Riding under a powerline bad for battery?

[cole_inman]

So me and my buddies have a ride that passes under a huge powerline for a short portion of the climb, about 5 minutes in trail mode. The powerlines are pretty loud and if you touch the metal components of your bike they will give you a small shock. One of my friends gets shocked through his saddle, although I don't (mines steel rails with a coating on the outside so maybe that's insulating me?) I get shocked on my grip's clamps and on my brake levers. I'm wondering if anyone with advanced electrical knowledge can chime in and tell me if this is bad for my battery? My health? lol

Currently battling E020 on my Sight VLT, but that might be unrelated, just got me wondering. My buddies haven't seen any adverse effects on their bikes (YT Decoy, Commencal Meta SX, Santa Cruz Bullit)

 

[Tim1023]

WTF??? Shocks off your bike?? Safety of electrical systems not much of a thing in the US by the sound of it. I'm always amazed when I see those videos of arcing cables there. No safety system to switch them off?

Back to the problem at hand: if your batteries are fully enclosed in aluminium frames, then nothing to worry about that. The battery is in a Faraday cage and therefore protected. Like being hit by lightening when sitting in a plane. Not a problem.

In terms other frames, can't say. I'll let more informed members chip in for that. I think we have an electrical engineer on the forum somewhere

 

[steve_sordy]

When you move an electrical conductor though a magnetic field, electricity is generated. If the powerline is generating a magnetic field then that could be the cause right there. But it could just be a static charge building up.

 

[Stihldog]

There are certain areas on my rides that pass under or along high power lines. I’m not sure of any personal effects but the performance or feel of the eMTB is un-noticeable.

 

[Tim1023]

Tonnes of electro-smog, of course. Would probably give you Covid-19

 

[Slapbassmunky]

The power lines could induce a voltage in the metallic parts of your bike/frame, because it's insulated from the ground by the tyres, and you're insulated from it by grips/saddle/shoes it could give you a very mild tingle. It won't effect the bike whatsoever.

 

[IndigoUnicorn]

When you move an electrical conductor though a magnetic field, electricity is generated. If the powerline is generating a magnetic field then that could be the cause right there. But it could just be a static charge building up.

Same thing happens here in the very dry desert when we ride under power lines. Most likely, it’s static charge and, I’ve not seen it adversely affect my bike’s system.

 

[Slapbassmunky]

It's inductive coupling due to the magnetic fields produced by the lines. Fit one of those earth conductors you see getting dragged behind trucks and RV's and you won't have a problem

 

[cole_inman]

WTF??? Shocks off your bike?? Safety of electrical systems not much of a thing in the US by the sound of it. I'm always amazed when I see those videos of arcing cables there. No safety system to switch them off?

Back to the problem at hand: if your batteries are fully enclosed in aluminium frames, then nothing to worry about that. The battery is in a Faraday cage and therefore protected. Like being hit by lightening when sitting in a plane. Not a problem.

In terms other frames, can't say. I'll let more informed members chip in for that. I think we have an electrical engineer on the forum somewhere

It's pretty backwoods here, but the towers do at least have big DANGER signs on them lol.

All of our batteries are enclosed in either aluminum or carbon, but yes I would like some insight on external batteries like on my wife's 2017 Commencal Meta Power.

 

[Slapbassmunky]

It's pretty backwoods here, but the towers do at least have big DANGER signs on them lol.

All of our batteries are enclosed in either aluminum or carbon, but yes I would like some insight on external batteries like on my wife's 2017 Commencal Meta Power.

Literally not a problem. The bike and it's electronics won't care because of the way they're designed and made. I work with EHT and high power RF on a regular basis.

 

[Stihldog]

I ride up to and under our high powered lines almost every day and I’ve never …transmission of this text is discontinued. Subject will now be probed.

 

[Slapbassmunky]

I ride up to and under our high powered lines almost every day and I’ve never …transmission of this text is discontinued. Subject will now be probed.

It's not as tin foil hat as you'd think

 

[Stihldog]

It's not as tin foil hat as you'd think

Thank goodness. But I’m still gonna replace my hip-pac with an alloy pie plate.

 

[Slapbassmunky]

Thank goodness. But I’m still gonna replace my hip-pac with an alloy pie plate.

Leaded underpants, tied to the bike with an unreasonably heavy duty copper wire

 

[Nicho]

Leaded underpants, tied to the bike with an unreasonably heavy duty copper wire

I pretty sure Zimmerframe tested that type of armour a few months ago!

 

[Alexbn921]

LOL. NO.
I write this from a substation with 10X the induced voltage.

 

[RustyIron]

One of my friends gets shocked through his saddle,

The sparkly sensation he feels is more likely from restricted blood flow to his genitals.
Tell him to get a different saddle and wear a thicker chamois.

The strength of a magnetic field decreases with the cube of the distance, so I have a hard time believing that overhead high tension cables would have any effect on a bicycle that's on the ground.

 

[RickBullotta]

If you wear a tin foil hat under your helmet, you should be safe.

 

[Stihldog]

A Faraday cage?

 

[Philly G]

A Faraday cage?

I wondered about this too..."an enclosure used to block electromagnetic fields" apparently !

Faraday cage - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

 

[Tim1023]

A Faraday cage?

This is also a Faraday cage:

The benefit of wearing one of these is that you won't give a shit about the weight of your bike any more.

You can also play music in a Faraday cage suit:

 

[Gary]

I write this from a substation with 10X the induced voltage.

We used to play high tig in electrical sub stations as kids. Didn't do (m)any of us any harm. Honest .

True story.

 

[Bummers]

We used to play high tig in electrical sub stations as kids. Didn't do (m)any of us any harm. Honest .

True story.

Fine as long as you don't get too close... just don't go waving any scaffold poles around.

 

[Jackware]

The sparkly sensation he feels is more likely from restricted blood flow to his genitals.
Tell him to get a different saddle and wear a thicker chamois.

If you wear tin foil under your helmet, you should be safe.

FIFY

 

[Lee Dove]

It will kill your Motor, battery and you . DO NOT Do It.

 

[Darren]

heavy electricity maybe?

 

[Stihldog]

heavy electricity maybe?

The link is blocked in my country …so it must be good .

 

[Spaceme17]

So me and my buddies have a ride that passes under a huge powerline for a short portion of the climb, about 5 minutes in trail mode. The powerlines are pretty loud and if you touch the metal components of your bike they will give you a small shock. One of my friends gets shocked through his saddle, although I don't (mines steel rails with a coating on the outside so maybe that's insulating me?) I get shocked on my grip's clamps and on my brake levers. I'm wondering if anyone with advanced electrical knowledge can chime in and tell me if this is bad for my battery? My health? lol

Currently battling E020 on my Sight VLT, but that might be unrelated, just got me wondering. My buddies haven't seen any adverse effects on their bikes (YT Decoy, Commencal Meta SX, Santa Cruz Bullit)

Electronics are designed with shielding incorporated into their structure since there are sources of electric field everywhere. I wouldn't worry about it.

 

[Canmore TLCC 29]

So me and my buddies have a ride that passes under a huge powerline for a short portion of the climb, about 5 minutes in trail mode. The powerlines are pretty loud and if you touch the metal components of your bike they will give you a small shock. One of my friends gets shocked through his saddle, although I don't (mines steel rails with a coating on the outside so maybe that's insulating me?) I get shocked on my grip's clamps and on my brake levers. I'm wondering if anyone with advanced electrical knowledge can chime in and tell me if this is bad for my battery? My health? lol

Currently battling E020 on my Sight VLT, but that might be unrelated, just got me wondering. My buddies haven't seen any adverse effects on their bikes (YT Decoy, Commencal Meta SX, Santa Cruz Bullit)

You should visit the area after dark with an old florescent light tube in your hands. I have been told it will light up as you move the tube through the electrical field that is generated by the overhead power lines. They are referred to as lines of flux in electrical terms. Moving a conductor through these lines of flux will generate a current. I have been told by an old friend that when he was a kid he would carry a florescent tube under local High Voltage transmission lines at night and pretend he had a light saber.

 

[RustyIron]

I have been told it will light up as you move the tube through the electrical field that is generated by the overhead power lines. They are referred to as lines of flux in electrical terms.

It is true that the gas within the tube will fluoresce when in the presence of a strong enough field. You can have loads of fun with some fluorescent tubes, compasses, powerful magnets, wires, or whatever else you have laying around. The world is an experimenter's toolbox.

Only yesterday, Derek Muller put up a video on YouTube that is relevant to our conversation. It's really geeky stuff, so it might only appeal the propellerheads among us. If you don't want to squander your morning watching the whole thing, jump to around 13:30. The lower wire in the diagram is you and your bike as you ride beneath the power lines.