You care about the health and safety of your animals – and so do we. We want to make you aware of the potential dangers of stray voltage and the impacts it may have on your livestock.
What is stray voltage?
Varying amounts of low-level voltage may exist between the earth and electrically grounded farm equipment such as metal stabling, feeders, or milk pipelines. These voltages, known as “Animal Contact Voltage (ACV)”, “Stray Voltage” or “Tingle Voltage,” usually, present no harm. However, if the voltage level is high enough, they may affect livestock behavior and health.
What are the causes of stray voltage?
A variety of sources can cause stray voltage including: farm wiring and grounding issues, unbalanced farm load, equipment faults, or voltage from other sources such as telephone lines, gas lines and utility electrical distribution systems.
What are the Effects of Stray Voltage?
Tell-tale signs typically include cows being nervous at milking (especially in the milking parlors), cows refusing to enter the parlor and anxious to leave, increased frequency of defecation and/or urination in parlor as well as the reluctance to consume feed or water. Find more information on the effects of stray voltage on the Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs (OMAFRA) website.
How do I reduce the impact of stray voltage?
If there is a source of stray voltage on your farm, you may perform mitigation measures such as installing a neutral isolating device, additional electrical bonding between contact points, wiring upgrades, or faulty equipment replacement. Be sure to have a qualified electrician perform the work and make sure it meets the requirements of the Electrical Safety Code. If the utility distribution system is the source of the Stray Voltage, the utility will take the appropriate corrective actions.
What do I do if I have a problem with stray voltage?
If you believe that you have a problem with stray voltage, please complete the Stray Voltage Investigation Request Form. All applications must be made in writing and be complete in order to process. We will contact you within five business days after you submit your application and provided a service order number. We will then notify you in advance to arrange the date of our first visit to your site.
What will an investigation look like?
Additional Stray Voltage Resources
To better help you understand stray voltage and learn ways to limit potential issues, the Electrical Safety Authority has created a helpful guide to assist. A Farmer’s Guide to Basic Troubleshooting on Farm Stray Voltage is a great one-stop resource to help you. As always, if you have questions at any time, please contact us at 226-896-2200 or operations@enovapower.com and we would be happy to help you.
Not all safety risks are visible. We are exposed to electromagnetic fields (EMF) in our everyday life, including electrical devices such as powerlines, smart meters and household electrical appliances. Below is some information to help you understand EMF.
What are electromagnetic fields and how do they work?
Electromagnetic fields (EMF) are invisible energy fields. Electrical devices such as powerlines, smart meters and electrical appliances, give off electrical waves that produce these fields. Like its name, there are two components to EMF: electrical and magnetic fields.
Electrical fields are produced whenever electrical appliances are plugged in, regardless of if they are turned on or off, whereas magnetic fields are produced when devices are turned on and electrical current is flowing.
EMF can come in different wavelengths. The shorter the wavelength the higher its frequency and increase in energy. These are categorized from low to high on an electromagnetic spectrum. For example, powerlines use extremely low frequency EMF and smart meters use radiofrequency EMF which are lower on the electromagnetic spectrum.
Common concerns about EMF
Is exposure to EMF safe? Below are some responses to some common concerns the public have about EMF including exposure in everyday living, risks for those with medical devices, and necessary precautions.
Can I avoid exposure to EMF altogether?
EMF is found anywhere electricity is present and flowing. Remember, EMF is not limited to utilities like powerlines and smart meters, but household electrical wiring and appliances as well.
EMF in the Home
You encounter EMF more than you may be aware of. Household appliances from washing machines to hairdryers produce EMF. Exposure levels differ depending on appliances and your distance from them. To learn more about EMF in everyday living and the environment please visit Radiation: Electromagnetic fields
EMF in underground lines?
EMF is not eliminated when lines are buried underground. Though the ground can act as a shield from electrical fields, magnetic fields can still pass through.
Are you located near multiple smart meters?
For those living or working in townhouses or high-rise buildings, you may be near more than one smart meter. Don’t worry, because smart meters send information infrequently as opposed to a continuous stream so your exposure remains far below the Canadian exposure limits.
Impact of EMF on those with medical devices?
For more information regarding implanted medical devices like pacemakers and their impact from EMF please contact the device manufacturer and the clinicians who implanted the device.
Necessary Precautions?
Health Canada’s Safety Code 6 sets out recommended exposure limits for radiofrequency emitted by devices including smart meters. These limits are developed to include people of all ages and sizes and all forms of radiofrequency EMF.
As radiofrequency EMF levels from smart meters are below Canadian safety limit and pose no health risk, you do not need to take any precautionary measures.
Additional Resources
To learn more about the information provided please visit BC Hydro’s booklet Understanding Electric and Magnetic Fields, and Health Canada’s Smart meter safety webpage and Safety Code 6 for more information.
Have questions about EMFs in Enova’s service territory?
Please email eclerk@enovapower.com and we would be happy to discuss your questions or concerns in more detail.
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