Dirty Electricity
About This Health Driver
Dirty electricity refers to high-frequency voltage transients and harmonics on building wiring, typically in the 4-100 kHz range. These transients ride on the 60 Hz power signal and radiate from wiring into occupied spaces. Sources include switching power supplies (chargers, computers), variable-frequency drives (some HVAC compressors), dimmer switches, fluorescent ballasts, solar inverters, and smart meters.
How It Affects Bodies
High-frequency transients produce oscillating electric and magnetic fields that radiate from building wiring into occupied space. The proposed biological mechanism involves chronic low-level neural stimulation, disruption of cellular calcium signaling, and interference with melatonin production. The evidence base is primarily clinical observation; controlled studies are limited.
Where It Comes From
- Switching power supplies - chargers, computers, and electronic devices
- Dimmer switches - particularly leading-edge (TRIAC) types
- Variable-frequency drives - some HVAC compressors and motors
- Solar inverters - modified sine-wave inverters inject transients into building wiring
- Smart meters - some models generate measurable high-frequency transients
- Fluorescent ballasts - electronic ballasts produce harmonics
How to Address It
- Dirty electricity measurement - baseline measurement of circuits serving occupied zonesElectrical
- Line filters - Graham-Stetzer or equivalent filters on circuits with elevated readingsElectrical
- Sine-wave solar inverters - pure sine-wave rather than modified sine-waveElectrical
- On-off switching - avoid leading-edge dimmers; use trailing-edge or on-offElectrical
- Power supply management - unplug chargers and adapters when not in useOperations