EMF’s… Didn’t see that coming

[Bobalooie]

Bought a 2020 Equinox Premier, nice quiet vehicle, good mileage.

But around the 25 minute mark of driving the vehicle, I began feeling really groggy, every single time. I knew something was wrong. On a hunch, I grabbed an EMF meter. Turns out, the EMF’s in the Equinox cab are 350mG (milligaus). Compare that to the Ford F-150 or Edge at around 17mg. I was stunned.

I read an older article where Chevrolet Cobalts came in with the highest EMF’s in 2008 — 80mG, which was considered high then. The Equinox is just off the charts, the equivalent reading if you were to press a meter against the screen of an iMac computer.

Many people do not understand the dangers of electromagnetic radiation. This level should never be permitted in a confined place exposing the person for sometimes hours to what many scientists would consider an extreme exposure to EMFs. I’m not certain the cause…. Turning the engine off, turning off the Wifi, did not make a difference. Is it the noise-cancelling system??

 

[NXR71]

Everything electronic generates electromagnetic radiation. I used to work on radio transmitters in the multi-kilowatt range and I have been exposed to EMF levels way, way above that with no ill effects. When I did field strength measurements I routinely measured intensities above 1 volt per meter as we were finetuning antennas.

The thing most people do not know is that the frequency matters, a lot. You essentially are using a field strength meter that gives intensity but not frequency.

As for the noise-cancelling system it uses microphones in the car. Since you said you shut the engine off that implies the car was stopped. If there is no noise in the car then the ANC is doing nothing.

Honestly, your description sounds more like you have the HVAC recirculation turned on with the windows closed and you are rebreathing your own exhaled carbon dioxide. In a car that can generate drowsiness in about a half hour if the car is airtight, shorter if multiple people are in the car.

As that old saying goes, correlation does not imply causation.

 

[Bobalooie]

Everything electronic generates electromagnetic radiation. I used to work on radio transmitters in the multi-kilowatt range and I have been exposed to EMF levels way, way above that with no ill effects. When I did field strength measurements I routinely measured intensities above 1 volt per meter as we were finetuning antennas.

The thing most people do not know is that the frequency matters, a lot. You essentially are using a field strength meter that gives intensity but not frequency.

As for the noise-cancelling system it uses microphones in the car. Since you said you shut the engine off that implies the car was stopped. If there is no noise in the car then the ANC is doing nothing.

Honestly, your description sounds more like you have the HVAC recirculation turned on with the windows closed and you are rebreathing your own exhaled carbon dioxide. In a car that can generate drowsiness in about a half hour if the car is airtight, shorter if multiple people are in the car.

As that old saying goes, correlation does not imply causation.

Yeah, I’m not surprised by your answer. There is a broad denial about the impact of EMFs in North America. Europe is way ahead of the grade on this. France has banned Wi-Fi in schools, for instance.
No, the HVAC wasn’t running. What is a fact is that EMFs are known to produce brain fog and drowsiness. Sometimes correlation really does imply causation. It certainly is an open question in this case…

In terms of frequency, studies show that engine and other component frequencies can be as low as just a few Hz up to 300Hz. As noted in one study, “An EV driver’s long-lasting daily exposure to EMF, even if compliant with the exposure limits, cannot be counted to be negligible when the context of possible adverse health effects due to chronic exposure to EMF is considered.” It has been found that some gasoline only vehicles actually produce higher EMF’s than hybrids. I can confirm that. (See: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/ar... of Exposure to,exposure to EMF is considered.)

 

[NXR71]

And I'm not surprised by your answer. I worked on high power RF and electrical systems my entire working life, almost half a century. Just because something can be measured does not mean it is impactful. The EU sets limits from 0 hertz (DC) to 3 GHz, or 3,000,000,000 hertz (cycles pr second) because, as I said, the frequency matters and measuring intensity without knowing the frequency is worthless to learning the cause. If this was a real problem with the Equinox other people would be reporting it because it results in driver impairment and that does not appear to be happening.

The flow of electric current is what generates the electric and magnetic fields. Just think what the EMF levels are in a pure EV. Heck, think about the intensity in an MRI yet people are not falling unconscious in an MRI. I know firsthand.

 

[Bobalooie]

And I'm not surprised by your answer. I worked on high power RF and electrical systems my entire working life, almost half a century. Just because something can be measured does not mean it is impactful. The EU sets limits from 0 hertz (DC) to 3 GHz, or 3,000,000,000 hertz (cycles pr second) because, as I said, the frequency matters and measuring intensity without knowing the frequency is worthless to learning the cause. If this was a real problem with the Equinox other people would be reporting it because it results in driver impairment and that does not appear to be happening.

The flow of electric current is what generates the electric and magnetic fields. Just think what the EMF levels are in a pure EV. Heck, think about the intensity in an MRI yet people are not falling unconscious in an MRI. I know firsthand.

Don’t disagree with what you’re saying on frequencies, though the frequencies in the Equinox aren’t determined, so you can’t rule out potential harmful impacts. There are several articles and new studies on the harmful effects of hybrids and EV’s, so this isn’t pie in the sky stuff. Moreover, some people are EMF sensitive. Why, I don’t know. But I may be one of them.

Cancer rates are skyrocketing; EMF’s, which generate free-radicals in the body, may play a larger part in this than we realize, though there are other factors. Remember when tobacco corporations funded their own studies and claimed smoking was healthy? Same thing happening in the wireless etc. industries. Nothing to see, they say. Sure. I have spoken to two ear specialists, and both of them, without hesitation, said they are seeing brain tumors skyrocket due to cellphone use.

Also, if people aren’t aware of EMF’s, they may not be able to explain drowsiness. So, they won’t even be able to correlate an issue at that point.

 

[NXR71]

Yup, we don't know what we don't know. I have read the stories of people who moved to the National Radio Quiet Zone centered on Green Bank, WV. The use of radio transmitters is controlled closely, generally banned, so their emissions do not interfere with the radio telescopes. They claim the ill effects they experienced vanished when they moved to Green Bank. Here's an article on that in case anyone is interested: https://arstechnica.com/information...in-wi-fi-quiet-zone-as-teens-set-up-hotspots/

Me, I'm skeptical of brain tumors being caused by cellphones nowadays. The few people who do make calls always seem to use the speakerphone regardless of who is around them being annoyed.

On a more serious note, I'm more concerned about the use of the true 5G frequencies because those are really high frequencies in the millimeter wavelength range. Those will pack a lot of energy compared to the much lower frequencies that are far more commonly called "5G".

But that's one of the great things about being my age. The end is getting closer every day so it gets less likely each day that I'll be affected by something that can dramatically lower my life expectancy.

 

[Bobalooie]

Yes, I agree. 5G is nasty…

What is your best guess on the frequencies being generated in the vehicle?

 

[PoManNox]

As if our beans haven't shrunk enough just by driving our equinoxes

 

[Bobalooie]

As if our beans haven't shrunk enough just by driving our equinoxes

Haha!!

 

[bagbyjw]

Me, I'm skeptical of brain tumors being caused by cellphones nowadays. The few people who do make calls always seem to use the speakerphone regardless of who is around them being annoyed.

When I'm in the grocery store and I come upon a person using their speaker I stop behind them and then follow them. When they get annoyed or scared of my presence they normally turn on Karen mode and ask what is my problem and what am I doing. I reply that that conversation sounds interesting as it is being broadcast all over the place and I wanted to hear what was going on. If you did not want me to listen in the turn off the speaker.