Question Why does my computer have high magnetic fields in certain houses?

[John Jones]

I sometimes use a gaussmeter to measure the magnetic fields around my computer, keyboard, mouse, and headphones.

The strange thing is that in some houses I've lived, there's virtually no magnetic field at all, while in other houses, there's an extremely high magnetic field around all my peripherals (even though the hardware never changes). Some houses just seem to have really high magnetic fields everywhere, while others don't.

Does anyone know what causes these strong fields, and is there anything I can do to keep them out of my computer? I don't want unnecessary magnetic fields engulfing all my hard drives (or my body, for that matter).

 

[Red Squirrel]

"certain houses". I presume this is a laptop and you're visiting friends/family etc? Do they have any A/C running or anything like that? Were you near any generators or transformers by chance? When I go to fly my drone I find it won't fly near any of those things as it will detect excessive magnetic fields and it messes up the GPS and compass.

Those fields are probably not bad enough for the computer though.

 

[JackMDS]

It might be that there a difference is in the contribution to the Field by Ghosts' Density.

https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/...hy-some-people-see-ghosts-and-other-presences

 

[Fallen Kell]

For one thing, can you define what you mean by strong fields at some houses compared to the weak or no fields at others?

Also remember that the Earth's magnetic field isn't a static, standard average at all locations on the planet. Things like presence of metals in the bedrock, fault lines, past volcanic activity, etc., all play a part in its strength at that location.

 

[piasabird]

Some houses have dead zones. I live in a mostly wood frame house and dont see much interference. However, other things can cause problems like metal tubular framing and metal roofs. Then some buildings have thick Cement or concrete poured walls, floors and foundations with reinforced Metal Rods.

I have seen some videos that some people are actually using construction techniques to block wireless signals and 5G wireless from cell towers. They might use things like a metal lattice in the roof structure and expansive paint designed to block electrical signals. I can see a future where we have things like Drywall and siding and windows designed to block wireless signals.

 

[John Jones]

"certain houses". I presume this is a laptop and you're visiting friends/family etc?

No, these are homes I've lived in (I tend to move house a lot). It's not a laptop, it's my PC - plugged into the mains.

Do they have any A/C running or anything like that? Were you near any generators or transformers by chance?

Definitely no A/C here in England, it's freezing! I always situate my office and computer well away from any appliances or anything high-powered. Unfortunately though I can't control what's going on with the wiring behind the wall, and just seem to find that some houses make my computer more "magnetic".

For one thing, can you define what you mean by strong fields at some houses compared to the weak or no fields at others?

Yes…

"No fields"
By this I mean my gaussmeter reads nothing, so maybe less than 0.1 MG (10 nanotesla).

"Strong fields"
By this I'm talking about readings sometimes higher than 4 MG / 0.4 µT. This exceeds regular exposure recommendations by the governments of France, Netherlands, Denmark, Norway, Italy, and Israel.

Also remember that the Earth's magnetic field isn't a static, standard average at all locations on the planet. Things like presence of metals in the bedrock, fault lines, past volcanic activity, etc., all play a part in its strength at that location.

That is fascinating, thanks!

Some houses have dead zones. I live in a mostly wood frame house and dont see much interference. However, other things can cause problems like metal tubular framing and metal roofs. Then some buildings have thick Cement or concrete poured walls, floors and foundations with reinforced Metal Rods.

That's really helpful information, thanks.

Really it seems like the magnetic fields around a computer are a bit of a "lottery" then. I just wish there was some way to shield the computer from it.

I have seen some videos that some people are actually using construction techniques to block wireless signals and 5G wireless from cell towers. They might use things like a metal lattice in the roof structure and expansive paint designed to block electrical signals. I can see a future where we have things like Drywall and siding and windows designed to block wireless signals.

Yes, that's the way I am going myself. I don't have a cellphone, don't use wireless technology, and don't want all these masts flooding my home with radio waves. The evidence for RF radiation being harmful to human health is now overwhelming, and growing all the time. Meanwhile, more and more masts and Wi-Fi routers are being installed!

 

[Red Squirrel]

Are you sure the gaussmeter is calibrated? 0.4T sounds like quite a lot of magnetic force without any large magnets around. A MRI machine for example is a couple T and those are VERY powerful.

 

[JEDIYoda]

I would surmise that you have a rare almost invisible form of Fuytubiochilius poder infestation!
Good luck....

 

[Fallen Kell]

I would say that the most likely cause of the high EMF in different houses is bad/incorrectly wired electric power wires in the house. Doing things like ganging neutrals or having a neutral to ground short outside of the circuit panel allowing for different paths that the electricity can go to ground causes the electricity that is flowing down the various wires to not be able to mostly cancel out the magnetic fields they generate. By keeping the hot and neutral wire paths the same, the electric flow through those wires is the same, just in opposite directions. Because of the fact that they are in extremely close proximity, approximately parallel, and have the same charge going through them, they essentially cancel out their own fields. But, if something is wired in such a way that there is a ground short from the neutral, or the neutral and hot are not on the same bundle of wires following the same path (i.e. the two things I stated in the second sentence), then the electric field strength on the wires will not be the same strength in opposite polarization and thus, won't cancel each other, leading to much higher EMF in the home.

I think there was a study in California back in 1990's that showed that 65% or more of high EMF fields found in homes and buildings could be directly traced back to electrical wiring code violations.

 

[killster1]

https://www.trifield.com/simple-ways-to-avoid-electromagnetic-fields/

 

[VirtualLarry]

I have been concerned about EMF, with multiple powerful wifi routers, other tenant's wifi routers (I live in an apt. complex), and my PCs (mining), as well as 40" monitors (TVs I use as monitors).

A friend of mine downloaded an "EMF meter app", and it measured 1T at one point. Otherwise, around 0.68-0.8T.

Is that a lot? It seems that way.

 

[Red Squirrel]

1T? That *IS* a lot. An MRI machine is around 1.5 to 3T. Are you sure it's not measuring in Gauss?

I would not trust a phone app though, it's far from a proper calibrated tool.

 

[VirtualLarry]

I would not trust a phone app though, it's far from a proper calibrated tool.

That's the thing. I'm not even sure how a cell phone measures EMF. Some sort of wide-band noise analysis on the wifi and cellular antennas?

 

[Red Squirrel]

Guessing it uses a combination of various sensors, maybe wifi/hspa and also the compass maybe. Actually there may be a basic EMF sensor for the compass, like it will use it to detect any oddball magnetic fields to trigger a warning maybe. I know my drone will not take off if there is excessive EMF. It's either using the compass to somehow figure out that the data is wrong, or it's using a separate sensor.

A/C units and generators seem to be high sources. Oddly enough, transformers seem fine. I flew at my parent's house to check their gutters and was pretty close to a transformer. Kinda makes sense, any EMF from a transformer is essentially power loss, so they'll be designed to be as efficient as possible.