Technique for accurate voltage measurement of energized street level objects

The demand and volume of “stray voltage” testing in urban areas have increased greatly in recent years. Several techniques for detecting energized objects are in use but once detected, confusion can arise between diagnostic and repair groups about the presence and magnitude of the voltage. No standard technique exists for making voltage measurements in the field. Accurate, repeatable voltage measurements are crucial both for reliable reporting and for effective cooperation between testing technicians, diagnostic technicians, repair personnel, and other parties with a stake in effective mitigation of potentially hazardous conditions. The described process eliminates sources of measurement error to ensure parity among measurements made by different individuals. Particular attention is paid to the choice of a ground reference point with no elevated potential and a low impedance path to ground.