EMF Final Distribution substation

[motorbiking]

I'm looking to buy a house that has a small final distribution substation in a fenced off section of the back garden. Is it worth getting a survey done or will I get the same result with my own meter? They seem to be about £200

Any advice or experience.

I'd estimate the sub is about 10M from the house but I am looking to extend the house at a point in the future

 

[aptsys]

What are you looking for?

 

[BS3036]

Presumably buried cables?

 

[Nozzle]

132/400kV?

Nozzle

 

[motorbiking]

Electromagnetic radiation is my concern. Studies are increasingly linking them to health issues.

 

[JohnW2]

Electromagnetic radiation is my concern. Studies are increasingly linking them to health issues.

I would be more inclined to say that the jury is still out on that one.

However, if you personally have concerns, I think your problem is likely to be that any measurement of the radiation in you garden will almost certainly show that it is at a level which is well below what is currently 'officially regarded' as the 'safe limit' - but, given that it's not going to be zero, either, you might well still have lingering doubts/concerns. If that's the case, then you might be better off looking for a house (the great majority of them!) which doesn't have a substation in the garden.

Mind you, in your context, I would suspect (but cannot be certain) that the amount of 'external' radiation from the transformer in a substation would be relatively small - if a risk exists with 50Hz EMF, it's probably far more likely to arise from proximity to very high voltage distribution lines.

Kind Regards, John

 

[ETAF]

Dont know, just a point, are there any planning restrictions as to the distance from the substation , if planning future extension how close do you want to go and how close can you go.
As i say I dont know , but when i have seen a subpower station near an estate as we have near us, there usually a lot of distance from the boundary

 

[BS3036]

Planning restrictions?!! My neighbour was allowed to build an extension a meter away from our oil tank, but when we wanted to replace our oil tank were told it was too close to his extension!

 

[ETAF]

yea, thats sort of what i knew with OIL tanks as both my uncle and brother has had issues with location, fortunately in both cases they were able to move the tanks. Expensive.

 

[motorbiking]

I would be more inclined to say that the jury is still out on that one.

However, if you personally have concerns, I think your problem is likely to be that any measurement of the radiation in you garden will almost certainly show that it is at a level which is well below what is currently 'officially regarded' as the 'safe limit' - but, given that it's not going to be zero, either, you might well still have lingering doubts/concerns. If that's the case, then you might be better off looking for a house (the great majority of them!) which doesn't have a substation in the garden.

Mind you, in your context, I would suspect (but cannot be certain) that the amount of 'external' radiation from the transformer in a substation would be relatively small - if a risk exists with 50Hz EMF, it's probably far more likely to arise from proximity to very high voltage distribution lines.

Kind Regards, John

Yes - I wasn't concerned, until I started reading up on them.. My original thought was to plant some trees to hide it. Then I thought maybe a wall or insulated fence would help, but now I realise these things can't be shielded.

Dont know, just a point, are there any planning restrictions as to the distance from the substation , if planning future extension how close do you want to go and how close can you go.
As i say I dont know , but when i have seen a subpower station near an estate as we have near us, there usually a lot of distance from the boundary

I'd say its 10M from the house and I'd like to come back 3-4m given the angle I think it would then be say 6M from the house.

My understanding is the substation will already be compliant at the fence/boundary. I'm not required to leave a no-mans land strip so to speak.

 

[JohnW2]

Dont know, just a point, are there any planning restrictions as to the distance from the substation , if planning future extension how close do you want to go and how close can you go. As i say I dont know , but when i have seen a subpower station near an estate as we have near us, there usually a lot of distance from the boundary

I don't think that would be a Planning issue, but rather a matter of any regulations which may exist regarding proximity of buildings to substations (just as they are, for example, with LPG tank).

However, an acquaintance of mine lives in an end-terrace house with an electricity substation (recently essentially 're-built', so presumably compliant with current regs), no more than 2-3 feet from the side wall of their house.

Kind Regards, John

 

[JohnW2]

Yes - I wasn't concerned, until I started reading up on them.. My original thought was to plant some trees to hide it. Then I thought maybe a wall or insulated fence would help, but now I realise these things can't be shielded.

You would need the opposite of an 'insulated fence'. EMF can be 'screened', but you'd probably need some pretty serious (and tall) metal!

Kind Regards, John

 

[aptsys]

EMF is a pretty useless term in this context and the "meters" are just as nonsense, especially since they are typically wideband so the reading on the display bears no relevance to any specific frequency of interest.

If you're concerned about magnetic fields, there are regular items you will be in contact with that will increase your exposure by much larger amounts. For electric fields, most substations these days use enclosed switchgear, so any E-field will be shielded by that.

I'm assuming here we're not talking about a large distribution yard.

 

[motorbiking]

I'm assuming here we're not talking about a large distribution yard.

no it’s a final distribution station. The plot is about 5m x 5m

 

[aptsys]

I wouldn't worry then. Enjoy your high PSCC!