FAQ on static fields (Train & HVDC)

I live in an old house near a electrified railway. Could this railway damage my electrical devices? I encounter electrical problems with a boiler: could failures be caused by magnetic fields from this electrical railway line?

Most Belgian electrified railways, except high speed trains, use direct current (DC). Thus, electrical lines (catenaries) supplying trains, generate direct (non time-varying) electric and magnetic fields. Since direct fields do not induce currents in metallic structures, there is a priori no easy connection between the railway line and the faulty functioning of your boiler.

However, we advise you to get your electrical installation checked and particularly the grounding system. Many problems can actually arise from a bad grounding system, especially in an electronic mechanism. In old houses, modifications in electrical wiring by successive occupants can sometimes lead to a very messy electrical installation, which could be the cause of your problems.

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