Apparently there is some evidence to suggest that living next to substations or other mains installations can cause health problems. Does anyone have any knowledge of this (or should I just break out the tin-foil hat)?

(Thinking of taking on a house about 30 feet from a substation.)

No thanx No idea what the Magnetic field would be like

Friends live right next to a mini sub station. As in through the wall of their extension.

They have just split up and every time it is windy their ridge tiles fall off !

What more proof do you need ?

Ridge tiles?

That’s it, I’m staying well clear…!

The Health Protection Agency reckon (by proxy) that anything further than 5m away from a substation is not affected by it.
http://www.hpa.org.uk/Topics/Radiation/UnderstandingRadiation/InformationSheets/info_SubstationsAndEmfs/
They also say that emf around substations is less than the recommended maximum, even right next to them.

Also, there has never been any proven link between EMF and cancer. (and I believe, other sicknesses)

Also, there has never been any proven link between EMF and cancer.

I don’t know if the link is so unbelievable though.
[video]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=waacof2saZw[/video]

Thanks, Samuri – that’s the sort of information I was after…

I have no problems with cell towers and masts, but I certainly draw the line at sub-stations and high-tension cables and pylons. Just the fact that I’ve had electric shocks from my bike frame just standing under power cables puts me right off wanting to live anywhere near them.

Been doing heavy power and RF for the last twenty years, not overly convinced about the whole EM field danger thing but bear in mind we evolved to cope with the background radiation levels and natural EM from the sun, we have not evolved yet to cope with the man made environment so to be on the safe side would avoid a house next to a substation or radio mast.

I think more of the problem is from oil/chemical leakage from the site itself (they are supposed to be sealed and enclosed but….old transformers will always leak and old transformer oil will probably have had PCB’s or other lovelies in it, if its from the 70’s or earlier (believe me they are still about as a 400kv grid transformer is not cheap to replace).

Also “you tube” sub station explosion, a nearby lightning strike overload can lead to a fireball and/or explosion.

A 1MVA ground mount transformer will contain a lot of flammable oil.

Hell yeah you might awesome super powers.

[video]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1XZ5BYu3cfQ[/video]

Or maybe cancer.

On the upside – sounds like bargaining power to me.

Can you get any more info? Is it a primary sub or a distribution sub? Any idea how old it is? Local dno (distribution network operator) could answer those questions. If It’s new, it could be gas filled kit so no worry about environmental contamination. Also, subs blowing up is very very rare. That why most of the kit on the network is fifty or sixty years old. Where abouts in the country are you?

We lived right next door to one for 7 years with two young kids with no problems apart from the very occasional hum,when we came to sell it was raised by potenial buyers but only put some people off and we still soled in 4 weeks to another young family

I used to live in Faslane, never had any real problems

Onzadog, it is a distribution substation, probably installed in the 1960s/1970s (when the estate was built). The installation is about the size of a single garage.

…and boy does it hummmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm.

Could you wire up some big coils in your house nearest the substation and at least get a bit of free power for your troubles…? 🙂

It’s not quite free power – some people have been done for rigging up a cable under overhead power lines to get “free” energy 🙂

The only proven effect of EMF is to heat things up. So worst case you’ll save a bit on heating bills.

A lot of scaremongering information out there. Nothing solid from my own research.

What ever you do , never go near one if the doors are open, metal thieves are breaking into them to nick the coper earth strapping.

You may accidenmtly touch it or a live peice of cable, and never touch anyone you find in a sub station even if theyre getting electrocuted as it will get you as well.

grantway – Member

No thanx No idea what the Magnetic field would be like

Larger or smaller than Planet Earth’s magnetic field do you reckon?

your biggest problem will be pikeys spotting your bikes while they are casing the substation for copper.

?

Our impossibly wealthy neighbours had to have one of those ‘distributor’ types installed on their grounds purely to server their new build. Mind you, that’s £25m of new (3 years and counting) build 😯

Wouldn’t bother me – field strength in your house will be negligible compared to your Wifi in your living room / Mobile in your pocket..

Mind you, if the earthing copper does get pinched, you could find a lot of appliances going pop is there is a fault.

gwaelod – Member
grantway – Member
No thanx No idea what the Magnetic field would be like

Larger or smaller than Planet Earth’s magnetic field do you reckon?

Natural magnetic field and natural radiation our bodes can deal with
But the man made shit is a serious no no.
Thought that was common knowledge ?

The Earth’s natural magnetic field doesn’t cause you to get electric shocks from a bike frame, or any metal bits on it. Standing under 250,000v power cables does.
Stands to reason, then, that’s there’s obviously a significant difference. And while it’s certainly rare for urban sub-stations to cause problems, there have been two in my home town, Chippenham, in recent years. Fortunately they were far enough from houses to not cause damage, but I wouldn’t want one next door.

Invisible lead soup just not worth the risk

Natural magnetic field and natural radiation our bodes can deal with
But the man made shit is a serious no no.
Thought that was common knowledge ?

Common knowledge, maybe. Corrrect knowledge, no.