Re: Stray voltage at livestock fountain

Posted by John T on June 24, 2013 at 14:10:36 from (216.249.76.176):

In Reply to: Stray voltage at livestock fountain posted by Danofarming on June 24, 2013 at 11:27:37:

Okay heres the real deal as best I recall, its been years since I retired as an AC Power Distribution Electrical Design Engineer remember, so no warrantty on the latest Codes.

1) The what you call "tingle" sounds like its stray voltage thats between the metallic water frame and mother earth.

2) You measure that voltage across the two points where it exists i.e. mother earth and the metal fame WELL DUHHHHHHHHH

3) If its the stray voltage caused by what I suspect, its of very low energy, so any reading a meter might register depends on the type of meter and its impedance and depending on how wet the earth is and how deep you insert a voltage probe ITS NO TELLING WHAT YOU MAY OR MAY NOT READ (still dont mean Bossy cant feel it).

4) NOTE In normal circumstances when you feed a remote outbuilding from a sub panel, you run seperate Neutral GrounDED Conductors and Equipment GroundING Conductors and keep them seperate and isolated in the panel. HOWEVER as best I recall there are grounding method exceptions in the NEC FOR BUILDINGS USED TO HOUSE LIVESTOCK, but Im rusty on the specifics CHECK WITH A LOCAL PROFESSIONAL LICENSED ELECTRICIAN OR ELECTRICAL ENGINEER OR LOCAL INSPECTION AUTHORITY OR UTILITY PROVIDERS FOR THOSE EXCEPTIONS NOTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTT BASED ON WHATS SAID HERE (lay or professional and not me) AS THEIR WORD IS WHAT COUNTS NONEEEEEEE OF OURS.

4) The reasossn for the above are livestock are known to stand barefooted in wet soil LOL and due the the capacitance and mutual inductance effects of the long runs of Neutral GrounDED Conductors in paralell with Equipment GroundING Conductors, the Equipment Ground can develop a potential higher them mother earth out at the remote building THEREFORE WHEN BOSSY IS STANDING DEEP IN WET EARTH AND HER NOSE TOUCHES THE WATERER she feels a tingle.

5) If you effectively bring the waterers case potential to that of the earth nearby, the stray voltage difference can be dissipated.

6) You mentioned checking connections???? I would start with all the Neutral bonds and splices and junctions,,,,,,,,,,,,I would insure good to mother earth GroundING Electrode(s) are present at the outbuilding, such may consist of "made electrodes" such as copper rods driven into the earth and other electrodes such as conductive gas and water pipes and buildings structural steel and foundation stell etc etc

YOU NEED GOOD TO MOTHER EARTH GROUNDING ELECTRODES (driven 8 or 10 ft copper rod or rods) AT THE OUTBUILDING.......INSURE THE WATERERS CAFE FRAME IS WELL BONDED TO THE EQUIPMENT GROUNDING CONDUCTOR..........INSURE THE EQUIPMENT GROUNDING CONDUCOR IS GOOD BACK TO THE PANEL

Thats enough for now, for life safety especially with outdoor electrical appliances use NEC grounding and bonding methods is my best professional, albeit rusty, opinion and check with trained professional electricians and engineers and utility providers if in doubt BEWARE OF LAY NON TRAINED BILLY BOB METHODS WHERE LIFE SAFETY IS CONCERNED. However, its your farm and building and money and risk so do it however you please.........

Best wishes n God Bless, keep safe, n dont let Old Bossy feel a tingle cuz she will never drink from there again CHECK THE AGRICULTURAL OUTBUILDING GROUNDING AND BONDING NEC EXCEPTIONS for the best method to reduce stray voltage...CHECK ALL EQUIPMENT GROUNDS for integrity and low impedance,,,,My "best guess" remains the equipment Ground out at the building is at a potential HIGHER then mother earth at the waterer OR ELSE the Equipment Ground is broken or has a bad loose corroded connection...... ID CHECK AND DEAL WITH ANY BAD GROUNDING CONNECTIONS FIRST......Then as/if necessary make Neutral and Equipment Grounds in accordance with NEC livestock building exceptions if theres still a potential voltage difference from earth to the waterer

Ol John T Long retired EE so no warranty on those NEC exceptions, but I do know they are for this purpose so livestock dont get shocked !!!!

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