trailingedge.com down 2954

Certainly the 6kv distribution is regularly messed with in a live state, but the 44kv (and the rail 16kv) seems off-limits.

The 440kv international lines are also very off-limits.

That must have been electricity from the magnetic field. Considering that around 99% of such energy would be used to heat the steel in that car you must have cost the electric company a few dollars in loss.

A family member had a long stretch of fence near a high-powered line that had severe induction problems from the line. It was meshed wire, ideal for induction. I put in light bulbs to dampen the induction; (it was becoming a fire hasard) a 220V bulb glowed well enough to give a reddish light at night. The city power consumption 80 km away could be directly seen by the brightness of the bulbs.

The electricity company went ballistic, but became very meek when we explained that the purpose was to avoid burning up the place, and that the bulbs should account for around half a percent of the energy loss into the fence itself; and that fence was in place a few decades before the line was put in place.

They promptly made an offer to replace the fence with something in plastic.

The limit is stated as 30 mA in healthy persons. This is a core body current; and the risk is making heart attacks. Apart from that risk the body can take a lot more.

Remember, if you are near a sparking high current line, take small steps and put your hands in your back pockets, and walk slowly out of there.

-- mrr