Garden perimeter wire

I'm considering getting a robot lawnmower and understand most of them come with a wire you run along the perimeter of your lawn to guide the mower. This is an electric wire which is to be plugged in.

Is there any interference from this wire and my ICD/pacemaker? Does the 6"rule apply?

2 Comments

Robot lawnmower

by piglet22 - 2023-04-30 06:48:13

If you have to plug the guide wire into power, then the chances are it emits a signal that the lawnmower can detect.

The very fact that it operates at the perimeter tells you it is probably a short range, low power signal or the lawnmower wouldn't know where it is. If it was a strong signal, the lawnmower would pick it up in the middle of the lawn.

Most pacemakers will have some sort of communications built in, so, yes, there is the chance of interference, but vanishingly small. There is also the chance that the leads could act as antenna. Again vanishingly small.

Plus, any decent electrical or electronic equipment has to go through testing for "interference" before it can be put on general sale. Note that this often doesn’t apply to dirt cheap imported tat on certain websites. Stick to reputable brands.

You would have to deliberately go out of your way to cause any real interference.

One thing I wouldn't do though, is coil up your guide wire, power it up and place it over your pacemaker. Don't try that at home.

The short answer is, be sensible, don't worry and enjoy watching your lawnmower trundling around. Don't blame me though if you suddenly find your PM doing 200 bpm and has you on your knees with a pair of scissors.

should be ok

by Tracey_E - 2023-04-30 09:57:39

Once upon a time we were told to avoid electric fences. But really, no one should touch an electric fence lol. I would say the 6" rule applies to this. Newer pacers are so well shielded very little affects them. 

You know you're wired when...

You can finally prove that you have a heart.

Member Quotes

I am just grateful to God that I lived long enough to have my ICD put in. So many people are not as lucky as us; even though we sometimes don't feel lucky.