Since getting a Playseat last week i am now experiencing a very strange problem in which every time a lift myself out of the Playseat fast my TV screen flickers and goes off for about a second but if i lift myself out very slowly it doesnt do it.

We have only bought the tv (SonyKDL46Z5500) as a Christmas present to each other and it wasn't cheap, now i dont want to damage it so soon (Ill wait for 3DTV to be out before doing that JOKE).

Ive wiggled wires, jumped around in the seat and all sorts to make it do it but its only when i lift myself out fast.

Now quite often if i touch the pedals i get a small electric shock so am thinking this has something to do with my problem but why is it now affecting the tv screen since getting the seat!?

Could electric be building up in the seat frame and when the springs of the cusion get moved fast it sends the power backs up through the G25 to the PS3 and then to the tv?

I know electric does strange things sometimes but man this is twisting my melon!

Ill try and video it over the weekend.

Any suggestions lads?

Wow Rob this is a strange one and also very concerning .

Seen as you mentioned that you sometimes get the odd electric shock from the pedals , I would have a guess that the problem could be related to those. Is the wiring all in good condition, any wear or bare wires showing? Are the connections on the underside of the steering wheel fully pushed in? Taking the pedal base apart isn't really that big of a job, it might be worth investigating inside to see if anything has come a drift or is touching the body and earthing out.

You've probably already checked all the above but if not, it's got to be worth a try

I think it has something to do with "static electricity", I translated that one on one from dutch.
It has to do with your clothing and the upholstery of the chair.
I sometimes experience that on our couch.
So my suggestion, try different clothes or drive naked.

Craig - yeah stripping associated parts is on the check list for the weekend.

Kees - Has this happened to someone on Dutch forum then?
I did wonder if my lovely comfy Grandad slippers with nylon sole was to blame but it still happened when i took them off.
Will try the naked drive and if it stops ill slowly add more clothes until it does it again so i know the limit!

Thanks chaps

Here you go Rob

Try This

Rob wrote:Kees - Has this happened to someone on Dutch forum then?

No Rob, I figured that what you're sufering from, is static electricity, but I didn't know if that was correct english, that's why I said;"one on one translated from dutch".

Jase seems to have the answer, but that is a real drive solution, I think you need to ground or earth your chair or tele or both.

So Rob,

Hows the investigation going into this? If what kees suggested worked, then don't let us know.....that is one image I don't want in my head .

Investigation still inconclusive

Driving in just boxers didnt work!

Stripped pedals down and selector, no evidence of trapped wires of chaffing. Cant strip down the steering wheel unit as i cant see how to remove the clamps but did remove the steering wheel and paddles.

I did find that the pedal Potentiometer switches look grounded to the pedals so maybe one of them is faulty.

I also fitted rubber washers to all the G25 to Playseat mounting bolts and also a little insulation tape where the treads of said bolts might touch the inside of the mounting hole in the Playseat. Im going to look again at these bolts and redo them as i can rub the seat with my hand and sometimes the screen will flicker suggesting ESD but how its going from seat to G25 with the washers and tape i dont know but will look into it.

I also made a earth cable like Jase suggested. I cut the end of a kettle cable stripped back the wires, made the live and neutral safe, removed fuse and connected to the frame and plug socket. I didnt fry myself which was good
It worked a treat yesterday morning but last night it did it twice.
Going to reposition the cable closer to the gear unit and see what happens.

The girlfriend has also ordered me a proper ESD cable too.

Will keep you posted


Edit
Have reread post and it sounds like Jase suggested i plug myself up to the mains.
At no point did Jase suggest this!

Rob wrote:Investigation still inconclusive

Driving in just boxers didnt work!

Stripped pedals down and selector, no evidence of trapped wires of chaffing. Cant strip down the steering wheel unit as i cant see how to remove the clamps but did remove the steering wheel and paddles.

I did find that the pedal Potentiometer switches look grounded to the pedals so maybe one of them is faulty.

I also fitted rubber washers to all the G25 to Playseat mounting bolts and also a little insulation tape where the treads of said bolts might touch the inside of the mounting hole in the Playseat. Im going to look again at these bolts and redo them as i can rub the seat with my hand and sometimes the screen will flicker suggesting ESD but how its going from seat to G25 with the washers and tape i dont know but will look into it.

I also made a earth cable like Jase suggested. I cut the end of a kettle cable stripped back the wires, made the live and neutral safe, removed fuse and connected to the frame and plug socket. I didnt fry myself which was good
It worked a treat yesterday morning but last night it did it twice.
Going to reposition the cable closer to the gear unit and see what happens.

The girlfriend has also ordered me a proper ESD cable too.

Will keep you posted


Edit
Have reread post and it sounds like Jase suggested i plug myself up to the mains.
At no point did Jase suggest this!

I nearly pissed myself reading this,great.
I guess you're making headlines one of these days.
Imagine a guy in a playseat,only wearing boxers and smoking hair,all wired up on ground cables!!
GTDrivers_Handyman LOL
Don't get isolated....
But seriously,if the chair is grounded in the proper way,it cant happen imo.
U can also try to eliminate possible sources one by one.
Maybe put the girlfriend on the (electrical) chair....(oops,did it again),see what happens then?

Rob have you checked the Earth connection in the actual wall socket ?
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
Turn the power off first !!!!

Or tried a different socket altogether ?