A hypothetical question.

[Top Cat]

Just had a conversation with my wife about free electricity:-

If pylons are running over your land and you make a coil to get it down to 230V is it "drawing" off electricity from the grid or is it "free" electricity? Does it "hurt" the supply authority? or does it not matter?

 

[Adam W]

If the electricity obtained was used without due authority you would be committing the offense of 'Abstraction of Electricity' under Section 13 of the Theft Act 1968 and be liable to a term of imprisonment not exceeding 5 years and/or a fine not exceeding £5000.

I think that answers the original question.

 

[Silly Sausage]

If the electricity obtained was used without due authority you would be committing the offense of 'Abstraction of Electricity' under Section 13 of the Theft Act 1968 and be liable to a term of imprisonment not exceeding 5 years and/or a fine not exceeding £5000.

I think that answers the original question.

This is a job for a lawyer!

MS's quote will apply to direct theft of power from a live conductor.
TC's original question is abstracting power from the EM field around said conductor!

 

[Adam W]

Where would you be stealing the electricity from if it weren't from a live conductor?
As I've said, putting it through an isolating transformer doesn't remove that liability.

 

[Silly Sausage]

Where would you be stealing the electricity from if it weren't from a live conductor?
As I've said, putting it through an isolating transformer doesn't remove that liability.

Imagine you're running a cable parallel to a supply cable without any physical contact, that will generate a current (excuse terminology) in your cable. They can't touch you for taking advantage of side effects of their supply? You're not interfering with the suppliers equipment, no leg to stand on. 4am, time for bed!

 

[MarkieSparkie]

Imagine you're running a cable parallel to a supply cable without any physical contact, that will generate a current (excuse terminology) in your cable. They can't touch you for taking advantage of side effects of their supply? You're not interfering with the suppliers equipment, no leg to stand on. 4am, time for bed!

I'm afraid they can, under the Theft Act 1968 the DNO fraud investigators just have to prove that 'abstraction of electricity' has occurred. Section 13 of the act Abstraction of Electricity:- Any person who dishonestly uses without due authority, or dishonestly causes to be wasted or diverted, any electricity... The method by which the electricity was obtained from the supply network is irrelevant.

 

[Knobhead]

From memory there was a case in the USA of illegal abstraction by using the electro / magnetic field of O/H line. The power company won, not a great surprise there then!

 

[sedgy34]

Either way it would be classed as fraudulent u might aswell bypass your meter this is hypothetical of course lol

 

[Top Cat]

We seem to have wondered off subject here. I don't care if it is illegal or not, as i am not going to do it!

My Question was are you using power from the lines that effect the power companies? for example:-

(and i know this is fantasy) At the power station they have a meter, now this is a new set of pylons and no one is using any electricity yet so the meter is reading 000000Kw. Now i put my coil under the pylons and manage to run my 10Kw shower. After an hour is that meter, reading 000010Kw?

 

[sedgy34]

HEY T C
I doubt it it's induced

 

[Top Cat]

Hi sedgy (Electrician Arms Member!) Probably but not convinced, where is Einstein when you want him!

 

[Knobhead]

View attachment 12194.............

 

[Top Cat]

Must say he's looking good for his age!Lol

 

[Paul.M]

"Now i put my coil under the pylons and manage to run my 10Kw shower. After an hour is that meter, reading 000010Kw?"

Yes it would. Because you have used 10Kw of current the generator would have to produce that in the first place and would have to generate it again.

In every o/h HV supply there is a loss when transporting current. In your case if no one is connected up yet and you siphon off 10Kw they would put it down to leakage until they find your coil under their lines.

(sorry if that didn't make sense, wifes nagging me to get off the forum and on with housework!)

 

[brman]

We seem to have wondered off subject here. I don't care if it is illegal or not, as i am not going to do it!

My Question was are you using power from the lines that effect the power companies? for example:-

(and i know this is fantasy) At the power station they have a meter, now this is a new set of pylons and no one is using any electricity yet so the meter is reading 000000Kw. Now i put my coil under the pylons and manage to run my 10Kw shower. After an hour is that meter, reading 000010Kw?

The answer is definitely YES.
All you are doing is making a transformer. No different to the one at the local substation except yours is air cored so not as efficient (and it wasn't installed by the DNO!)
the more load on the secondary (your pickup coil) the more load on the primary (the overhead lines), just like any transformer. There is no such thing as free energy, it has to come from somewhere.......

which I have just realised is what paul.m said about an hour ago :sad_smile:

 

[barnzi]

The only instance I've come across of this so far that was tested and proved to be legal was a chap using a resonant coil to pick up the powerful radio signal from a nearby broadcast transmitter. The only reason it was legal was that it was a public broadcast, therefore he was an intended recipient so it was all kosher under the Wireless Telegraphy Act 1984. The BBC only discovered his scheme because people living in the shadow of his house were complaining about poor reception. The story goes that they offered to pay for his electricity if he dismantled the coil.