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Explore GizmagThe lamp that runs on free electricity – from the phone socket
By Darren Quick
22:54 November 5, 2009
The 8 LED RJ11 Lamp can provide light even when the power's out
If you’re looking to shave every last cent off your next electricity bill then this gooseneck lamp is for you. The lamp is so energy efficient its eight white LED lights are powered by the trickle of electricity flowing from a RJ11 socket – or garden-variety telephone socket. This means that, even if you’ve fallen behind on your electricity bill and the power has been cut off, you can still enjoy some late night reading.
If the only RJ11 jack available is already being used by another appliance – say a phone – then you’ll be left in the dark, as the light isn’t able to connect to a regular power point. Even the battery compartment of the lamp has been rendered a waste of space. The lamp doesn’t appear to be a winner in the looks or build quality departments, but what do you expect for US$4.69?
Sure, the phone companies probably won’t like it, but you could argue it might provide an (extraordinarily minor) reason for people not to ditch the land-line in favor of relying solely on a mobile phone.
The 8 LED RJ11 Lamp reaches around 27cm (10.5”) high and weighs 74g (2.6-oz). It is available now from Uxsight.
Via Craziest Gadgets.
It's not free electricity, you're paying for it in your "line rental".
Gruph Norgle
- November 6, 2009 @ 08:01 am PST
Sounds like a lot of ifs for this gadget to be usable..I have 1 landline phone socket..this would work if I had a socket doubler?
Gerard Gallagher
- November 6, 2009 @ 04:37 pm PST
From my research, Part 68 of FCC regulations states that any device that connects to the phone line has to present a resistance of at least 5 MΩ while not communicating.
Looks like this was designed without any regard to the regulations that govern phone lines in the US.
Shang
- November 6, 2009 @ 07:10 pm PST
And those of us who have switched to a fiber optic phone line (FIOS) can't use this at all... not that I'm all that broken up about it.
xyxoxy
- November 8, 2009 @ 12:23 am PST
I'm thinking the line is still powered even when you don't have a landline phone set up.
Kyle Simmons
- November 8, 2009 @ 03:10 pm PST
Bah. If you want a low power, inexpensive reading light idea, here's one for you:
Last year I purchased a $10 box of LED Christmas lights. The kind with small, round diffusers on them. I used twist ties to bundle the lights into 4 groups of 12 to aim them the same direction. Then I removed the bulb from my night stand lamp and zip tied the center of the cluster of wires in so the bundles would hang downward concealed under the lamp shade.
You'll be surprised how bright 25 Christmas lights are when you bundle them together. It is more than enough light to read by and takes only 4 watts.
No it's not an exotic gadget, but it's cheap, easy and legal.
Raum Bances
- November 10, 2009 @ 11:30 am PST
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Sooo, the value I'm seeing is that this lamp would work when the power was out.