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Re: Problems with Electrical Authorities

Subject:  Re: Problems with Electrical Authorities
  Date:   Fri, 30 May 1997 23:18:02 -0700
  From:  "Norman F. Stanley" <nfs-at-midcoast-dot-com>



At 09:28 AM 5/30/97 -0500, you wrote:
>Subject:  Re: Problems with Electrical Authorities
>  Date:   Thu, 29 May 1997 20:52:58 -0400
>  From:  "Daryl P. Dacko" <mycrump-at-cris-dot-com>
>    To:   Tesla List <tesla-at-pupman-dot-com>
>
>
>At 07:31 AM 5/29/97 -0500, you wrote:
>
><snip>
>
>I'm not aware of any national laws prohibiting 'playing around' with
>electricity.
>
>We have a 'national electrical code' that is used in most states for
>minimum standards for electrical wireing, but this is mainly for 
>insurance purposes. If you build some sort of temporary lash-up in
>your back shed, you can't get arrested. But if someone gets hurt, or
>your
>shed burns down due to shoddy wireing, heaven help you! The insurance
>won't pay and you'll be liable for damages. 
>
>We have a strong electrical union, and they keep trying to push laws
>through to limit 'unqualifed' folks from working on anything more than
>24 volts, though with no luck so far (thank goodness!).
>
>Large corporations work pretty hard to make sure there are no laws
>makeing them hire folks with expensive certifications, and unions/
>insurance companys work hard to make sure houses don't burn down
>in the night - a nice balance.
>
>As far as electrical interferance goes, it becomes a whole lot more
>complex. Practicaly speaking, if no one complains, you are legal.
>If you interfere with the neighbors TV with your certified, bonded
>and licenced electrical hand drill, you are in trouble nontheless...
>
>You also need to understand that there are at least three levels of
>laws - National, State and Local. This yelds a great confusing maze 
>of laws that you can trip over, and a whole industry of folks who
>will guide you through them - for a price.
>
>Electrically speaking, we in the US worry a whole lot more about
>lawsuits than laws...
>
>So, at home, purterb the neighbors and you are OK, and if
>you build Tesla Coils for a busness, have a good legal staff !
>
>My two cents worth,
>
>Daryl

I recall once reading in CQ or QST of a community ordinance that banned
anyone not a licensed electrician from playing with any form of
electrical
apparatus.  Thus ham radio operators were forbidden from working on
their
own gear.  This was back quite a few years when hams usually built much
of
their equipment.

As for selling high voltage systems perhaps some of the old timers among
us
remember T. C. Cutting's booklets on electrical experiments using 110 V
house current.  Some of his designs could easily have electrocuted the
user.  But that was in a less litigious age (sigh!).

Norm