Free Electricity

[Steve]

See this re. getting electric from your phone line!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WoaLGvJkoP8

What do we think? Would this work in the UK?

 

[Spark123]

I don't see why it wouldn't work to some degree but I'd imagine it is illegal and might play havoc with your broadband! Also what happens when the phone rings?

 

[Taylortwocities]

Yes, technically. UK phone lines are at 50V dc. But the line is limited to a small current (20mA IIRC) at the exchange otherwise a line short would blow the exchange batteries!

So that LED light will work, but you couldnt run much else off it.

PS You are not allowed to do this under the terms of your agreement with BT!

 

[FourFootMedia]

There's already a few companies in the states selling lamps that connect to the phone line as more people are ditching their land lines in favour of mobile technologies.

 

[flameport]

what happens when the phone rings?

120+ volts goes down the line and destroys whatever was illegally connected there.

 

[Johnmelad502]

There's already a few companies in the states selling lamps that connect to the phone line as more people are ditching their land lines in favour of mobile technologies.

Yep, the line is always live even when the line number is discontinued.

 

[seco services]

PS You are not allowed to do this under the terms of your agreement with BT!

thats what makes it more exciting when you know its wrong.
gives all them do gooders something to moan about and put the world to rights over regs and law.

 

[kai]

Perhaps it could make an emergency light source, available even in a power failure, or for a 17th edition compliant house, when the RCD trips out etc.

 

[TicklyT]

Start drawing current from the line, and the exchange equipment would see it as an attempt to make a phone call, so your line would be permanently engaged.

 

[Taylortwocities]

Aye, now its all computerised it will show up in the stats as a perm loop. So the exchange will (auto) test the line and an engineer will come out to check your problem.

Then they charge you.

 

[big-all]

i had a mate who would take all his batteries and chargers from his tools phones anything that used batteries that needed charging to work with him to save a"FORTUNE" in electricity by charging his batteries in the customers houses where he was working
he even went to the trouble off letting a 6 way extension lead into a dewalt tool case to hide his covert charging

he had convinced himself he was saving several pounds a day and well woth the effort i pointed out to him he was saving about 10p a day maximum and was stealing from the clients

the funny thing was he has wasted around an hour a day sorting everything out on a daily basis

his face was a picture from thinking his customers where paying his beer tab every week to he was spending 5hrs a week for 50p

 

[plugwash]

Aye, now its all computerised it will show up in the stats as a perm loop. So the exchange will (auto) test the line and an engineer will come out to check your problem.

Do they really send people out to check when someone leaves thier phone off the hook for a while?

 

[Taylortwocities]

That wouldn't be for a while. It would be a permanent A-B leg fault.

 

[ebee]

If you really want to save money then do not buy a Diary.

Simply get your Telephone Directory and cross out the names and addresses of all the people that you do not know.

 

[Taylortwocities]