Pylons and pajamas.

[Guest]

Having heard that there is now a danger from living near electricity pylons, a thought popped into my befuddled head. When I sleep in the quarter-berth my bonce is literally inches above two large batteries. Should I worry? Could this explain why I can't do maths? We should be told.

 

[Guest]

No. Pylons carry a.c., batteries are d.c.. Hence no alternating magnetic and electric fields.

Nicholas Hill

 

[Guest]

Your head's safe. Pylons carry massive A.C ( alternating current ). One of the properties of AC is that when it flows through a conductor i.e a cable, it induces an electro-magnetic field which radiates from the cable. It's these magnetic fields that are under suspicion. Try holding an AC device near your compass ( for a couple od seconds only ), and you'll see the field in action as it will override the earth's magnetic field and cause your comapss to deviate. DC ( direct current ) doesn't behave in the same way, so your head's safe - from that anyway !!!!

 

[Guest]

Re: Compasses and DC

DC also induces electro-magnetic fields (how do you think electro-magnets work), which cause compasses to deviate as much (if not more) than AC. Compasses should be installed well away from any current-carrying wires.

 

[Guest]

Re: Compasses and DC

...and if you can't avoid wires running near the compass make sure they are twisted (twisted pairs) which helps reduce any magnetic effect/interference.

 

[Guest]

I am worried that you might gas yourself Alex !

I am sure that like most of us, you would like to finally end your days on this planet by natural causes and being at sea.

I am concerned that after a heavy motoring session your batteries may be a bubbling and a gassing leading to miss counting flashes on buoys, number of wives you have to keep etc etc apart form the gas problem.

You have told us the down sides but are there any plus's ?

Particularly in the area of Todger country and if this could mean a reduction in my Viagra standing order !

 

[Guest]

Re: I am worried that you might gas yourself Alex

Does hydrogen make you light-headed? We should be told!

 

[Guest]

Electric fields

Actually, all electric currents generate magnetic fields. But the fields due to alternating current (AC) reverse in direction many times each second, whilst the fields due to direct current (DC) are steady in direction. The compass needle has a considerable inertia. It can't respond quickly enough to follow the rapidly changing fields from AC, but it can and does respond to steady fields from DC.

The main reason for using AC in a piece of equipment is that the changing fields from AC can be used to generate currents at higher or lower voltages. This is done in a transformer, which has a soft iron core wound with several coils of wire. If you put a transformer near to a compass needle then the compass needle will move; but the movement is due much more to the soft iron than it is to the alternating current. Equipment using only DC can't use transformers.

But perhaps we should be even more careful. The body generates electric current (and magnetic fields). How about putting the brain into a shielded box before going to bed? One forebears from wondering, on reading some contributions, whether the writers have already adopted this practice.

 

[Guest]

Where did you get this information?

There have been myths floating about for dozens of years about danger from radiation in power lines. No authoritive tests and investigations that I have ever come across have verified any danger. These bogus reports always seem to be quoted by groups with a vested interest in having the pylons moved over someone else's back yard.

 

[Habebty]

You should worry! my quarterberth is above the locker where my training shoes live - literally I would think by the smell!!

 

[Guest]

Re: Electric fields

Heard a programme recently on Radio 4 regarding animals' (and some humans') natural ability to sense direction (eg animal migration, etc). Seems this passive ability is located in the thalmus of the brain, and depends on many factors, of which the earth's magnetic field is one. Have often wondered if sleeping regularly in the same compass direction would improve our ability. Sleeping next to the batteries, or putting DC cables across the pillow would surely increase any effect, provided they're aligned with the earth's magnetic field. Have also wondered about my (AC) electric blanket at home. Suspect prolonged exposure to an AC field would diminish what slight ability we may still have. Any useful evidence or opinions might help me sleep better at night.