Re: Tesla Coil Regulations??????

["Tesla list" <tesla-at-pupman-dot-com>]

Original poster: "Terry Fritz" <twftesla-at-uswest-dot-net>

Hi Brian,

Generally, in the USA...

Being a "nuisance" buy running your 50kW coil at 3:00am on the front lawn or
the other odd laws to stop people from doing obnoxious and annoying things. 
Those laws sort of "catch all" things that specific laws don't cover when
someone is being a real pain for any reason.  The penalties are usually small
until the judge sees you for the third time ;-))

There are a few "infernal devices" laws that cover people building things that
are obviously destructive or really dangerous to humanity, but you would have
to really try hard to get into that.  Playing with a pole transformer in your
garage "could" get you into that if something really bad were to happen.  These
laws are for the people that try to make their own intercontinental missiles
out of oil drums, make their own medium scale nuclear breeder reactors in their
swimming pools, or do something that is really desperately dangerous that
"obviously" needs to be stopped.  It would be hard to convince a jury that your
Tesla coil falls into that.  As long as you sound like your are not insane when
the cops come, they will go away.  It is good to have a looooooong draaaaaaaawn
ouuuuuuuuuuut technical "explanation" of what it is and how it works ready if
needed.  Something that would make a jury fall asleep...  If course,
"sympathetic" expert witnesses are available ;-))

If the garage catches fire, the fire department will put it out (be darn sure
to cut the power before they get there!!).  They deal with people that burn
their garages down for all kinds of funny reasons.  Once the fire is out they
will leave.  The insurance guy will take some talking too however...

There is talk now and then about regulators in California doing something, but
these days, regulations involving electrical generators are not popular in that
state ;-))

Other than these and the FCC, you are home free ;-))  Be nice and try not to
annoy anyone and you will be fine.  Always put safety first!!  If something
really bad happens, they will feel obligated to find "something" to charge you
with.  Otherwise, they have much better things to worry about...

It is good to explain what the coil is and a little about how it works and what
it does before you show it to people, so they sort of look forward to it and
now what to expect.  Then they are a little less likely to jump to the
conclusion that you are nuts ;-))

Cheers,

        Terry


At 10:28 PM 4/6/2001 -0700, you wrote: 
>
> I have told a few people that I have constructed a Tesla Coil, most people
> don't seam to understand why I built it, and some people seam to be freaked
> out by the power it produces, what kind of problems has anyone run in with
> city officials, with a high voltage device.  I understand about the RF
> interference FCC problems and PCB's and OZONE, but is there anything else
> that they could shut you down for?.
>  
> Or is there no laws prohibiting the use of a coil? and High voltage in your
> Garage.
>  
>  
>  
> Thanks
> Brian
>