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FREE Hidden Electricity!
by Kipkay on October 13, 2007
Table of Contents
intro: FREE Hidden Electricity! . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
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Video . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
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step 1: What You Need... . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
2
step 2: The Schematic... . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
3
step 3: Final steps... . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
3
step 4: Interface Cable... . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
4
step 5: Test it Out! . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
4
Related Instructables . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
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Advertisements . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
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Customized Instructable T-shirts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
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Comments . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
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http://www.instructables.com/id/FREE-Hidden-Electricity!/
intro: FREE Hidden Electricity!
This Instructable will show you how to tap into a FREE source of electricity! All you need is a phone line! 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. You can really mess with your phone system by doing that. I discovered how
to do it the right way!
Video
step 1: What You Need...
1. Small project enclosure
2. (1) 240ohm resistor
3. (1) 510ohm resistor
4. (1) LM317L Regulator
5. (1) KBP210 Bridge Rectifier
6. (2) Phone line cables
http://www.instructables.com/id/FREE-Hidden-Electricity!/
step 2: The Schematic...
I connected the Positive end to one line of the female phone jack and the negative to the other. You could wire it directly to your light but I chose to do it this way so I
could test other sources with just a phone jack interface cable. The Red and Green go to corresponding colors on the phone line that plugs into the wall.
step 3: Final steps...
Mount the circuit in the project box and run your wires through two small drilled holes. Be sure to tie knots in the wires inside the box to prevent them from pulling out.
http://www.instructables.com/id/FREE-Hidden-Electricity!/
step 4: Interface Cable...
I made an interface cable from an old wall adapter and phone line to connect the light to the box.
step 5: Test it Out!
After wiring the LED's in parallel, I plugged everything in and it worked great! It even powered off when the phone was picked up and flashed when it rang. While this
won't power your new 60" HD Plasma TV, it will power small amperage electronics and could come in handy if the power goes out! Enjoy your FREE source of power.
Related Instructables
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http://www.instructables.com/id/FREE-Hidden-Electricity!/
Comments
50 comments Add Comment
view all 376 comments
Fred82664 says:
Feb 22, 2009. 1:18 AM REPLY
here is an old time farmers trick put a big role up metal fence under power lines run your feed wires in to your box and get 110 - 220 + volts out put .
How it works is based from inductance
As Eletricicty flows down the power lines it puts out Magnetic flux the fence acts as a secondary coil of a transformer.
the power company may not like it. but it works in a pinch if you need some power
luketanti says:
Feb 20, 2009. 2:25 PM REPLY
Can i use a different regulator like 7805 or 7815? Do I still need any resistors?
Wesley666 says:
Jan 13, 2009. 7:21 PM REPLY
Where did you find or figure this out from?
*Cough* Hacking the phone/Electiric companies Confidential files *Cough*
LOL jk
but seriously where?
Kipkay says:
Feb 19, 2009. 6:40 AM REPLY
http://sandman.com/telco.html
Wesley666 says:
Feb 19, 2009. 7:08 AM REPLY
Cool, thanks.
Pkranger88 says:
Feb 19, 2009. 8:31 PM REPLY
http://ieeexplore.ieee.org/Xplore/login.jsp?url=/iel5/61/29530/01339329.pdf?arnumber=1339329
Dude's I can't agree with you on this one. Call the phone company and you will find, or even read your fine print, the phone line is explicitly used
for the phone service. If you tap into the electricity there and they find out about it, you will get prosecuted. It IS ILLEGAL.
It doesn't matter if there are products out there designed for this. IT doesn't change the fact that it is illegal. Companies make and sell products
whose purposes are illegal but the products themselves are not.
Be wise, don't do it. There are better ways to get power anyway. Go get an altenator from a junkyard and set up a turbine or something else.
Don't steal.
Wesley666 says:
Feb 20, 2009. 1:30 PM REPLY
You are not really tapping the actual phone line (the ones for the actual telephone) you are tapping the other two which is power which most
phones don't even use, if I am correct.
Dr_Stupid says:
Feb 19, 2009. 5:49 AM REPLY
It's still theft. If you follow Biblical mythology...a sin is still a sin regardless of the degree, is it not?
Same holds true with illegal actions. It's still illegal. So if you want to break the law, don't come crying to me when you get caught. You were warned.
slothman says:
Feb 19, 2009. 9:47 AM REPLY
yeah cause the electrical company is honest.
Kipkay says:
Feb 19, 2009. 6:39 AM REPLY
It's not theft or illegal. This is voltage that comes into your home. If you are paying for phone service, you are paying for the voltage that it requires to
power your ringer. We can argue this till the cows come home. But no, I don;t believe it is a sin. BTW: There are actually products on the US market that
use phone voltage for a variety of gadgets.
http://www.instructables.com/id/FREE-Hidden-Electricity!/
Kipkay says:
Feb 19, 2009. 6:41 AM REPLY
http://sandman.com/telco.html
sooners1 says:
Sep 15, 2008. 4:38 AM REPLY
This is actually NOT illegal. Office store sell lamps with the telephone cord already attached to it that you can plug into your computer. They can also be
purchased on ebay.
evilfrogie says:
Nov 10, 2008. 10:19 PM REPLY
plug into COMPUTER.
ReCreate says:
Jan 27, 2009. 9:46 PM REPLY
yes if you want but you could also plug it into a phone line
KEYBOARDISBROKEN says:
Dec 23, 2008. 6:38 AM REPLY
wont the phone company charge your for that?
ReCreate says:
Jan 27, 2009. 9:44 PM REPLY
duh
the phone company charges double the money for that than the electric company
Just kidding
no they dont
lukej says:
Apr 1, 2008. 7:16 PM REPLY
I have 47 Volts and 4 leads.
Red, Black, Blue and White. Will this work in Australia?
ocman says:
Jan 23, 2009. 10:04 AM REPLY
Did you use a voltmeter to get that number? Can't you use it as well to see which lead is running power? As far as I know, phone lines use only two
wires, and when connected to a bigger jack the technician places the working ones in the middle.
bombmaker2 says:
Dec 30, 2008. 6:23 PM REPLY
Maybe Black & Blue after all they're the middle ones
wupme says:
Nov 20, 2008. 9:40 PM REPLY
It should work in most countries i think.
Of the 4 wires you got usually only 2 are really used/needed.
I think it should be red and black, but don't take my word on that, i don't know that much about the color codes for phonewires in other countries then
Germany.
ocelot1633 says:
Nov 23, 2008. 12:25 PM REPLY
I believe its a national standard... Red HOT... Black Ground... Blue White Yellow Green, are typically Data, but I'll make some Aus. contacts and see
what they get
ocman says:
Jan 23, 2009. 9:59 AM REPLY
Hi! I have an internet conection running through the phone line, so a 2wire DSL filter was needed to split both signals. Do you think this would still work
without any interference to any of the two services?? Also, which is the final output of your device? I would like to power up something more than a led lamp
(which by the way I don't have...). I don't know much about electronics, but I sure can put my hands on to anything with instructions. Can this be
used/adapted to say, maybe recharge my cell phone or something like that?
bwpatton1 says:
Jan 22, 2009. 1:21 PM REPLY
No joke about the powerfrom the phoneline even in a power outage. In one of the many Hurricanes that hits the US, we were without power for 8 days and
we had phone service throughout the entire thing!!
goldsmith says:
we r also charge an mobile phone from telephone line current.
http://www.instructables.com/id/FREE-Hidden-Electricity!/
Jan 8, 2009. 7:41 AM REPLY
goldsmith says:
Jan 8, 2009. 7:38 AM REPLY
why don't we use the computer from telephone line current,
I think it is possible........?
ranga333eie says:
Dec 28, 2008. 11:38 PM REPLY
can you tell me
why cannot we measure current at nutral point
tehpwnz0r says:
Dec 5, 2008. 1:15 AM REPLY
oh and also, Kipkay... the reason i asked above is because it looks like you just desoldered those components out of something. so if we can save some
money...what types of electronics can WE find components like the LM317 and the infamous KBP210 ??
trumpkin says:
Hey I can't find the parts at radioshack. would this rectifier work?
http://www.radioshack.com/product/index.jsp?parentPage=search&summary=summary&cp=&productId=2062580&accessories=accessories&kw=bridge+rectifier&tech
Is there a regulator that I could get at RadioShack? Thanks
tehpwnz0r says:
Dec 5, 2008. 1:11 AM REPLY
i would also like to know if this rectifier would work in substitute for the kbp210 bridge rectifier. and it would be nice to know of any components where i
could salvage a lm317 voltage regulator. there are many like kinda and it seems to be a popular component fr many many projects. although i am buying
a few, i'd like to know if there's anything like a vcr or remote or power supply, something specific that i must've overlooked. it'd be nice if someone could
message me about either. thanks in advance
ocelot1633 says:
Oct 8, 2008. 7:05 PM REPLY
now this "conversion" is still DC power right? Would there be a way to convert this to AC power w/o using a "power inverter", even building one, for us
creative techish people...I've done alot of research and such involving transformers 555chips mofest etc... was wondering if you had any input...
electronic boy says:
Nov 20, 2008. 12:33 PM REPLY
it is ac from the wall socket so you just take out the diode bridge rectifier.
ocelot1633 says:
Nov 20, 2008. 8:55 PM REPLY
So, the phone line power is AC, and not DC?
electronic boy says:
Nov 21, 2008. 12:46 PM REPLY
yes/ and a big tip plug your test meter into it and turn it to DC on the control dial , if their is no reading but a reading on ac then the line is ac, PS
do not put fingers on wires it hurts!!
ocelot1633 says:
Nov 23, 2008. 12:23 PM REPLY
Hahaha, I know that one 2 well, I just hooked up a Wireless unit outside and made a makeshift outlet outside, and I went to unplug it to bring it
inside to reconfigure and I grabbed the entire Outlet and I couldnt feel my arm for the next half hour... just glad it wasnt 220, buddy went to the
hosp for that, but I know what your saying.... Test with DC with a Multimeter and if no power, then try AC.. but then how would one convert
this 50 - 70 VAC line to 110, or down to 12VDC and use an Inverter and bump it back upto 110VAC?
wupme says:
Nov 20, 2008. 9:49 PM REPLY
Just to give my 2cents to this as well.
Its, like always, a great instructable Kipkay.
I never thought about this idea.
Now depending on the law thing.
In many countries its illegal to plug something into a phone line, thats not approved for it by some authority.
Other then that, it could be a violation of the contract you got with your phoneline supplier.
But there are laws and regulations for everything, i mean seriously...
In some countries (like for example Germany) its even god damn hard to start taking pictures for a living, because of laws and whatnot... (trust me on that
one)
So everybody gotta decide himself what he's gonna do.
Still, i wouldn't recommend doing this all the time.
But its a nice experiment and proof of concept. And in an emergency, well i would say do it.
Just that i got a huge load of flashlights for emergencys ;)
http://www.instructables.com/id/FREE-Hidden-Electricity!/
ElectricianDave says:
Nov 10, 2008. 12:07 AM REPLY
Great idea - yes this will work!
micromuffin says:
Nov 8, 2008. 12:32 PM REPLY
Great ible!
red_eye says:
Oct 27, 2008. 6:24 AM REPLY
hey, this is great! i am no good in electronic so can you please tell me what amperes or wattage do i get?
thanks
SonicSculptor says:
Oct 2, 2008. 2:06 AM REPLY
I'm not sure of the legality of this, and I won't speak to the ehtics.
however, I had sold and installed telephone equipment for nearly 10 years of my life, and this i do know. Most(ALL?) telephone equipment that uses power
from the phone line has a power draw specification listed on it. Usually on the bottom of the phone. If i remember correctly, it is "REM" or "Ringer Equivelent
Module".
Most wired, (none cordless) phones are usually listed at .6 to 1.6 REM's. You can usually draw up to about 5 REM's TOTAL on a single telephone line in
your home. (some less/ some more)
After that, you phone service risks interuption, poor service quality, phones that don't ring, caller ID's that don't work and a host of other similar problems.
I do not know how this REM number might translate into volts or milli amps? But, whatever it is, the phone company assumes you will draw this amount of
power without any problems. To my understanding(and memory, this is work i haven't done in over 10 years)
I guess my point is, drawing extra power from your phone line will eventually cause you service problems. Especially when you consider how many phones
or other devices you may already have connected.
sadunpererarules says:
Sep 27, 2008. 12:52 AM REPLY
haha. they used to do this in zambia. u can get seriously damaged with this. a kid died once
Dr_Stupid says:
Jul 25, 2008. 1:31 AM REPLY
This is illegal. Don't get caught doing it, because you will go to prison. This electricity isn't "free"...while it might be something you could use in an emergency
doing this IS ILLEGAL. (if you want to deal with the FCC and the FBI, be my guest.)
scorcher says:
Sep 26, 2008. 2:17 PM REPLY
umm dependes what state or country your in, duh
pplschmpion says:
Jul 25, 2008. 4:28 PM REPLY
LOL!
*door gets kicked in* "FBI! you've been using your phone to power tiny electrical devices, you owe a fee of ... 2 American dollars!"
Dr_Stupid says:
Feb 19, 2009. 5:48 AM REPLY
try 50,000 + 10 year prison term.
xcoastie says:
Oct 8, 2008. 7:49 PM REPLY
This site really needs voting on comments (like Digg), that made my day.
pedroion says:
Nov 27, 2008. 5:16 AM REPLY
[2]
RESPECT +5, pplschmpion.
Derinsleep says:
there is a greasemonkey script for that
http://www.instructables.com/id/FREE-Hidden-Electricity!/
Feb 19, 2009. 8:35 AM REPLY
bob_shaftenkluger says:
Sep 3, 2008. 9:17 PM REPLY
:)
Kipkay says:
Jul 25, 2008. 4:36 AM REPLY
LOL! FBI? Prison? You're kidding right? Please site the federal law that would send someone to prison for using the tiny amount of electricity that you are
paying for from the phone company.
netbuddy says:
Sep 26, 2008. 3:44 PM REPLY
It does not matter what country you live in, any country who has telecommunications will have federal / government regulations or laws that prohibit
certain actions by individuals and depending on where you are will depend on how harsh the punishment is.
Interfering with telecommunication systems, which is what your device is doing, is illegal.
Whilst it is educational, I do not recommend that you continue to use it.
Had this been a "Passive" device, then it would be a different ball game.
view all 376 comments
http://www.instructables.com/id/FREE-Hidden-Electricity!/