STRAY CURRENT
ICG STRAY CURRENT DATA LOGGING AND MONITORING
Infinity Corrosion has spent more than a decade helping utility owners and light-rail transit (LRT) system operators work cooperatively to develop and operate stray current datalogging and monitoring programs. Long-term datalogging is the most effective way to monitor the dynamic stray currents these systems produce, and the only way to capture the seasonal, operational, and maintenance-driven patterns that snapshot surveys miss entirely.
What We Do
ICG designs and operates stray current programs end-to-end: site selection, equipment installation and maintenance, continuous data collection, analysis, and clear reporting. We work directly with utility engineers and transit agency staff to build programs that produce defensible data, and present it in formats that non-technical management and decision-makers can actually use.
Program Benefits
A well-designed long-term datalogging program allows owners and operators to:
-
Identify improvements from system upgrades
-
Detect LRT or pipeline component failures
-
Improve field data consistency
-
Capture the effects of LRT system operational changes and maintenance activities on stray currents
-
Assess pipeline cathodic protection levels under real-world conditions
-
Identify patterns and durations of adverse effects on pipelines caused by seasonal weather and precipitation
-
Document the impact and effectiveness of mitigation efforts over time
-
Present data graphically so non-technical management and decision-makers can understand the value of the program
What is Stray Current?
Stray current occurs when current intended to return to the traction power substation along the rails leaks or discharges from the rails into the ground. Once in the ground, that current follows paths of least resistance, typically through low-resistivity soils and metallic conductors such as buried pipelines. The current is picked up by the unintended conductor, travels along it, and eventually discharges back toward the substation, causing accelerated corrosion at the point of discharge.
Stray current degrades not just the integrity of nearby utilities, but also the light-rail components themselves at discharge locations. Most transit agencies follow industry best practices during construction to limit stray current, but the problem still occurs. Train movement, utility configurations, soil resistivity, and gaps in maintenance can all contribute to increased stray current activity and accelerated system degradation over time.
Why This Matters
For utility owners, undetected stray current can cut decades off the service life of buried pipelines and trigger unexpected failures. For transit agencies, it creates regulatory and neighbor-utility friction that can be expensive to resolve after the fact. A well-run monitoring program protects both sides, and gives everyone the data they need to make sound decisions.
 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 |  |  |