Graduate Static Electricity foam balls

[ron351]

I have a 14" motorized micky mouse snow globe powered that has been running about 2 weeks now. Not sure if in the past it was turned off nightly but this year the small Styrofoam balls the motor inside that makes the styrofoam balls go up a tube making it look like it is snowing began to stick and not come out as they did and also noticed many are sticking to the inside walls of the globe. My question is will the static de-energize itself if it is turned off a couple days? I tried rubbing a dryer sheet on the outside that did not help. The globe seems to be glued shut where it can't be opened.
Globe is very similar to this one
View it here

 

[.Scott]

As you suspect, there is a problem with static electricity.
If I had the globe in my hands, I would be looking at the base and how the mechanics and electricity make it from outside the globe to inside the globe - because that will be your access path.
You objective is two-fold:
1) To create a grounding path between the Styrofoam at the other interior components; and is that is not sufficient
2) To create a grounding path between the interior of the globe and the exterior.

My thoughts are this: A little bit of moisture alone would likely do the trick. So, for a 4-inch globe, perhaps 2cc of water inserted through the base and then mixed (by shaking the globe) with the Styrofoam. But, if that wasn't good enough, I would want to introduce a dilute solution of diethylester dimethyl ammonium chloride (aka, DEEDMAC), and I would want that well-mixed with the water I already added. So, I would skip the water-only step and go directly to the DEEDMAC solution.

DEEDMAC is easier to come by than you might expect. It's the main ingredient in fabric softeners. So, you will be looking for a fabric softener with minimal "other stuff" - such as fragrance, stabilizers, coloring, etc. It's not that there's anything wrong with a fragrant snow globe, just that you will be putting a very thin coat of this on the inside of that crystal-clear globe - and you would like to keep it crystal clear.

So, here's what I would do:
1) It shouldn't be necessary to use the DEEDMAC at full concentration. So, I would make up a mixture of about 1 part softener to 3 parts water.
2) I would apply a couple of cc's of this to a clean window pane and let it dry.
3) If the window pane still looked clear enough, your mixture is good. Go to step 5.
4) If not, try a different fabric softener, distilled water, or more dilute concentration and go back to step 1.
5) Measure out about 2cc of this mixture and deposit it into the globe through the base - hopefully through a crack or opening that is already there.
6) Shake it up to spread the DEEDMAC throughout the interior of the globe.

If this fixes it, you are done. If not, up the dose a bit. In the unlikely event that this still doesn't work, you may need to discharge the clear plastic globe itself may be acting like a capacitor - and what you've done so far is only the first step to fix it.

 

[ron351]

As you suspect, there is a problem with static electricity.
If I had the globe in my hands, I would be looking at the base and how the mechanics and electricity make it from outside the globe to inside the globe - because that will be your access path.
You objective is two-fold:
1) To create a grounding path between the Styrofoam at the other interior components; and is that is not sufficient
2) To create a grounding path between the interior of the globe and the exterior.

My thoughts are this: A little bit of moisture alone would likely do the trick. So, for a 4-inch globe, perhaps 2cc of water inserted through the base and then mixed (by shaking the globe) with the Styrofoam. But, if that wasn't good enough, I would want to introduce a dilute solution of diethylester dimethyl ammonium chloride (aka, DEEDMAC), and I would want that well-mixed with the water I already added. So, I would skip the water-only step and go directly to the DEEDMAC solution.

DEEDMAC is easier to come by than you might expect. It's the main ingredient in fabric softeners. So, you will be looking for a fabric softener with minimal "other stuff" - such as fragrance, stabilizers, coloring, etc. It's not that there's anything wrong with a fragrant snow globe, just that you will be putting a very thin coat of this on the inside of that crystal-clear globe - and you would like to keep it crystal clear.

So, here's what I would do:
1) It shouldn't be necessary to use the DEEDMAC at full concentration. So, I would make up a mixture of about 1 part softener to 3 parts water.
2) I would apply a couple of cc's of this to a clean window pane and let it dry.
3) If the window pane still looked clear enough, your mixture is good. Go to step 5.
4) If not, try a different fabric softener, distilled water, or more dilute concentration and go back to step 1.
5) Measure out about 2cc of this mixture and deposit it into the globe through the base - hopefully through a crack or opening that is already there.
6) Shake it up to spread the DEEDMAC throughout the interior of the globe.

If this fixes it, you are done. If not, up the dose a bit. In the unlikely event that this still doesn't work, you may need to discharge the clear plastic globe itself may be acting like a capacitor - and what you've done so far is only the first step to fix it.

The small motor I believe is built inside the globe. I do not think there is a way to get inside the globe.
Getting the inside wet is not an option for now, and most likely would create the styro balls to either clump or be weighted down and not flow as it should.
For now I will leave it turned off a couple days and see if it discharges. If anything and that don't work I may try drilling a hole and try the grounding option. Thank You for the reply and suggestions, that may be step 2 if all else fails

 

[.Scott]

The small motor I believe is built inside the globe. I do not think there is a way to get inside the globe.
Getting the inside wet is not an option for now, and most likely would create the styro balls to either clump or be weighted down and not flow as it should.
For now I will leave it turned off a couple days and see if it discharges. If anything and that don't work I may try drilling a hole and try the grounding option. Thank You for the reply and suggestions, that may be step 2 if all else fails

The amount of water I suggested was intended to evaporate quickly within the ball - leaving the air in there more humid and thus more electrically conductive.
It was also intended to make the interior surface of the clear plastic globe conductive. If the interior air is dry and that surface is not conductive, it cannot be discharged without touching that whole surface with an electrical conductor ("wiping" it - but without the triboelectric effect).
So, step 2 wont work without step 1.

 

[ron351]

The amount of water I suggested was intended to evaporate quickly within the ball - leaving the air in there more humid and thus more electrically conductive.
It was also intended to make the interior surface of the clear plastic globe conductive. If the interior air is dry and that surface is not conductive, it cannot be discharged without touching that whole surface with an electrical conductor ("wiping" it - but without the triboelectric effect).
So, step 2 wont work without step 1.

Ok copy that Thank You