Les Jones: If I Had a High Tension Power Line in My Yard I'd Totally Do This

February 28, 2008

Nifty > If I Had a High Tension Power Line in My Yard I'd Totally Do This

"Photograph of pine tree made from flourescent tubes powered by emissions from overhead power lines as part of work for residency at Bristol University Physics Department. 2003"

pine tree.jpg

To put it another way - that "pine tree" is a bunch of fluorescent lights. There's no electrical cord attached to them. They're powered by the electro-magnetic induction of the high tension powerlines above.

Hat tip to jwz.

Posted by lesjones | TrackBack

Comments

I wonder if that can be done with a CFL.

Posted by: Alcibiades McZombie at February 28, 2008

I wonder if there's any way of recapturing some of that energy? How much copper coil could you put out there and draw off some juice?

If I didn't have an irrational fear of large, metallic structures (don't ask. It's irrational, I don't know why they freak me out) I'd definitely have to try this. There's plenty of these around my house.

Posted by: Robb Allen at February 29, 2008

There's some discussion in the comments at jwz's about that. Apparently people have been able to draw electricity from the field. Unfortunately it's apparently illegal, because it causes an extra load on the system.

Posted by: Les Jones at February 29, 2008

Free-to-me energy ;-)

Posted by: Chris Range at February 29, 2008

The scary part is that that's exactly what light bulbs do when you put them in the microwave, too.

Posted by: tjayswift at February 29, 2008

You can build a core and coil induction transformer and actually draw current from these power lines and tap it in the right place for the voltage you want. If it sets in one place too long though you will be discovered because they can detect the power loss and its location.

Posted by: Tennessee Jed at March 01, 2008

As long as your not touching it I doubt a prosocution would result.

Posted by: ParatrooperJJ at March 11, 2008