Can you use power from your phone line for something other than a phone?
Is it illegal to use the phone line to power small electrical devices? I found a schematic online to build a device to allow you to do this, but some people say that it's illegal and some say that it's not. "FREE Hidden Electricity!": http://www. instructables. com/id/FREE-Hidden-Electricity!/?ALLSTEPS
never heard of this being illegal, just very impractical...
1- there are varying voltages going thru the telephone wiring, aprox 9VDC while "off-hook" 48VDC while "on-hook" and 90VAC ringing current... with very little amperage...
2- there is potential for you to cause a fault on your phone line, most likely shorting the line out - causing a no dial tone trouble...
for a simple proof of concept project i see no trouble in doing this, but to actually use this to get "free energy" it is rather impractical...
Joe is exactly right not enough amperage while off hook to do much good and if you tried to tap into what is there my guess is your phone might not ring if a call did come in.