Central milking system with reduced stray current problems

In a piped, central collection milking system which includes electrical units associated with an electrical power source having an energizing conductor and having an earth grounded neutral conductor, said units having electrical elements connected electrically to said energizing conductor and having non-electrical elements directly electrically connected to said neutral conductor and not electrically connected to said energizing conductor, the improvement in said system comprising, means creating a highly electric-insulating path between all of said elements and all bodies or films of liquid milk which extend to the teat of an animal being milked.

In a piped, central collection milking system which includes electrical units associated with an electrical power source having an energizing conductor and having an earth grounded neutral conductor, said units having electrical elements connected electrically to said energizing conductor and having non-electrical elements directly electrically connected to said neutral conductor and not electrically connected to said energizing conductor, said system also including electrically conductive components which are conductively connected to the teat of an animal being milked by a body or film of liquid milk, the improvement in said system comprising, means creating a highly electric-insulating path between each of said components and all of said non-electrical elements of all electrical units to which said component is physically connected.

In a piped central collection milking system associated with an electrical power source having an energizing conductor and having an earth grounded neutral conductor, said system including a receiver adapted to collect a flow of liquid milk from the teat of an animal being milked, a pump having a pumping element and having a surrounding housing each conductively connected at least part time to the teat of the animal by the milk in said flow, said pumping element being operable when driven to deliver milk from said receiver, an electric motor adapted to be energized by said power source and adapted when energized to drive said pumping element, said motor having elements directly electrically connected to said neutral conductor and not electrically connected to said energizing conductor, the improvement in said system comprising, means for electrically insulating said pumping element and said housing from said elements of said motor.

A method of avoiding electrically caused physical or emotional stresses in animals being milked by a piped central collection milking system having electrical units associated with an electric power source having an earth grounded neutral conductor, said system further including electrically conductive components which are directly electrically connected to said neutral conductor, said method comprising the step of constructing or modifying the system to interpose a highly electric-insulative path between (a) all conductive components which are directly electrically connected to said neutral conductor and (b) all bodies or films of liquid milk which extend via reservoirs or conduits to the teat of an animal being milked.