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
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