Is it legal to run electricity from my neighbor's house temporarily for a couple days, as long as I have their consent? I am using a heavy duty extension cord.
Unlike Internet or cable television, electricity is sold on a per-unit of energy basis. So the electric utility won’t have a problem with you using your neighbor’s electrical connection — the utility will still get paid for the electricity you use.I’d suggest being a good neighbor and offering them something in return. After all, the electricity you are using will register on their utility bill, and they’ll have to pay it.With services like Internet and cable television, those are usually paid on an “unlimited use in a single site” basis. When you tap into your neighbor’s Internet or cable TV connection, you’re not financially impacting your neighbor; you are financially impacting the service provider, because you are using services in a location not licensed to use those services. That’s considered theft of service and is illegal almost everywhere.I don’t believe that using your neighbor’s electricity is illegal. However, local codes may prohibit the installation of extension cords in the manner you propose. Usually, it is acceptable for temporary use.NEVER connect the cord directly to your house’s built-in wiring, unless it is properly connected through an isolating transfer switch. Connecting without a transfer switch (for example, with a double-male cord plugged into both your neighbor’s and YOUR outlet) can potentially backfeed power to the utility. If you’ve been disconnected from your utility, connecting this way will energize the connection point where the utility has disconnected you.(An isolating transfer switch has two inputs: utility power and auxiliary power input for a generator or other power source. It has one output: your house. It is designed so that your house can be powered by either the utility power or the auxiliary power, but the auxiliary power input and utility input can never be connected together, even accidentally.)“Backfeeding” power without an isolating transfer switch is not just a violation of electrical codes, it is illegal in most places.
Can a vehicle alternator be wired into your home to supply power?
I am looking into some renewable energy options and thought about using an alternator (or more than one) wired directly into my home to supply power. Since the home is fed with AC current and an alternator (or AC generator) puts out AC current, as long as the voltage and/or amperage doesn't won't exceed the breakers capability, this should work right? Side note: my electric company will be setting up a net meter for the system once it is approved by an electrician.
Is it legal to produce your own electricity and not be connected to the grid?
I was watching the video on cnn about the man who put up a huge windmill to power his home. However, he was talking about how it will still be connected to the grid and if he produces enough electricity he wont pay a bill but if not he will. Also, a man in Florida built enough solar to power his home but he is also connected to the grid. What are the laws about having your own independent energy without being connected to the grid? Are you allowed to not have any connection to the power companies? I know you never own a home in america because of property tax and eminent domain. But can you not even power your home without being connected to the largest polluting, money laundering scum on the planet? I am excited about technology that can power a home free of electric companies. But if even with the technology we still have to be part of the grid what's the point.
Is it really illegal to live without electricity?
Odd I have had black outs and been able to call the power company to tell them our power was out. How does MY phone work without electricity, yet no one else's does? Oh yeah because PHONES DON'T NEED ELECTRICITY. If people wouldn't use Cordless phones they'd know that. A cordless phone(or VoIP phone as well) need power so that the base of them works. An old fashioned phone that you plug in to the wall works just fine, so you have a cord instead it's good to have one when the power is out. Anyway nothing illegal about not having electricity. As to having to pay bills, that's only if you have the power turned on. The police don't go house to house and make sure you have power turned on.
Does tap water run without electricity?
It depends on where your water comes from. If you are on a city water main, then it is likely nothing will happen unless the city loses power as well. Most cities use electric pumps to pressurize the system for the entire city. You will lose water only if the city pumps that supply your water main lose power. My house is different. The city gets water from public wells scattered all over the county. The well pumps pump water into large holding tanks on the tops of the hills in the countryside around the town. I have a 10,000 gallon tank above me on the hill I live on, and several wells located below at the foot of the hill. The well pumps are relatively small and use a level control to refill the tank when the level drops low enough. My taps are supplied by gravity from the tank above me on the hill. No pumps. My water will stop only if the tank goes dry. The well pumps simply refill the tank when needed. The tank above me supplies maybe 80 houses in my development. The same applies to other developments all around me as well. In the city center, 2 miles away, the majority of the city is mostly close to sea level, and they use electric pumps to supply the system since the land in town is relatively flat. In my opinion, you will not lose your water supply when they work on your electrical.
How can I borrow power (electricity) from a neighbor until I get my connection?
This depends on what you're trying to accomplish, but generally speaking, I'm saying no.Most outdoor branch circuits are rated for 20-30 Amps, whereas most Main Service Panels are going to be rated for 200 Amps (but no less than 100A), therefore running an extension cord to attempt to power your whole house will, at best, trip the breaker, or at worst, cause a massive risk of electrocution and/or fire on both properties.If you were trying to setup a feeder and subpanel (say 100A) from the neighbor's main to your home, the cost of a safe installation would likely exceed the costs of having a service to your own home. I don't think this type of installation would be even be legal, in all honesty.If you're planning on running an extension cord to ‘borrow’ some power for a few days, this won't fly either, as the NEC (National Electric Code) states (paraphrasing) that there are limits on extension cord lengths, that they are only to serve as temporary wiring, and shall not serve as a substitute for permanent wiring.There may be some loophole in the NEC that I'm missing that may permit this installation, but as of this writing, I can't think of anything.Of course, all of these hypotheticals assume your neighbor's consent. Do not steal power! Assuming a catastrophe doesn't happen first, discovery of an illegal hookup by the Authority Having Jurisdiction (over electrical installations) will result in huge fines and possibly prosecution.
CAN A BUILDER USE YOUR POWER SUPPLY TO BUILD YOUR HOME?
Are you talking about building a new house or remodeling your existing house? If you look on your contract you will likely find a paragraph dealing with utilities. Most new construction contracts state the owner pays the utilities(gas, electric, cable, phone) during construction. In new construction prior to running the electric service line the builder uses gas fired generators for running any power equipment. Once the service is run then the builder per his contract uses the new service at the owners expense. In commercial construction the general contractor is responsible for supplying the construction site with temporary service. The cost of this is built into the contract with the owners or investors. In remodeling the contract explicitly states the owner is to provide and pay for utilities used during the construction. EDIT: There is no legislation requiring owners or builders to access the power supply. It is a civil contract. Provisions for utility fees are usually written into the contract agreement. If the builder is to pay for utilities the price he quotes the customer will most likely have the estimated cost of those utilities in the contract price. Look at the fine print in your contract. There should be a paragraph regarding the utilities if the builder is using a professional "Building Contract Agreement".