The static spark doesn't have enough energy to to ignite the rope.

Why did I post? What's wrong with me? Really, I know better. Sheesh. Mondays and post travel fatigue seriously mess with my judgement.

But what about my pants. They burst into flames right after I told my friends about how I'd just onsighted 5.14c

Chris Little wrote:...Solids and liquids will not burn. I don't care what you think you have seen, solids and liquids will not burn...

There are solid phase metals that burn--magnesium is easy to ignite and steel wool can be touched off with a battery. In addition, depending on how you define "burning," compounds such as TNT "burn" without volatilization.

As an electrical engineer I feel a moral obligation to respond.  Yes, your rope will burn, in fact it is dangerously close to doing so, RIGHT NOW.  Try not to look at it.  Now quickly read ahead!! —->

Exposure to battery fumes should negate the effects of the static electricity.  Dumping out a car battery should work, per 60m rope.  Just dump it in the sink, or your cat box if you have one.  Then let your rope bask in the warm fumes.  The electrons (we in the biz call them negatrons) from the battery fumes and the protons from the static will mate and form neutrons.  Voila!!

Oh, and YGD

cragmantoo wrote:

But what about my pants. They burst into flames right after I told my friends about how I'd just onsighted 5.14c

It's an obvious case of "Liar, liar..." It's the equivalent to Pinocchio's nose growing longer. Your pants know the truth and couldn't live with the fabric-ation!