Section 460.2701. Definitions.

Rule 1.   (1)  As used in these rules:

(a)             "Alternating current" (AC) means a current that flows in and through a conductive material, first in one direction and then in the opposite direction on a regular time interval.

(b)       "Ampere" means a measure of the rate of flow of electric current through a conductive material. A milliamp (the unit of measure commonly used for stray voltage measurements) is 1/1,000 (0.001) of an ampere.

(c)       "Animal" means vertebrates including, but not limited to, dairy and beef cattle, sheep, swine, poultry and horses.

(d)           "Animal contact current" (AcC) means an AC electrical current that is measured, calculated, and may potentially flow through an animal due to an electrical contact voltage between 2 points simultaneously in contact with the animal at locations normally accessible by the animal.

(e)        "Animal contact voltage" (AcV), commonly referred to as stray voltage, means the measured difference in an AC electrical potential when measured with a shunt resistor between 2 points that an animal  can simultaneously contact in locations normally accessible by the animal.

(f)      "Commission" means the Michigan public service commission.

(g)                    "Communication service provider" means a supplier of telecommunication or other electronic media services.

(h)         "Cycle"  means   1  complete  positive   and  1  complete  negative alternation of current or voltage.

(i)        "Direct current" (DC) means a current  that  flows  in  only  1 direction, in and through a conductive material.

(j)       "Harmonics" means a repeating sine wave that fits within the main sine wave. The main sine wave is 60 cycles per second (60 Hz) and is called the fundamental frequency. Harmonic currents, which are  multiples  of   the fundamental current, result in sine wave distortion. This distortion may be caused by electronic components in equipment, such as  variable  speed  motor drives and computers.

(k)       "Neutral-to-earth voltage" (NEV) means an AC electrical potential difference between a utility grounded neutral or complainant grounded neutral and the earth.

(l)         "Ohm" means a measure of electrical resistance of a  conductive material that limits the flow of electric current.

(m)            "Ohm's Law" means the mathematical relationship between volts, amperes, and ohms. If any 2 of these quantities are known, then the third can be calculated.   A formula for this relationship is:

Volts (pressure)

-------------------------   =        Amperes (current flow) Ohms (resistance)

(n)       "Preventive action level" means a steady state animal contact current that meets or exceeds 2 milliamperes RMS using a nominal 500 ohms resistor at 60 Hz from all sources, including off-premises and on-premises sources.

(o)        "Root mean square" (RMS) means a measure of the  effective  energy value of a wave or cycle. For regularly-shaped sine waves, the RMS value is 0.707 multiplied by the peak value of the sine wave.

(p)         "Shunt resistor" means an electrical component resistor with a nominal resistance value of 500 ohms (which simulates the electrical resistance of an animal) placed in a circuit to measure animal contact voltage  (AcV)  and  placed  across  the input  terminals  of  the   voltage

measurement device. Animal contact current (AcC) is calculated by dividing the measured shunted voltage at an animal contact location by the value of the shunt resistor.

(q)           "Sine wave" means a smooth curve starting at zero and building up to a maximum before decreasing back to zero. The curve continues below the zero line, building to a negative maximum, returning to zero to complete 1 cycle. The smooth curve repeats. The voltage  and  current  in  an  AC  electrical circuit trace out the shape of a sine wave repeating 60 times each second, or 60 Hz.

(r)            "60 hertz" or "60 Hz" means alternating current (AC) electricity that completes 60 cycles per second. The frequency is the number of cycles per second expressed as hertz (Hz). The utility industry in  North  America  generates   and distributes power at 60 Hz, or 60 cycles per second.

(s)       "Steady state" means a 1 minute average of RMS voltage or amperage values.

(t)      "Stray voltage," also referred  to  as  AcV,  means  the  measured difference in an AC electrical potential when measured with a shunt resistor between 2 points that an animal can simultaneously contact in locations normally accessible by the animal through  step  or  touch  both inside and outside of farm buildings.

(u)        "Transient" means a rapid change in current  that   produces  a deviation from a normal sine wave. It normally lasts for only a fraction of a cycle. If repeating, it usually does so for only a few cycles. It is generally caused by on- or off-site electrical circuit failures, switches opening and closing, and   motors  starting and stopping.

(v)       "Utility" means an electric company, whether  private,  corporate, cooperative or municipal, that provides electricity to a consumer.

(w)        "Volt" means a measure of electric pressure or energy level (voltage) between 2 points that  can  push  electrons  through  a conductive material.

"Electrical Tech Note - 231"; Agriculture  Engineering  Department,  Michigan State University; Figure 7, Page 6

Typical Harmonic Waveform

"The Handbook for  Electric   Metering  --  ninth   edition",  Edison   Electric Institute,

EEI Publication No. - 06-92-01, Figure 4-10 Page 62

(2) These definitions are an application of the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) 100, "The Authoritative Dictionary of IEEE Standards and Terms," 7th Edition. Printed copies of the dictionary are available from the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers 445 Hoes Lane, Piscataway, New Jersey, 08854, at a cost of $160 at the time of adoption of this rule. A printed copy of the dictionary is also available at the Michigan Public Service Commission, 6545 Mercantile  Way,  Lansing, Michigan, 48911.

History: 2007 AACS.