Trystan Casey
Measuring electricity in a person is referred to as body voltage (BV) testing, which provides information about the electrical environment of a person. BV testing detects the electric field charge on the skin but does not account for the role of the skin in impeding the flow of electricity. It is also not an accurate representation of the current that would travel through the body under different conditions, such as when the skin is wet. To accurately assess the harm caused by electricity in a person, it is important to measure the contact current, which refers to the electrical current that flows through a person's body when they come into physical contact with an electrically charged object.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Body Voltage | A body voltage test may detect the local electric field charge on the skin but will not represent the actual current that would travel through the body under wet vs. dry conditions. |
| Contact Current | Contact current refers to the electrical current that flows through a person's body when they come into physical contact with an object that is electrically charged. |
| Building Biologist | A Building Biologist can assess your home in person, which is considered the gold standard. |
| EMF Home Testing Consulting | EMF Home Testing Consulting can be used to measure EMF levels in your home if you don't live near a certified Building Biologist. |
| Grounding | To address electrical hazards from grounding, you can use a grounded bed sheet or grounding mat with an NCB between the mat and the outlet to stop the current. |
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What You'll Learn
Body voltage testing
To conduct a body voltage test, you will need a body voltage meter, which typically consists of three main parts: a digital multimeter, a skin probe sensor, and a grounding probe. The digital multimeter is a standard electrical test instrument that measures voltage. It can be purchased from hardware stores or online. The skin probe sensor is a short piece of wire with a “banana plug” connector at one end, which is inserted into the multimeter, and a bare metal end that makes contact with the skin. The grounding probe is used to determine the "zero" volts reference point by clipping it to a screwdriver driven into moist soil outside.
- Pick a location where you wish to test the electric fields, such as a bedroom or living room.
- Find a nearby outdoor location with accessible soil, ensuring it is not just a planter box but actual earth.
- Clip the alligator clip of the grounding probe to the metal shank of a screwdriver, ensuring a good connection. Wrap tape around the connection for added security.
- Insert the screwdriver into the moist soil.
- Set up the multimeter by turning the dial to the "AC Volts" setting.
- Insert the banana plug of the ground probe sensor and the skin probe sensor into the appropriate holes in the multimeter.
- Turn on the multimeter.
- Touch the bare metal end of the skin probe sensor to your skin to measure the voltage.
It is important to note that body voltage testing can be a complex process, and there may be variations in the specific steps and requirements depending on the equipment used and the specific goals of the test. Additionally, body voltage testing is often used in conjunction with other methods, such as identifying and mitigating the impact of specific circuits on body voltage.
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Contact current
The effects of low-voltage shocks vary with the specific current path, duration of contact, the person's weight, height, and body build. If the current path goes through the chest, continuous tetanic contractions of the chest wall muscles can result in respiratory arrest. Currents in excess of 18 mA stimulate the chest muscles so that breathing is stopped during the shock. Another effect that occurs with a transthoracic current path is ventricular fibrillation, which can be fatal. The threshold for ventricular fibrillation that can cause fatal heart irregularities is approximately 100 mA.
To determine the impedance distribution in any area of the body, electrical impedance tomography (EIT) can be used. This technique is based on the idea that different tissues have different electrical characteristics. By applying an alternating current to contact electrodes arranged in different patterns on an object's surface, boundary potentials are measured, and the spatial distribution of electrical conductivity inside the object is imaged using EIT.
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Electric fields
The concept of electric fields is closely related to the idea of electric potential, which is the amount of electric potential energy per unit charge at a specific location. Electric fields can be visualised as a force field, with lines representing the direction and strength of the force that a positive test charge would experience. These field lines originate on positive charges and terminate on negative charges, flowing from positive to negative potential.
The electric field is a fundamental concept in physics and is essential for understanding the behaviour of electrically charged particles. It is a vector quantity, meaning it has both magnitude and direction. The electric field at a point in space is defined as the force per unit charge that a positive test charge would experience at that location. Mathematically, the electric field (E) is defined as the force (F) on a charge (q) placed at that point: E = F/q.
While the electric field is a useful theoretical concept, it is challenging to measure directly. Electric field meters, also known as voltmeters, can be used to measure the voltage between two points, which can provide information about the electric field in the region. However, these measurements are often indirect and depend on the specific configuration of charges and conductors in the area.
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Building Biologist assessment
A Building Biologist is a trained professional in the 25 guiding principles of Building Biology. They assess the home environment for a variety of factors that may be detrimental to the health of the occupants, including:
- EMF/Dirty Electricity testing
- Geologic Disturbances testing in the bedroom
- Mould & Fungus in the home
- E-smog transmissions from Wi-Fi & Bluetooth
- HF transmissions from modern appliances
- Electrical wiring faults/EMF
- Water quality
- Air quality/Humidity/Ventilation
- Toxins from cleaning products and furnishings
- The home office working space
- Outside sources/5G/electric power substations
- Smart meters
A Building Biologist will go room by room and test for the above factors, recording their findings in a report for the client. The potential side effects of living in a home affected by these factors include insomnia, headaches, migraines, high blood pressure, bed-wetting (in children), depression, anxiety, shortness of breath, and irritability.
When measuring electricity in a person, or bio-electricity, one is referring to the measurable potential differences between two points on the body, which can provide valuable insights into the body's electrical activity. This electrical activity is provoked by electrically active tissue like the heart, the muscles, or the brain. The active tissue causes concentration differences of ions such as Na+, K+, and Cl- in the extracellular fluid, which can be measured by electrodes placed on the surface of the skin. The 10-20 system is an internationally recognized method for standardizing the placement of EEG electrodes on the scalp, ensuring consistent and replicable EEG recordings.
However, there are challenges to measuring bio-electricity, including the DC offset, which is due to the electrochemical potential of the electrodes, and the 50 or 60 Hz mains interference due to a different capacitive coupling of the patient and the amplifier to the mains. The electrodes and cables can also introduce noise and artifacts to the signal, so the measurement configuration must be designed to minimize these issues and ensure that the bio-electrical signals are reflected in the output signal as cleanly as possible.
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EMF Home Testing Consulting
Electromagnetic fields (EMF) are present everywhere in our environment, and while they are essential for modern life, excessive exposure can be harmful. EMF Home Testing Consulting offers a range of services to help you understand and manage the EMF levels in your home, ensuring the safety and well-being of you and your family.
Our team of expert technicians uses ISO-17025 certified instruments and cutting-edge technology to conduct precise and reliable EMF testing. We offer a comprehensive range of testing services, including electromagnetic field testing, electromagnetic interference (EMI) solutions, and electromagnetic compatibility (EMC) testing.
In addition, we provide consulting services to help you select and use professional RF meters and EMF meter detection equipment. We are committed to educating our clients and empowering them to make informed decisions about their living spaces. Our ecology and advanced RF shielding materials are also available for home consultations.
With over 30 years of experience, EMF Home Testing Consulting is dedicated to helping homeowners maintain safe electromagnetic exposure levels and safeguard their environments. We are committed to safety, compliance, and expertise, serving residential clients with the utmost professionalism and tailored solutions.
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Frequently asked questions
You can measure body voltage to detect the electric field charge on the skin. However, this will not represent the actual current that would travel through the body under wet vs. dry conditions.
Body voltage refers to the electrical current that flows through a person's body when they come into physical contact with an object that is electrically charged.
Very small amounts of voltage are considered safe by Building Biologists and other EMF professionals (less than 1 mV).
