Dirty Power / Dirty Electricity
What is dirty power or dirty electricity?
By dirty power we mean interference potentials on the power lines and the resulting influences. Let us deal with the problem, which is essentially due to Prof. Dr. Magda Havas and David Stetzer, we have to differentiate between two aspects: On the one hand, there is the technical part of the harmonics on the power grid and, on the other hand, the biological / sonic consequences. These result from the effect of the harmonics of the power grid on the human body.
We have the research results of Dr. Magda Havas in short.
Evaluation criteria
In order to assess the intensity of the influence on the human body, Magda Havas uses a concept developed by Prof. Dr. Martin Graham, Professor Emeritus at the University of California, Berkeley USA, and Dave Stetzer, President of Stetzer Electric. Graham and Stetzer developed so-called GS units, which are defined as 24 volts / second. It is not just a frequency and its intensity that is assessed, but the speed of the increase - i.e. its structure. Because harmonics with a higher frequency have a stronger influence on the body than harmonics with lower frequencies. The recommended amount of GS units in a household is now estimated at 30 GS units. Electro-sensitive people should not exceed 25 GS units.
The relationship between the DC units of voltage and frequency was presented by Dr. Magda Havas there as follows:
Graham and Stetzer limit themselves to the range between approx. 4.000 Hz to approx. 150.000 Hz, since Russian studies show a particularly strong influence on the human body here.
Modification of the power network by means of an analog hi-fi amplifier
The picture on the left shows the harmonic exposure in a mixed residential and commercial building (75 GS units). The right picture shows the harmonic load with the analog full amplifier NAD 316 (139 GS units) switched on. The harmonic load has almost doubled on the connector strip!
TCO standard is based on a similar consideration
The TCO standard common for computer monitors (currently TCO Certified Displays 6.0 from March 05.03.2012, 2.000) also tightens the measured values from 10 Hz from 2.000 volts per meter below 1 Hz to 2.000 volt / meter above XNUMX Hz Line measured, while the TCO standard provides for a field measurement on the monitor.
This speed-related evaluation of the Graham-Stetzer method has led to discussions in building biology. Since building biologists still use measuring devices that measure broadband and do not allow differentiated, frequency-related analyzes. With the TCO 99 measurement there are usually only rough measuring ranges TCO 99 band 1 from 5 Hz to 2.000 Hz and TCO 99 band 2 from 2.000 to 400.000 Hz. Therefore, the much more cost-intensive spectrum analyzers for differentiated evaluations are missing in classical building biology.
The ingenious thing about the speed-related Graham / Stetzer measurement is that higher frequencies are rated more strongly (proportional to the frequency) than lower frequencies and the result is given as a value. This corresponds to the research results on which Graham and Stetzer work. As an alternative to GS measurement for analysis, a complex spectrum analysis would otherwise have to be carried out.
The dirty power problem is measured on the line by Graham and Stetzer as well as Havas. The building biologists, on the other hand, measure the resulting field. Whether conventional field measuring devices are able to assess the intensity of the biological effect is based on the work of Prof. Dr. Ing.Konstantin Meyl highly controversial. According to Meyl, the fields measured by the building biologists can only be an indicator, while the disturbances on the network themselves indicate the actual disturbance potential. Building biologists naturally see this differently.
The investigations of the dirty power problem were carried out by Magda Havas with GS units, that is, on the line with their actual interference potential. These investigations come to clear results. Magda Havas uses the simple microsuge meter that Prof. Dr. Martin Graham developed (See NAD 316 Harmonic Measurement above).
The higher the GS units, the more intense the health / functional impairments. In our investigations, we take into account this relationship shown by Magda Havas by taking additional spectral measurements in the low-frequency range and high-frequency range in addition to the classic broadband, building biology measurements.
We consider the interference potential on lines with our spectrum analyzers. For exact measurements we use active differential samples or active samples from 0 to 1,3 GHz.
We measure the transition from the cable to the environment using magnetic or electrical sniffer probes (near field samples) up to 9 GHz.
Our field measurements are measurements of the magnetic fields (in amperes / meter) and electric fields (in volts / meter) from 0 to 20MHz as well as the power flux density (watt / square meter) of electromagnetic waves up to 9,4 GHz. For this we use various broadband 3D measuring systems from building biology and, on the other hand, spectrum analyzers.
Humans always provide a specific receiving antenna for the fields. We measure this antenna effect of the human body by means of so-called body voltage measurements. We also measure these spectrally up to 20MHz.
The physiological effect on the human nervous system is then determined using a heart rate variability EKG. An EKG is analyzed by a computer system and key figures for heart regulation and the status of the autonomic nervous system are determined.
This helps us to better understand the sound interference potentials on the power grid, the device dimensions or the connection cables and their sound effects.
Dr. Magda Havas and Dave Stetzer also document the transition from the power line to the field around the power line.
In recent years, energy efficiency has led to particularly aggressive types of dirty power: switched-mode power supplies (plasma TVs, LCD TVs, computers, laptops, chargers) as well as energy-saving lamps, dimmers and many more.
Energy saving lamps generate high electrical fields
One main cause of the extreme increase in dirty power is the energy-saving lamp. The trade journal Öko-Test demonstrated that these lamps emit electrical fields of up to around 70 volts / meter in a frequency range of over 2.000 Hz. In contrast, computer monitors should emit electrical fields above 2.000 Hz at a maximum of 1 volt / meter. It sounds absurd, but you can't place as many monitors around yourself so that you are exposed to the radiation intensity as with just one energy-saving lamp. The radiation intensity is multiplied in most cases, as work lights are often installed at head height and close to the head due to better illumination. Our measurement of energy-saving lamp vs halogen lamp (below) shows the problem as a spectrum analysis. In the extremely sensitive area around 60kHz, two strong harmonics up to over 2 volts / meter can be seen.
It is true that the line-related measurement of dirty power must not be compared with the field measurement of the TCO standard for monitors. There are differences. If, however, there is knowledge about interference fields from monitors, then it is legitimate and imperative to also refer to this for all other field sources, especially energy-saving lamps.
You can easily test whether your light source or all other sources emit dirty power with a pocket radio with AM function.
- Switch on pocket radio,
- Select the AM band
- Set the frequency between two stations. You hear noise.
- Carry out a reference measurement (without lamp) at the mains socket by holding the pocket radio near the mains socket. If the noise in the vicinity of the socket does not change, you only have 50 Hz - so no dirty power problem. With an increase in noise, you have harmonics on the network.
- Now switch on your lamp and go near your light source. If the noise increases, your light source generates additional harmonics.
- You can carry out the test with power packs, displays, dimmers, but also with HiFi devices. Also compare an amplifier (analog) and a CD player or network player (is digital). Digital devices are particularly critical.
The body as an antenna for the low frequency of the energy-saving lamp
It is also particularly critical that the human body, acting as an antenna, directly picks up this interference from the energy-saving lamp. Body tension measurements carried out by us clearly show this. The measurements below show the body voltage with and without the energy-saving lamp switched on at a distance of 1 m as well as a measurement with and without a person. As can be seen, humans provide the perfect antenna for dirty power!
The fields of the energy-saving lamp received by the body create stress
The fields received by the body create stress. The graphic below shows the change in heart rate variability (HRV) parameters of a test person when an energy-saving lamp is switched on. All HRV parameters worsen.
In addition to energy-saving lamps and switched-mode power supplies, systems such as D-LAN are also used. Here, too, a signal is modulated onto the power line. These signals are of course emitted by the cables and affect the human body. On August 05.08.1932th, 3, Dr. Erwin Schliephake carried out his research on radio wave syndrome in the weekly medical journal. He demonstrated that workers who worked on shortwave transmitters (shortwave transmitters 30 MHz to XNUMX MHz) had symptoms such as weak nerves, headaches, depression, as well as fatigue during the day and insomnia at night.
The people who had insomnia at night or other complaints were not exposed to the shortwave transmitters at the same time. These electromagnetic waves influenced sustained human biology! This beyond the irradiation period, sustainable The effect can be seen in many studies, for example in the ATHEM study by the Medical Faculty of the University of Vienna!
During the investigation, Schliephake made it clear that these phenomena could not be explained by the action of heat. As also, the radiation exposure was long gone, sometimes for hours or days! The DLAN systems (80 MHz to 2 MHz) work in this area, which has been proven to be biologically critical for 68 years. The D-LAN systems work with a lower “transmission power”, but due to the unadjusted antenna (power line) there is a high antenna noise component. This alone is for Prof. Dr. K. Meyl the biologically relevant variable. The downside of technological progress is obvious: never before has humans put such a strain on their domestic environment as in the past 10 years.
The perfect umbrella solution
A shielding technology that shields the sockets very broadband was so absolutely overdue and with ours Nano Shield technology and the Vortex HiFi Nano Shield Power Plug we have found the perfect problem solution.
The Vortex HiFi Dirty Power analyzes are therefore carried out as a spectrum analysis and far beyond the NF range in order to be able to better assess the actual effect on people and their hearing. The Vortex HiFi Nano Shield shielding technology even reaches up to a fabulous 40GHz.
Ground-related measurements show interference potentials of the devices
The interference potential shows us, for example, the mass-related measurement on the cinch sockets of a Pioneer A-30 integrated amplifier.
The fields around a cinch cable that actually arise from the ground errors look like this:
If we either reduce the radiation potential of the ground interference by reducing the ground potential or the radiation via the cable (antenna), the result is a lower interference field and the sound is better.
The phasing out of power cables is HiFi standard and shows the correctness of the assumption that the sound is influenced by the dirty power of the nerves.
These sound improvements through less interference on the ground, without the signal changing, are a constant in HiFi. For a good sound, the phase out of the devices is a necessary and common procedure nowadays. The photos below of a voltmeter with the correct and incorrect position of the mains plug show how the interferences on the ground change. The NAD amplifier measured here shows approx. 118 volts on ground when the mains plug is incorrectly turned and approx. 45 volts when the plug is correctly turned.
The tonal changes of the different ground potentials due to the phase out (plug turning) are undisputed in HiFi circles. It is interesting that here, too, there is practically no change in the signal. The two square measurements on a Pioneer N50 were taken once with the power plug inserted incorrectly and once with the power plug inserted correctly. The tonal difference is very clear - neither on the square pulse nor in the FFT analysis, however, was a change to be seen. This is also a clear indication that it is not the signal but the radiation that determines the sound. This works via the direct effect on the human nervous system, as Dr. Magda Mavas describes.
But not only the disturbances on the ground fall within the biologically relevant frequency spectrum of over 2.000 Hz. The music signal also emits a “dirty signal” via speaker cables. The recommendation of 50 GS units is always far exceeded for listening to music at a loud hi-fi level. We have found that the signal is very likely to affect the human body and hearing.
So we made experiments with loudspeakers that were connected to earth potential and shielded. This did not lead to a signal difference but to clear field differences on the loudspeaker and in the sound quality. See measurements below.
To increase the efficiency of a loudspeaker, a coil with many turns is built to multiply the (magnetic) field strength. In our experience, it is likely that the tweeter coil also has a multiple effect on the body. This explains the extreme increase in the sound quality of our interference suppression devices when they are used directly on the tweeter or on the loudspeaker chassis and on the crossover.
Dirty power effects
Magda Havas has also examined the influence of power grid harmonics on various clinical pictures (diabetes, multiple sclerosis), as well as on electro-sensitive people. In the video contribution "Multiple Sclerosis and Dirty Power" she documented the influence of harmonics on the power grid on the nervous system of a multiple sclerosis patient. The impressive difference between high and low DC units was achieved using classic building biology line filters. Although these influences cannot be applied to all multiple sclerosis patients and certainly not to healthy people, an influence on the nervous system is always to be expected here according to our physiological tests (see: How we measure). We, too, can demonstrate clear changes in the autonomous nervous system by means of HRV measurements in switched-mode power supplies of computers. The hearing system's ability to dissolve reacts and suffers greatly if a switched-mode power supply is plugged in independently of the hi-fi system in the same room or circuit in the house. Blood sugar regulation is just as affected. There are people who have massive problems regulating their blood sugar correctly under the increased harmonic influence of the electricity network.
The question arises: Is there a connection between the 49 percent increase in diabetes within ten years (according to AOK calculations) and the technologically-induced, drastic increase in harmonics on the network? Because energy-saving lamps alone increased the load on the power grid with harmonics several times over during this period.
For an efficient metabolism (and for optimal hearing) the human body needs a functional microcirculation of the blood in the capillaries. A basic requirement here are isolated, non-sticky blood cells that do not clog the capillaries. In the video "Live Blood Analysis and Electrosmog" Magda Havas explains how both low-frequency electrosmog and microwave radiation stick together blood cells. Thus, when viewed objectively, the basis for natural hearing (living) in our contemporary environment is missing.
If disturbances are now reduced to lines or ground, the sound increases in spatiality and richness of detail.
In our analyzes, we find that when the interference on the ground is reduced and the radiated fields are reduced without changing the electroacoustic parameters, clear changes in the sound occur.
Graphic Dirty Power Influence on an electrosensitive woman, source: www.magdahavas.com
An influence on the hearing system also occurred during the examinations by Magda Havas. In the case of an electro-sensitive female person, the graph shows the intensity of the respective physical problem in bar form as a function of the intensity of the harmonics on the network. Two facts are crucial to hearing. On the one hand, there is the influence on the central nervous system, which is represented by memory loss and confusion. Access to what has been learned is particularly important when listening. Second, the massive malfunction of the control systems that are responsible for hearing is conspicuous. These are expressed in the form of noises in the ears.
The importance of noise in the ears
Basically, noises in the ears (otoacoustic emissions - OAEs) are normal when listening. They are the sure sign of a differentiated, detailed listening and a perfect dynamic adjustment. In small children, noises in the ears are measured in order to be able to assess the undisturbed function of the inner ear. Noises in the ears can be distinguished and are indicators for the evaluation of the hearing ability. Two categories are important: the spontaneous OAEs, those without an external acoustic stimulus, and the evoked OAEs, which occur in connection with acoustic stimuli.
All OAEs provide information about the activity of the hearing system. Noises in the ear are sounds that arise in the inner ear in connection with its control systems in the cochlea and the brain. The simultaneous OAEs, which occur at the same time as an acoustic tone, are to be regarded as the reaction of the cochlea. The distorsively produced OAEs, which represent the difference tones to two acoustic stimulus tones, are probably caused by the cochlea. This looks different with the transitory evoked OAEs. Here a reaction of the inner ear arrives only after a time. This indicates that the evaluation process has been completed. This is an indicator of healthy, active hearing. However, all these evoked OAEs have a decisive disadvantage for measuring the response of the hearing system to electrosmog: There is no analysis of a complex stimulus such as music. The brain does not have to add any missing information or even completely ignore incorrect information, such as the directional information in hi-fi stereo via the head-related transfer function.
The OAEs are therefore not worthless, because the spontaneous OAEs are an indicator for disorders of the nervous system and / or the sensory cells themselves. The results of Magda Havas with regard to the noises in the ears that occur with Dirty Power indicate that the electrosmog that occurs in our hearing system impaired.
Further indications that there are disturbances of the nerve cells (information transmission / regulation) come from the microwave range. Prof. Dr. med. In his summary of the Russian "electrosmog research", Karl Hecht pointed out the influence of microwave radiation on the potentials of the auditory and optic nerves when these were pulsed.
The experiments carried out by Norbert Maurer with the experiment set from Prof. Dr. Ing.Konstantin Meyl show a very clear influence on ear noises. The resonance frequency (transmission frequency) used in the experiment was around 7 MHz, i.e. in the HF range. We can conclude from the experiments of other researchers and from our own investigations that the frequency range is not important for the influence on the nervous system. What we can say, however, is that interference always occurs when the radiating antenna is not perfectly designed for the frequency to be radiated. This is just as true for the power grid, loudspeaker cables or digital cables as it is for Meyl's experiment (specially built in this way) and for the pulsed signal used in Russian research.
Nerve disorder
Unlike other researchers who study the effects on humans, Meyl predicts a nerve disorder. Meyl assumes that the nervous system is influenced by the fact that a disturbance is coupled into the nerve conduction that has exactly the same wavelength (or a multiple), such as the length between the Ravier's constricting rings of the nerve cell. If a disturbance hits exactly the wavelength of these cord rings, a resonance occurs and the cell fires incorrectly. Since this system is based on resonance, disturbances can be very small in terms of their intensity. But the frequency has to be exactly right.
Then why can an influence occur at all emitted frequencies? Actually, it shouldn't occur at practically any frequency, because the frequency is never exactly right in reality? Now comes a groundbreaking discovery by Prof. Dr. Ing.Konstantin Meyl comes into play: the potential vortex. The potential vortex is the counter vortex in the non-conductor to the eddy current in the conductor. While the eddy current in the conductor (antenna) creates a vortex with a tendency to expand (skin effect), the counter-vortex behaves in exactly the opposite way and contracts. The potential vortex separates and contracts further and begins to rustle.
The potential vortex generates a frequency transformation that affects practically all frequencies, including the communication frequency of the nerve cell. The resulting potential vortices with their frequency transformation are the basic prerequisite for a biological effect at all.
In summary, we can say that dirty power is a problem of the mismatched lines of the power grid and thus also of all components that are necessary for power transmission such as fuses, power strips or power cables. The eddy currents occurring here and the insulation used as well as the cable lengths influence the potential vortex formation and the sound. HiFi reality also shows that all changes have an impact on the sound. So it is normal for there to be a stream sound without any signal changes.
The Dirty Power research provides us with explanations in the entire hi-fi area. The signal itself and thus all lines from the loudspeaker line to the audio line to the digital line can directly influence people and lead to sound changes without resulting in a change in the signal.