Riding under a powerline bad for battery?

cole_inman

cole_inman

Member
Joined
Dec 11, 2019
Messages
56
Reaction score
29
Location
Blue Ridge Mountains
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)
 
⚡ EMTB Pro Go Pro — Living Intelligence Reports, exclusive discounts & ad-free Up to 25% off Peaty's, PEMBREE, Magicshine & more · Ad-free browsing · Pro badge See the deals →
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
 
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.
 
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.
 
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.
 
steve_sordy said:
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.
Click to expand...

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.
 
Tim1023 said:
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
Click to expand...
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.
 
cole_inman said:
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.
Click to expand...
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.
 
cole_inman said:
One of my friends gets shocked through his saddle,
Click to expand...


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.
 
Stihldog said:
A Faraday cage?
Click to expand...
This is also a Faraday cage:
1651213753025.png

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

True story.
Click to expand...

Fine as long as you don't get too close... just don't go waving any scaffold poles around.
 
cole_inman said:
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)
Click to expand...

Electronics are designed with shielding incorporated into their structure since there are sources of electric field everywhere. I wouldn't worry about it.
 
cole_inman said:
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)
Click to expand...
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.
 
Canmore TLCC 29 said:
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.
Click to expand...

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.

 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Keep reading
    Browse all

    Similar Threads

    Community Stats

    Since 2018
    671K
    Messages
    41,250
    Members
    Join 30,000+ Riders, it's free!
    Back
    Top