Free electricity !

   / Free electricity !
  • Thread Starter
#31  
The more I think about it, the more it seems like there's a big utility ground fault occuring nearby. Don't happen to have a infrared imager do you? I bet that nearby line is very high voltage line, if you're getting a 50V touch voltage 700' away.
Bad situation.

Actually,...I do have a IR camera.. What do I look for?
 
   / Free electricity !
  • Thread Starter
#32  
The more I think about it, the more it seems like there's a big utility ground fault occuring nearby. Don't happen to have a infrared imager do you? I bet that nearby line is very high voltage line, if you're getting a 50V touch voltage 700' away.
Bad situation.

Actually,...I do have a IR camera.. What do I look for?
 
   / Free electricity !
  • Thread Starter
#34  
Hot legs on the high voltage power line towers. Hot ground on the ground coming off of the transformer up on the pole.

Aaron Z

I will go out there this weekend and try to get a shot of it. Idk what the distance my camera will work to. Those lines are 60-70 feet tall. I have a Flir I5
 
   / Free electricity ! #35  
I will go out there this weekend and try to get a shot of it. Idk what the distance my camera will work to. Those lines are 60-70 feet tall. I have a Flir I5

I would think around one or more of those towers, if a lot of energy is going into the ground at that location it would have to raise the ground temperature relative to other nearby areas.
 
   / Free electricity ! #36  
Oh, and it goes without saying, be as careful as you can be... don't go grabbing on things.. and some rubber boots if you have them might be a good idea.
 
   / Free electricity !
  • Thread Starter
#37  
I remember one of gone NSTAR guys saying the voltage would be more , the further it got from the source
 
   / Free electricity ! #38  
I would think around one or more of those towers, if a lot of energy is going into the ground at that location it would have to raise the ground temperature relative to other nearby areas.
Yep. A cool evening/morning might be the ticket to have good contrast for a IR camera.

Oh, and it goes without saying, be as careful as you can be... don't go grabbing on things.. and some rubber boots if you have them might be a good idea.
Good point.

I remember one of gone NSTAR guys saying the voltage would be more , the further it got from the source
Should be the opposite, voltage should decrease as you move away from the pole.

Aaron Z
 
   / Free electricity ! #39  
Will be interesting to find out,

I would agree that there seems to be a stray neutral someplace that is disconnected from the ground system. I have been able to measure 50vac from the EMF field off the High Voltage lines but directly under then and using a 10'stick of EMT held horizontally with the ground and meter at one end to earth. THAT was as said straight under the lines and I think those were 44K for main cross country transmission lines. I also have these lines across my property some 700 feet away. I have not tried to repeat the test at HOME (maybe I will try it tomorrow for kicks and giggles.)

The set on my place is of the metal VHT style lines but I can't think of what voltage that is on my place, remember being told it by one of the power transmission right of way maintenance workers.

Mark
 
   / Free electricity ! #40  
with things happening over such a broad area as you describe, I am inclined to think its a power co. issue also. There has to be a significant amount of power going into the ground. I would think alot more than a single water heater in someones house could do.

How far away do you have to go before voltage in the ground starts to drop down below 50? and how far do you have to go to get it down to 0?

Not sure what the cable companies use, but isnt the phone DC? Would be nice to know for sure if that 50v you are seeing is AC or DC?
 

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