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View Full Version : interesting emergency power idea

DV8
10-31-2007, 07:23 AM
I saw on instructables where someone came up with the idea to tap into the phone system during a power outage to get their electricity from the ever present current flowing through the phone lines.. Since All phone lines have a constant flow of voltage, around 40-70 volts (up to 100 volts when it rings!), but you can't just plug stuff into it and expect it to work.

In the video the guy hooks a light to it, but it seems a battery charger for small batteries would be more practical.

it's an intresting theory to say the least !!!

View the video here:

http://www.instructables.com/id/FREE-Hidden-Electricity!
AlchemyAcres
10-31-2007, 08:50 AM
LED phone line lights are up for auction on eBay all the time.


~Martin :)
colonelpanic
10-31-2007, 10:19 AM
We are talking milliamps so don't expect to do much besides light bulbs. The conductors in phone wires aren't very large.
jott
10-31-2007, 02:27 PM
Not a very worthwhile idea. When you connect one of the things you agree too is a limit on how much current you can draw off the phone line, any lighting to connect to it would put you over that limit. If you draw too much current it will look like your phone is off the hook and you will not receive calls. Also the phone company dose automated line checks when lines are not in use, so if your line keeps coming up as a bad line because of the current draw they will start asking questions.
AlchemyAcres
11-01-2007, 06:06 AM
Not a very worthwhile idea. When you connect one of the things you agree too is a limit on how much current you can draw off the phone line, any lighting to connect to it would put you over that limit. If you draw too much current it will look like your phone is off the hook and you will not receive calls. Also the phone company dose automated line checks when lines are not in use, so if your line keeps coming up as a bad line because of the current draw they will start asking questions.

Are you sure about that?
Neon telephones are essentially the same thing (the light is always on) and have been around for a long time. I've never heard of anyone exceeding a limit.

~Martin
DavidOH
11-01-2007, 06:12 AM
Our phone company used to charge us an extra dollar a month because we had a lighted dial. ::)