Step voltage
Voltage between a person's feet across the ground surface near an earth fault or an earthed structure.
Step voltage is the difference in ground potential over one stride, conventionally 1 m, when fault current flows into the soil and sets up a gradient around its entry point. It is highest near a fallen conductor, a struck tower foot or the edge of a substation earth grid. Livestock with their wide stance are especially vulnerable, and line crews teach people to shuffle or hop away from a downed wire with feet together.
Line's down in the paddock and still live, keep everyone back 10 metres, step voltage near that wire will drop a cow.
Also heard as
- step potential
Not to be confused with
- Touch voltage: Touch voltage runs from hand to feet; step voltage runs from foot to foot.
Related terms
Touch voltage
Voltage a person bridges between a hand on faulted metalwork and their feet or other hand during a fault.
Earth fault
Fault in which a live conductor makes unintended contact with earth or with earthed metalwork.
Equipotential bonding
Connecting metal parts together so they sit at one potential and no dangerous voltage appears between them.