Re: Tesla Coil Regulations??????

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

Original poster: "Jim Lux by way of Terry Fritz <twftesla-at-uswest-dot-net>" <jimlux-at-earthlink-dot-net>

home built and operated TCs are "down in the noise level" as far as
regulation goes, unless you make a nuisance of yourself.  Then, there are a
whole host of problems that might rear their head.

 FCC rules are one (especially if you are interfering with someone)
(although, there is pretty extensive latitude for "experimental" equipment..
as long as you aren't actually trying to broadcast.).

The electrical code generally only deals with permanent installations. Laws
and rules requiring UL (or equivalent) usually apply only to "sale" of
products.

You probably don't make enough ozone to incur the wrath of regulators: most
ozone limits are in occupational exposures, and, if you aren't an
occupation, then OSHA can't say squat..I doubt that the local regional air
quality folks would care about the miniscule amount of ozone (or nitrogen
oxides) you make compared to automotive and industrial sources.

You're not selling your TC as a consumer product, so consumer product safety
commission rules don't really apply.

You're biggest exposure is: Annoy the neighbors enough, and the cops will
come, and there are all manner of fairly loosely written laws about
"disturbing the peace", "creating a nuisance", "creating a public hazard",
etc.  You DONT want to wind up having to PROVE that your TC doesn't do any
of these.. because you can't.. it's the classic "proving a negative"
problem.

Another exposure, hypothetical, because I've never heard of it being an
issue, is that if you burn your house (or apartment) down, the insurance may
not pay off because, in their opinion, you were doing something that you
knew was unsafe, etc.....  I do know of cases where the insurance failed to
pay (initially, at least) when someone had a (big) fire in the garage from
surfboard refinishing solvents catching fire.  The legal question will be
"ordinary standard of care", and, when it comes to legal questions,
"reasonable men" may (and will) differ, and they will pay mighty attorney
bills to thrash it out.


----- Original Message -----
From: "Tesla list" <tesla-at-pupman-dot-com>
To: <tesla-at-pupman-dot-com>
Sent: Friday, April 06, 2001 8:23 PM
Subject: Tesla Coil Regulations??????


> Original poster: "raven0075 by way of Terry Fritz <twftesla-at-uswest-dot-net>"
<raven0075-at-home-dot-com>
>
> 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
>
>
>
>