Harvesting Electric Power from High Voltage Overhead Power Lines?

[brockrwood]

Is this for real?

If I can fill a capacitor this way, what is the EMF from the overhead power lines doing to my chromosomes?

https://hackaday.com/2024/01/27/har...high-voltage-transmission-lines-using-fences/

 

[Art Upton]

The same thing when you hold older florescent tube bulbs in your hands at night under them and they lite up

 

[OverTheTop]

Yes, it is a real thing. The power companies get really annoyed if you take serious power from the lines.

 

[brockrwood]

Yes, it is a real thing. The power companies get really annoyed if you take serious power from the lines.

I was thinking just enough juice to charge up a cluster rocket 12V lead-acid launch battery. They would never miss it.

Let’s see. A long piece of coax? The article says the induced voltage was over 1,000 volts. That’s a lot of voltage for a 12V battery charger circuit.

 

[Cape Byron]

Yes, it is a real thing. The power companies get really annoyed if you take serious power from the lines.

Yes, and their legals have nasty pointed teeth.

Plus it’s considered extremely dangerous, so most people wouldn’t do it. More than once.

 

[Hobie1dog]

Just like the scientist who said that taking a trip to Mars is the perfect "suicide mission"

 

[cbrarick]

EMR is still radiation. Time, distance and shielding are your friends......

 

[David Schwantz]

Ok, I've got lines that run right through my backyard, give me a minute......

 

[rfjustin]

Whoever takes this on, regardless of outcome, shall forever be referred to as Sparky.

 

[Mugs914]

Sounds to me like hitch hiking for a lightnin' ride...

 

[DAllen]

Whoever takes this on, regardless of outcome, shall forever be referred to as Sparky.

Yes and if said sparky could video tape these escapades we would appreciate it.

 

[Peartree]

Is this for real?

If I can fill a capacitor this way, what is the EMF from the overhead power lines doing to my chromosomes?

When we were shopping for a house, more than once my wife and I drove to look at a property that looked interesting in print, only to find that it was nestled beneath high tension lines. We didn't even slow down other than to turn around and go home.

 

[NTP2]

Whoever takes this on, regardless of outcome, shall forever be referred to as Sparky.

Is that how @Sparky got her name?!!

 

[K'Tesh]

Yes, and their legals have nasty pointed teeth.

Plus it’s considered extremely dangerous, so most people wouldn’t do it. More than once.

Yeah... and you won't believe the charges they'll bring you up on in circuit court.

 

[SDramstad]

Yeah... and you won't believe the charges they'll bring you up on in circuit court.

Wouldnt that be Short Circuit Court?

 

[K'Tesh]

Wouldnt that be Short Circuit Court?

You'll have to ask Johnny... Who's Johnny?

 

[K'Tesh]

Wouldnt that be Short Circuit Court?

Good thing is, at least if you ARE found guilty in that court, you won't find yourself "riding the wire".

 

[techrat]

To "siphon" off any meaningful power, you've got to be dangerously close. Just like RF energy, it falls off at the square of distance.
For example, with my 5 watt handheld radio, I can make a circuit that lights up an LED using just the energy coming off the antenna when I press transmit.
However, if I get more than 10 feet from the recieving circuit, the LED goes out because there's no longer enough meaningful voltage to drive the LED.

With a lot caps and coils, yeah, you can "steal" some energy. But it's more work than it's worth, and you get way more with a simple solar panel.
There's your free electricity to charge a 12v battery. I do that all the time with my ham radios. Solar is cheap and it works surprisingly well.

 

[SDramstad]

What would they Charge you with?

 

[K'Tesh]

What would they Charge you with?

Resistance

 

[techrat]

Resistance

Is futile.

 

[K'Tesh]

Is futile.

You don't want to be on the wrong side of the long arm Ohm's law...

 

[Tractionengines]

Yes, it is a real thing. The power companies get really annoyed if you take serious power from the lines.

It's been done for real before. Yes the power company "found out" somehow after a long time. (A friend, of a friend, of a friend, finally asked the wrong person about it, and it was traced back.

The person had a Induction circuitry running the full length if the attic. It trickle charged the "storage system" 24/7/375. Then there was converters for his "power" to outlets etc.

"Details released were VERY LIMITED as the power companies didn't want a bunch of copy-cats. Who would either "steal power" or get hurt/killed trying and then sue them...

(If I get some time, [ha ha] I'll try to dig up what I have from it.)

 

[NTP2]

(If I get some time, [ha ha] I'll try to dig up what I have from it.)

Please please do!

 

[brockrwood]

Good thing is, at least if you ARE found guilty in that court, you won't find yourself "riding the wire".

OMG! The Dad jokes are coming fast and furious!

 

[K'Tesh]

OMG! The Dad jokes are coming fast and furious!

I'm an uncle... not a dad... I'm a Faux Pa!

I'll prove it...
Here... Pull my finger....

 

[Rob Campbell]

What would they Charge you with?

Battery

 

[K'Tesh]

Battery

Watt??? You're going to join this pile?

 

[NTP2]

Watt??? You're going to join this pile?

That took me a minute..,

 

[K'Tesh]

That took me a minute..,

You need to amp it up... It took me an arc second.