The alleged effects of unbalanced voltage on a person

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peter d said:
This reminds me of a customer that we have. He was convinced that EMF is causing his health problems. We had to go around and correct all the neutral loops in his house (old K&T wiring) among other problems. He carried a gauss meter around and he would check the level of EMF after we were done fixing all the problems.
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I had a very similar customer. The job was actually a pleasure, and a good money maker. I spent weeks and weeks there "chasing ghosts" as I would tell people. I was the only electrician who even pretended to take him seriously, and I probably made a good 20 grand on that work.
 
A psychosomatic illness (i.e., one originates in the mind, but that impacts the body) can have very real impact on the body. A person who is so inflicted, and who is given what he believes to be a cure, may very well achieve a restoration of health. But I do not recommend getting into the health care business here. If you get a contract to install a device, and if your warrantee is restricted to the installation alone (i.e., not the health benefits of the installed system), then you would be acting within the legal and moral limitations of the profession. I, for one, would want nothing to do with such a project.

I think the person is ill. I think that nothing an electrician, or an electrical engineer for that matter, can make the person better. I think that once you are at least 6 inches away from an NM wire that is carrying current, the magnetic fields generated by the two conductors will have cancelled each other out, and can have no impact, adverse or beneficial, on a person nearby. I also think that no amount of scientific proofs will be able to convince this person that the wiring system is incapable of giving him the relief that he seeks.

I have no idea what a Balanced Voltage System might be. But I would bet good money (no more than the price of a minor confectionary, of course) that it is not a miracle cure for this person?s illness.
 
mdshunk said:
No, you're thinking backwards. If someone wants you to hang a light, but what they really want is ample light for reading, what are you going to do? Make them sign a paper that the light might not give good reading light? I dare say no. You're going to hang the light and write up a bill. If someone wants a balanced power system, whatever the heck that is, you're going to put one in. If it doesn't do what they hoped, that's their problem. People spend billions of dollars every year on things they hope will improve the health that don't pan out.
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I agree sell them what they want if you can figure out what a balanced power system is.:smile:
 
nakulak said:
a freind of a friend of mine wired a house for an engineer who made him run the wires in a particular fashion so that the emf was reduced to as small as possible.
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I'd be curious how that is to be achieved. I see that another poster mentioned "neutral loops." That is not a familiar term. Does it only apply to K&T wiring systems?
 
With so many guys short of work, I'm not sure there's wisdom in turning down any work someone is willing to pay for.

As some risk, I'll say this... there's darned few people who take these 'wack jobs' seriously, and the mere act of even pretending to take them seriously elevates you to hero status. In an odd way, I'm proud to report that my customer list is populated with a certain amount of people that others might call wack-jobs. Why? Because I am their hero. Why is that important to me? Because every time they have a new wacky idea, they call me and pay me. Even when I do what they wanted, and it didn't work out in their estimation, they pay me to do it "more" or re-do it differently. What more could I ask for?

Whatever someone wants to pay for, that's what I'm installing.
 
The person alleges that turning circuits off and sitting in a darkened house is the only relief short of installing a Balanced Voltage System. This person claims that a Balanced Voltage System would enable the opportunity to live a more normal life and promote healing.
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Wonder what this person does during a good thunder and lightning storm?
 
Rockyd said:
Wonder what this person does during a good thunder and lightning storm?
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Or what they do about static electricity.
GinSlutTest.gif
 
Funny you should mention that 480...

I found a link from you (least it had your prints all over it:D) That made mention of the issue -

Another conjecture is that some people have "electromagnetic hypersensitivity," or EHS. People claiming to suffer from EHS have a strange assortment of symptoms, including skin disorders, fatigue, difficulty concentrating, heart palpitations, and even digestive problems. However, according to the World Health Organization, EHS doesn't stand up to double-blind testing and could be attributable to anything from poor ergonomics to stress to psychiatric conditions.

Here is the link, stolen from another post!

Edit- Link was about living under power lines, but thought some "mental behavior" maybe interelated?
 
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I've had a couple of encounters with this type of "customer".

One I did a service call at an Elderly Housing Complex that also rented to handicapped individuals. A "younger" renter had complained about "getting shocks up and down her arm" whenever she touched a light switch. I could find nothing wrong but she insisted she was told by an electrician "that something was wrong with the wiring". When asked to identify the electrician, she said it was a friend of a friend who looked like me. That was the last service call I did for that particular apartment.

Another time it was a co-worker complaining that a new computer keyboard was giving her shocks and making her sick. She announced she was certain of the cause, having researched EMF on the internet. Perhaps it was coincidental that the company we worked for was on a downsizing trend.

I agree that there is always a possibility that they are feeling something but IMO the fact that the people have usually have determined the cause based on something read on the internet is very telling. The power of the mind over body is often amazing.
 
Sensitive

Sensitive

Since the 120 v receptacles on a 60 v to ground system have no rgounded conductor used for carrying current, 647.3 (1) 2008 won't allow them in a dwelling.
Maybe in some type of commercial observation ward though . . .:roll:
 
Sensitive



Since the 120 v receptacles on a 60 v to ground system have no rgounded conductor used for carrying current, 647.3 (1) 2008 won't allow them in a dwelling.
Maybe in some type of commercial observation ward though . . .
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Now that's funny, and true!!!
 
The human race never ceases to amaze me.

Not that long ago doctors laughed out loud when one of their own insisted that sanitizing hands and surgical instruments would help avoid the spread of disease. When i was a young buck I cut and installed asbestos tiles with a skill saw and bare hands, now I see guys in space suits removing the crap.

My only point is this: it pays to keep an open mind. In the absence of overwhelming evidence, keep an open mind. Twenty years from now what is common knowledge may suprise you.
 
charlie b said:
So tell me, Marc, were you the electrician for the Winchester House? :wink:
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No, but I would have gladly worked for a nut like Mrs. Winchester. Guys are getting the responsibilities of design-build mixed up with work that is really no different than plan & spec. Only in the case of working for a nut job, the plans and specs are their own and not those of a registered design professional. Just make sure that your install meets the NEC and the customer's spec, and your obligations are fulfilled.
 
mdshunk said:
No, but I would have gladly worked for a nut like Mrs. Winchester. Guys are getting the responsibilities of design-build mixed up with work that is really no different than plan & spec. Only in the case of working for a nut job, the plans and specs are their own and not those of a registered design professional. Just make sure that your install meets the NEC and the customer's spec, and your obligations are fulfilled.
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Keeping your personal opinions to yourself then, correct? I'd go along with that, because that's my M.O. Sometime it's a fine line when the customer asks "In your opinion what do you think about xyz...?" Are you asking me what I would do, or are you asking me to tell you what you should do? And really, aren't they both personal opinions? Design-build is a toughy for me. (unless it IS my call).
 
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A spinoff of this thread got me thinking and looking, and I finally dug up some posts from Karl Riley about his encounters with EMF. Here is a previous post quoting him on EMF for your perusal. I imagine some people really can feel EMF, whether 99% of us can or not.
 
wbalsam1 said:
...creates a reddening of the skin with burning sensations, headaches, loss of equilibrium and severe body aches.

The person alleges that turning circuits off and sitting in a darkened house is the only relief...
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So how do we know this isn't a sensitivity to light?

Photophobia is a symptom of excessive sensitivity to light and the aversion to sunlight or well-lit places. In medical terms it is not fear, but an experience of discomfort or pain to the eyes due to light exposure.

A common symptom of erythropoietic protoporphyria is very painful photosensitivity, manifesting itself as a burning sensation on the surface of the skin.

No, I'm not a a doctor, but I watch enough TV to be somewhat knowledgable in these matters... :D
House - Season 3 - Episode 9 - "Finding Judas"
 
George Stolz said:
A spinoff of this thread got me thinking and looking, and I finally dug up some posts from Karl Riley about his encounters with EMF. Here is a previous post quoting him on EMF for your perusal. I imagine some people really can feel EMF, whether 99% of us can or not.
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Thank you George. This will be helpful.:)
 
Rampage_Rick said:
So how do we know this isn't a sensitivity to light?

Photophobia is a symptom of excessive sensitivity to light and the aversion to sunlight or well-lit places. In medical terms it is not fear, but an experience of discomfort or pain to the eyes due to light exposure.

A common symptom of erythropoietic protoporphyria is very painful photosensitivity, manifesting itself as a burning sensation on the surface of the skin.

No, I'm not a a doctor, but I watch enough TV to be somewhat knowledgable in these matters... :D
House - Season 3 - Episode 9 - "Finding Judas"
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Thanks for your post.
 
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