[RE-wrenches] Inverter causing migraine?

[Dan Fink]

Hello Ron --

That's a tricky situation. There are only two possibilities for what's 
causing the problem; sound or electromagnetic radiation.

Assuming the inverter is silent, it must be EMF. Look into this and it 
quickly takes you to the world of pseudo-science, with all kinds of 
expensive gadgets to 'protect' you from EMF, their workings explained 
using words that don't appear in any science curriculum. Applied 
kinesiology is pretty fringe, too.

Here's all the NIOSH research on EMF health effects:
http://www.cdc.gov/niosh/topics/EMF/

If this becomes a big problem, I would look into hiring an industrial 
hygenist to measure EMF in your office. You could also look into 
shielding the inverter, there are products out there for shielding from 
EMF that really do work.

I fight pseudo-science everywhere I see it, but you can't discount your 
employee's complaints. All the 'official' medical studies say 
low-intensity EMF has no proven health effects. But I doubt any of them 
studied the particular inverter you have. So, basically, nobody knows!

Shielding just might eliminate the problem. You can even buy DIY 
shielding kits. And as Bill said, the placebo effect might help too.


DAN FINK
Renewable Energy Consultant



Ron Young wrote:
> I have a staff member that has begun complaining recently of feeling 
> like a "rubber band was tightening around my head" and of migraines when 
> we turn on an inverter. We have set up an Outback 3524 inverter in our 
> store and it is charging a set of batteries. Whenever she complained we 
> shut it off. It is creating a complicated situation and I'm wondering if 
> anyone has any experience with this? We have customers that live in one 
> room cabins with these inverters and have never had a complaint of this 
> nature. No one else on staff has any problem with this. Her work area is 
> situated 25' away from the inverter.
> 
> Ron Young
> earthRight Solar

>