ignis.intimus said:
Got some GW filters and the Stetzer meter a few days ago.
Readings inside our bedroom were around 40gs before filters. Now at between 10 - 20 depending on which wall I check. Wall adjacent to our kitchen is highest at around 30, due to the fridge I suppose.
In our office I get about 50 nearest my computer at the wall outlet running in a "reduced" mode where I only have on what I need. It sits around 70 if my wife's computer is on, on the other side of the room. She gets 50 at her wall with the computer off, and a staggering 350 when her computer is on - at the wall outlet and the power strip. Throughout the house readings are between 30 - 50, so definitely more filtering is needed.
Ambient unfiltered 30-50 readings are quite good and low compared to most homes (in my experience). Computers/peripherals and other appliances are bad noise generators. Any digital equipment that stays powered on (including plugged-in transformers) even in stand-by, will add noise to the home grid. In areas of heavy digital use (including stereo/TV/etc) I like to use a GS power strip (I don't think GW has one available yet). The GS powerstrip has 2 internal filters attached to 2 rows of outlets that will take care of much of the noise before it ever gets to the main socket. You can plug a GW filter into the GS powerstrip to take care of the ground circuit.
ignis.intimus said:
When I first started reading this thread a week or so ago, I stopped using a Powerline (Ethernet over power) adapter and instead ran a CAT5 cable. The way the outlets run in the office, the Powerline was basically going around in a "U" shape around my desk. Since removing it I have been less irritable. Also, one of my cats is in heat, she started a few days ago, right when we got the filters. She is normally very, very vocal, however she has been incredibly quiet by comparison since installing the filters. She is about 6 years old, and we've had her since she was born. So we have every time she has ever been in heat for comparison, and by far, this has been the quietest "heat" for her ever. It's really incredible how different her behavior has been, and I feel sure it has to do with reducing the RF noise from the dirty power.
Ethernet over the home grid should be prohibited (imo). That puts high frequency noise on the home grid that extends way beyond what the GS meter can even measure (you would need a spectrum analyzer to measure it). Its no surprise that everyone will feel better with this confined to the Cat 5. In addition, these frequencies are so high that you can get antenna-like radiation of the RF from the wiring (if the wiring is not shielded in metal conduit). This noise can also appear on your neighbor's home grid. Since the GW filters operate to 500MHz, they will protect you from neighbors that use this technology - GS filters are matched (roughly) to what the GS meter can measure (150-200 KHz) so they will not protect you from this.
ignis.intimus said:
Some things that are confusing for me:
I did some testing earlier tonight with the Powerline adapter plugged into the power-strip. Measurements at the outlet did not change, but measurements on the same power strip were off the charts. We did a test download across that link and at the strip the lowest measurement I got was 1950gs. So how can it be that on the strip I see so much noise, but at the other outlet on the same receptacle there is no apparent change? I can say with it plugged in and active I did not feel well, especially crouched down in that corner where everything is plugged in. I wouldn't say I am ES since that term apparently applies to people with a debilitating sensitivity, but I am definitely sensitive to it nonetheless.
Everyone is sensitive to this stuff (including pets). ES folks have crossed a threshold of exposure (combined with bad diet/diabetes/toxins/etc) that makes them hypersensitive. On your tests, the GS meter is not giving you an accurate measurement of the high frequency noise power that the Powerline is inducing on the home grid (in the first place). There may be a good match to RF radiation at that point that you are not even measuring. And where the noise shows up can be a bizarre function of your home grid, wiring geometry, other things plugged in at the time, etc. This is why, when placing filters, you should re-check other outlets/sockets - you can easily reach a point where it is like squeezing on a balloon. When you reach this point, stop adding filters (more is not better). Stetzer and others have shown that too many filters can bring on ES symptoms in ES folk even though the GS meter reads moderately lower at all sockets. My guess would be that too many filters can create a matched impedance (to free space) for radiation of the noise power at RF. Your goal should be 30-50 with all appliances "on" and with the fewest number of filters.
1950 GS units and beyond is a terribly high reading. From long term epidemiological data associated with a CA middle school, Milham showed that these kind of levels resulted in an increased cancer risk of 26%
per year (of exposure 8hrs per day).
ignis.intimus said:
I noticed there appears to be some noise cancellation in effect for different power sources. For instance, unplugging my VoIP adapter and powered phone actually increases measurements by ~10gs at outlet and power strip. At my wife's side of the office, like I mentioned, when her computer is on she gets 350. But if I unplug just the LCD monitor it spikes up to 450. So is that noise cancellation then? Some of the RF is at the same exact frequency thereby cancelling each other out?
No, cancellation can only occur if the noise sources are coherent - and they are not. Think of squeezing the balloon and check for changes at other sockets. This noise can even appear on your neighbor's home grid - its impossible to predict (without a Cray and some intense modeling).
ignis.intimus said:
Since putting the filters in I have been sleeping better, and having an easier time going to bed at night; very thankful for that. We will definitely be getting more of these GW filters. Seeing these measurements and noticing the difference in behavior makes me want to put two filters at every receptacle throughout our entire apartment - using short "stubby" extension cords for the top outlet.
Resist this temptation - use the balloon analogy to decide when to stop adding filters. Congrats on the improvements though!! They are real.
David Stetzer recommends that for the best possible performance, you should drop a socket near the panel box from both the "A" and "B" buses and stuff a filter in each one. This will catch the grid noise coming into your home before it enters the home grid. This is a simple job for an electrician - go to the H/W store or elec supply and buy 2 15amp breakers for your panel box.
ignis.intimus said:
As a side note, for anyone who does not have any filters or meter yet, I noticed that just shutting off the switch on the power strip does not change measurements - at least not on mine. So I would suggest actually unplugging your stuff when not in use, just hitting the switch on the strip might not be enough. My guess is that the switch only breaks one side of the circuit. Doesn't allow voltage to flow but does permit noise to be injected back into the AC lines.
Look into getting a GS power strip for those areas of intense us.
The cost of the GS meter is about $100, and for those that find this hard to afford, members or families/friends could chip in, share the cost, and ship the meter around.
