Uncontrolled Electricity / Ground Current Livestock Impacts Seminar
Trillium Mutual Insurance Company, Listowel, Ontario
November 29, 2012
9:45 AM – 3:00 PM
Seminar Summary
This Seminar was planned to provide information for greater understanding of the problem of
uncontrolled electricity/ground current on livestock and poultry farms in Ontario, on more
appropriate testing procedures and give direction for future on-farm research.
The Seminar was organized and hosted by the Perth County Federation of Agriculture. It was
chaired by the current County President Darryl Terpsta. The sponsors were EastGen, Holstein
Ontario, Farm Credit Canada, Ideal Supply, Grand Valley Fortifiers, and Trillium Mutual
Insurance
Close to 125 persons were in attendance representing the wide range of livestock production
sectors, feed distributors, veterinarians, electricians, the media, Hydro One and LDC’s,
municipal and provincial politicians, insurance, banking, farm equipment suppliers, etc.
Morning Session
Keynote speakers:
Dr. Magda Havas, Trent University, Peterborough, Ontario, conducting research on
environmental issues impacting on human health, including uncontrolled electricity.
Mr. Lorne Lantz, Wellesley Ontario, Electronic Technician, conducting on-farm uncontrolled
electricity testing and mitigation.
Industry and farm people discussing the extent of the problem and the issues being experienced
on farms with uncontrolled electricity in Ontario, moderated by Barry Fraser, Chatham, Ontario,
included:
Mr. Mark Erb, Milk Producer, Tavistock, Ontario.
Mr. Wim Boonzaijer, Pork Producer, Ridgetown, Ontario.
Mr. Roman Leutenneger, Milk Producer, Kurtsville,, Ontario.
EastGen, Guelph, Ontario.
The presentations given by the presenters are available in PowerPoint format on the Perth
County Farmers website at http://www.perthcountyfarmers.ca/ . These PPT presentations will
serve as the summaries for the individual presentations.
The Seminar Summary notes were taken and then delivered by Dr. Jim Morris, Ridgetown,
Ontario.
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Key Points (Dr. Magda Havas):
1. Uncontrolled electricity (ground current, stray voltage, tingle voltage) on farms can be due to
some combination of:
a. off farm sources (faulty wiring on adjacent farms, distribution lines, transmission
lines, substations, and wind turbines),
b. on-farm sources (faulty wiring, fluorescent or halogen lighting, equipment especially
ones that have variable speed controls).
2. Uncontrolled electricity flowing through the ground can be measured and characterized by
turning off power to the farm, by turning different types of equipment on and off, and by
comparing the frequency finger print of the ground current or cow contact to the PNEV
(primary neutral to earth voltage).
3. Levels of uncontrolled electricity flowing through the ground that are biologically active
(harmful) differ based on frequency (energy). High frequencies, from harmonics and
transients, are more biologically harmful that 60-Hz frequency. Consequently these two
different frequency ranges require different standards. A value of 0.5 V peak to peak for 60
Hz and 10 mV peak to peak for higher frequencies should be considered as the upper
limit.
4. The values that should be measured and reported are peak–to–peak values rather than root–
mean squared (rms) values as the animals experiences the former.
5. If the problem is associated with off-farm sources then off farm solutions are required.
Installing isolators and blockers may provide an interim solution as they make the problem
worse for neighbours.
6. On-farm sources, such as faulty wiring of equipment, need to be resolved on farm. Filters
are available for equipment that produces transients and harmonics but not all filters are alike
and need to be tested for efficacy.
7. Symptoms of uncomfortable animals include hoof lifting and kicking (dancing cows),
swollen joints, sores that do not heal, muscle twitching (not associated with insects),
agitation, lapping at water, reduced food intake, hesitation moving from one part of the barn
to another, incomplete milk letdown and elevated somatic cell count (dairy), mastitis,
infertility, miscarriages, and sudden or premature death.
8. Resolution of the uncontrolled electricity problem results in improved heard health and
productivity within a matter of days.
Uncontrolled electricity is not restricted to rural areas and is becoming a problem in urban
centres as well. Major exposure in urban areas is through the plumbing in the home. The effects
of uncontrolled electricity are not restricted to farm animals (cattle, hogs, poultry, sheep,
goats and horses). This type of exposure also affects human health and fertility.
Key points (Lorne Lantz):
1
Use current as a means of testing along with voltage, this will show the amount of
current flow. Reason, voltage only shows the pressure, you can have a low voltage and
high current flow
2 The farm operation should be totally isolated from the utilities and neighboring
operations. There must not be any direct connections of the secondary outputs of
neighboring transformers. This will stop any on farm problem at one farm, showing up at
a second farm.
3 Isolation will also help to stop lightning from coming directly into the farm operation on
the utility lines
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4
Use transformers that are rated for full voltage of the Primary side. The ones in used
today are only rated for 58% of the Primary voltage.
5 Hammond Filters must have a monitor to indicate any voltage on the grounding system
due to partial faults.
6 A on farm 4 wire system will stop any secondary neutral voltage and current onto the
grounding system
7 The 4 wire system will eliminate the use of a Hammond Filter when there is a blocker
separating the Primary Neutral and Secondary Neutral
8 The 4 wire system is greatly helpful in trouble shooting on farm problems. Fault current
can be monitored on the ground return wire to help determine its source
9 Your grounding system should not have any continuous current flow on it from any
source. Its purpose is to return any fault current back to its source and trip a breaker.
Ground current can be detected on the grounding system with a Dairyland Isolator in place.
Summary of questions, answers, and discussion:
Dr. Magda Havas – Ground Current 101
Q1
A
Do underground lines reduce exposure?
This should help but problems can still exist. It depends on grounding.
Q2
A
Is the 220V better than the 110V system?
The grounding of electricity is problematic. The Delta system where all the excess
current returns to source on the primary return line has fewer problems than the Wye
system (grounded) system that we have here in Canada and the US.
Q3
A
Are there other factors impacting on power quality?
Unbalanced linear loads, fluorescent light bulbs, variable speed equipment. Balancing
load, increasing the capacity of the primary neutral wire (5 wire system) and installing
filters can help.
Comment – Ground current can adversely affect changes in blood sugar for diabetics,
symptoms for those with multiple sclerosis, and the aggressiveness of cancers and other
diseases.
Q4
A
Can dirty equipment cause dirty power?
Yes – check out equipment and clean up using a filter. Isolation transfers can be
problematic to farmers.
Q5
A
Is equipment being regulated here in Ontario?
Not as it should be and this is a problem.
Q6
A
Is it different in California than here? Why?
They use a two insulated bushing phase to phase transformer with full voltage insulation
rating, this requires no connection of Primary Neutral to Secondary Neutral, nor does it
require the need to multi-ground the Primary Neutral
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Q7
A
Is there a safe distance from high voltage lines?
Magnetic fields generally return to background levels by 100 meters, but ground currents
can travel kilometers.
Q8 What does the Ontario Energy Board do?
Comment – The OEB has little or no experience in dealing with stray voltage/current. Farmers
are independent and proud of their animals and their management. They often keep their
problems to themselves and tend not to discuss these issues with others. They are also
less likely to request help even if the problems are from off farm sources. Therefore the
OEB does not hear of the issues and nor do the utilities/Local Distribution Companies
(LDC’S).
Q9
A
Is the problem with uncontrolled electricity worse at the end of the line?
Yes – Any neutral to earth current left over goes into the ground at the end.
Q10 Where can you get filters?
A
You can get filters (Graham-Stetzer filters) from the manufacturer
(www.stetzerelectric.com). They are also available locally from Bio Ag Consultants in
Wellesley, Ontario (http://www.bio-ag.com/) and from www.getpurepower.ca in other
parts of Ontario and Canada. These filters reduce high frequencies between 4 to 150 kHz
(a range that is biologically active).
Q11 What about variable speed motors?
A
These are a problem and difficult to filter. One needs proper testing to identify frequency
issues and ground currents. Need to measure peak-to-peak voltages and currents when
testing.
Q12 Are transient spikes problematic?
A
Yes, much more problematic than the 60-Hz frequency and because of this they require
stricter standards. Transients can be generated by energy saving light bulbs to tree
branches on the wires to variable speed motors.
******************************
Lorne Lantz – Unseen - Uncontrolled
Q1
Do rubber floors help with uncontrolled electricity?
A
No, how do you keep them dry? Urine contains salt and helps the current. You must get
rid of the source.
Q2
Does insolation help?
Yes, from the Primary Neutral. But ground current will not be stopped by insolation.
A
Ground current may not be stopped by insolation. Shielding may help to move current
away from the animals, but it is not the total answer.
Q3
A
Do other power factors affect the situation?
Yes, could be substantial – Voltage changes and current lags.
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Q4
How do the Green Energy projects affect the system?
A
Field testing shows 6000 -24000 cycles/sec. present. High frequency current is linked
between the house and the barn by grounding being hooked to the water pipes. There is a
constant magnetic field from wind turbines and high frequency currents on the grounding
system.
Q5
What can we use to test for ground current activity?
A
Amp meter, 1 m amp range or a set of head phones hooked up to two grounded rods will
let you hear the activity. Also listening to marginal AM radio stations will allow you to pick up
EMF’s.
Q6
A
Is uncontrolled electricity a factor with closeness to a substation?
Probably, especially with single phase and unbalanced 3-phase.
Q7
What can be done with farm grounding?
A
Install an isolation device. A 4 wire system is recommended to bond the grounding
system back to the sec. neutral at the pole. A service should be done this way.
Q8
A
What is an induction transformer?
All transformers use induction principal, isolation transformer? It is a1 to 1 ratio
transformer that isolates the farm service from the pole or pad mount transformer output.
Q9
A
What happens when electrical lines are buried near water lines and tile?
No problem. Most water lines and tile are plastic.
Q10
A
What are the various voltages on lines?
High voltage transmission lines 150KV,230 KV, 500KV Sub transmission lines 44KV
Rural distribution lines 4.8KV,12.5KV
Q11 Can overhead lines interact with buried lines?
A
Not really.
Comment -Dr. Havas indicated that with towers (cell phone) frequencies can get along the
ground in the mega and giga hz range, all of which are biologically active.
Lantz -Stated continuous effects over time is a big factor. One cannot escape it, it is unseen and
uncontrolled.
******************************
Afternoon Session
After lunch the industry/farm people gave presentations in the form of a panel to highlight and
relate the widespread nature of uncontrolled electricity and how it has an impact on their
respective farms as well as to what took place relevant to mitigation.
Barry Fraser chaired the panel and before beginning the panel presentations called on Lee
Montgomery who is likely the longest experienced person dealing with uncontrolled electricity
on the farm. He began his issues with his dairy herd in the mid 1970’s.
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Lee Montgomery indicated that it is critical to have testing completed to solve the electrical
issues on farms. Lee dealt with the problem in his prize dairy herd from 1976 until he sold the
cattle in 1992. He stated that Edison, back in the beginning of electricity development, urged to
never put this current into the ground. Get this stuff out of the ground! We also need to
remember that there is a human health toll as well.
Fraser – The panel this afternoon could be called “If Dead Cows Could Talk”. This is the title
of a book written by Nancy Bellville of Michigan relating about she and her husband’s
experiences with uncontrolled electricity on their dairy farm. Farmers are managers of risk.
They always have farm management plans to control a wide range of risks. Now they need a
plan to manage ground current as well.
Panel Speakers. Again the PPT presentations of all the panel speakers are on line
www.perthcountyfarmers.ca. This below summarizes the questions and answers of the panel.
Wim Boonzaijer – Ridgetown - 200 sow Farrow- Finishing operation- “Our Farm”.
Mark Erb – Tavistock – 100 cow milking herd – “ Laughing on the Outside – Crying on the
Inside”.
Roman Leutenegger – Kurtsville – 90 Milking cows – “Our Story”.
EastGen – Supplier of genetic products and services to Ontario’s agriculture community
livestock industries -Dairy in particular – “EastGen Statement”
*****************************
General Question and Answer period – All Speakers
Q1 to the panel – What key comments would you have relating to your experience?
A
Boonzaijer – It was hard facing the herd in the morning. This story is not made-up but a
real situation.
Erb – He was encouraged with what he heard today. He wished that he knew this earlier.
Loneliness was the most detrimental issue here- physically, emotionally and spiritually. It was
his faith that saw him through.
Leutenegger – Couldn’t talk it over with anyone. Felt isolated re some issues. Buildings
and management were excellent but the problem remained.
Comments
Havas – new structures potentially amplify the problem. These problems are so predictable that
it’s sad the problem has not been solved earlier. Why not help the producers? The utility should
step up more effectively. Dave Stetzer, an electrical technician from Wisconsin, who has been
helpful here in Ontario, says that the utilities used to be run by Engineers and solved the
problem. Now many Lawyers are involved and now worried about litigation. To move ahead
everyone should work together towards mitigation.
Lantz – New Dairy and Hog barns have greater demands on electricity with milking, ventilation,
feeding, manure tanks etc. These new structures are drawing harder for current. Proper testing
is very important. The ‘public relations people’ sent to help farmers do not know of procedures
to test for current, only cow contact. They often ask questions of the farmers for testing. Head
phones can be used to listen to ground current activity. Proper testing is needed to know what is
going on.
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The Ontario Energy Board has little experience to direct the needed testing on farms. It needs to
be advised by farm organizations on the actual requirements needed, including more properly
trained, skilled technicians.
Q
What baseline data is needed to solve the problem? Here Barry asked for the 3 farmers
for their comments on this.
Erb - Need electricians to make sure the equipment they are using is OK. We need to know
who to go to for help. Often farmers keep quiet with their mouths shut and suffer – and run the
risk of much increased financial impacts. After reaching out and sharing information with others
to get the answers we need from other individuals to help us must be much more of a priority.
Leutenegger -The same story as Mark’s. The costs keep rising without answers including
veterinarian, nutritionists with their feed analysis, electricians, and then after all of this still no
answer and things continue to not go right in the barn.
Lantz commented that we want no continuous current flow on the grounding system from any
source.
Erb
Dairy is not the only industry affected. Hogs and poultry are as well. In addition to a
drop in production and breeding efficiency there were abortions. I was not happy and considered
leaving the farm.
Lantz – This was not your problem alone, it is that of the utility as well.
Boonzaijer
We went through ventilation, veterinary, feed analysis, engineering, etc.
assessments. Hydro One was in to test and even asked where to hook up for testing. They were
of limited help. With their advice they installed two blockers.
Havas commented that she was amazed at the ignorance of the people in the industry. They
claim that they are doing something positive like grounding more poles to every 3rd pole or even
less.
Lantz indicated that a designated neutral is needed with only one connection to earth at the
substation, Right now ,due to all the grounding to Earth, a larger Primary Neutral will help very
little.
Steve Dolson, the question moderator, said that he experienced problems and checked on the
local wind farm. They called within a month, not the very few days I understand they are
supposed to do. They suggested putting in a recorder, check the lines first, add grounding and
determine if the problem is on-farm or off-farm. Not helpful – all my responsibility.
Leutenegger – Equipment issues on his farm were related to equipment including the variable
speed vacuum pump and the Big Ass fans. Improper grounding was a factor. Changing back to
the old ways worked and changing to a new drive helped.
Boonzaijer
Ground currents on the farm created problems on the chart.
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Q
Would a silo tower for internet be a problem?
A
Unlikely. If near a cell tower, real problems can occur and harder to mitigate. Should be
500m to2-3 km away (same as radar).
Q
How deep is ground current?
A
Primarily surface. Lower frequency can be deeper. Higher frequencies are more surface.
For deep ground currents a conduit can be used to direct the current. A shield (42”) can spread
out and move current around the farmstead.
Lantz commented that testing for ground current with power on and power off in conjunction
with the utility is needed.
Magda responded to where the issue should be measured saying that it should be on the neutral.
There is not enough capacity on the primary neutral. A 5TH wire along the grid (two neutral
lines) is helpful. Once done disconnect all primary neutrals. Get the current out of the ground.
Electrical technicians need proper training and they need to respond quickly to calls and resolve
the issues quickly. Help the customers and quit until the problem is resolved.
Lantz stated that the 4 wire system should be on the farm. All services on the farm should be
wired this way. Detecting current on the 4th wire is a more direct way in trouble shooting on farm
problems.
Q
Does underground wiring overheat?
Lantz No, if properly sized
*******************************
Where to from here?
Lantz - We need to prove to the Utilities that this is a huge problem. Transformers must meet full
voltage rating of the Primary Line (not 58% as we have now) and be the two bushing type.
Remove all grounding of the Primary Neutral line to Earth. This includes the direct connection of
the Primary Neutral to the Secondary Neutral at each transformer. Install a safety ground that
would connect the case of the transformer back to the substation with multi-ground points along
the way to pick up any fault current from downed Primary wires. This would provide total
isolation for the farm with no ground currents to deal with.
- We need the proof of what is happening and we need proper testing to determine where
the problem is coming from – off the farm or on the farm. The testing needs to be done by
progressively turning off and on electrical devices to determine causes, and as well, by turning
on and off the primary neutral to the ground.
-The Ontario Energy Board has little experience to direct the needed testing on farms. It
needs to be advised by farm organizations on the actual requirements needed, including more
properly trained, skilled technicians.
Leutenegger - Why not look at Europe for answers because the problem is less there?
Erb – It is necessary for trained and experienced electrical technicians like Lorne Lantz to bridge
with the utility like Hydro One.
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- Need electricians to make sure the equipment they are using is OK. We need to know who
to go to for help. Often farmers keep quiet with their mouths shut and suffer – and run the risk of
much increased financial impacts. After reaching out and sharing information with others to get
the answers we need from other individuals to help us must be much more of a priority.
Boonzaijer - There are significant financial losses incurred by the farmers impacted with these
problems and there is significant animal suffering as well. An appropriate resolution of the
uncontrolled electricity must include these factors. It is as matter of animal welfare.
Morris – Not to solve the issue of uncontrolled electricity on farms is to accept a lower standard
of animal well-being on the farm.
Havas – Any recommendation should focus on training people to do the proper testing. Maybe
Dave Stetzer from Wisconsin should be invited to put on a session with Hydro One, the other
LDC’s and others in electrical service business. She offered to help organize such an educational
endeavour.
Lantz-Some of my information is “copyrighted by the IEEE”.
Barry concluded with a suggestion that a committee of interested stakeholders in the animal
production sectors be formed to work on the next steps based on what was said today. He noted
that several times it was mentioned that electrical and production base line recording needs to
take place both on-farm and off-farm, especially if new local circumstances development.
All of the very valid points made today need to be heeded and acted on!
Notes taken by:
Dr. Jim Morris
Ridgetown ON
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