Electrician Comments about Latent Electrical Charges

I just had an electrician (30 years experience) over to take care of a laundry list of 9 items that we had built up over the years.

It turns out that he used to be a scrapper, but when he moved out of state about 6 months ago wasn't able to take his stuff with him. He lives in an apartment now, so doesn't really have the space to do much scrapping.

Nonetheless, I asked him about items that can give you a shock after being unplugged. We discussed CRT monitors, TV's and those heavy battery backups used with some computers.

His general comment to me was that if something has been unplugged for 30 days or more, it should be plenty safe to go poking around inside. That said, I do realize there are some other potential dangers (i.e., magnetrons- that nasty item in microwaves that shouldn't be messed with because it contains beryllium).

Anyhow, what does everyone think about the 30 day guideline? Is that plenty of time? Should it be more or less than 30 days?

Oh, and by the way, I asked him about scrapping from his corporate dumpster (which they share with another electrical firm) and he said there is no problem. He even said they have gates but they are never locked, so I could go there anytime I wanted.

I would say its easily the best idea to get written permission to take from the dumpster. Far better to show that to a cop than get arrested for theft.


There videos on youtube on how to discharge crt/tv tubes. Watch several until you are certain you understand how to do it.

It takes only a few minutes to discharge one and being certain is best. I do agree that 30 days would be reasonable to believe that the tube has been discharged through a build in high resistance discharge circuit.

MOST important thing to consider: You need a place to legally dispose of tubes. Where I am its not easy or free. 73, Mike

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Originally Posted by miked

MOST important thing to consider: You need a place to legally dispose of tubes. Where I am its not easy or free. 73, Mike

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^^^that^^^

It's why TVs are leverite as far as I'm concerned.

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Originally Posted by recyclersteve

Oh, and by the way, I asked him about scrapping from his corporate dumpster (which they share with another electrical firm) and he said there is no problem. He even said they have gates but they are never locked, so I could go there anytime I wanted.

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I'd say dive it then.. find as many commercial dumpsters as you can and roll your dice! You keep bringing it up.. so scratch the itch. As the saying goes "If you're not living on the edge, you're taking up too much space!"

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Originally Posted by miked

I would say its easily the best idea to get written permission to take from the dumpster. Far better to show that to a cop than get arrested for theft.


There videos on youtube on how to discharge crt/tv tubes. Watch several until you are certain you understand how to do it.

It takes only a few minutes to discharge one and being certain is best. I do agree that 30 days would be reasonable to believe that the tube has been discharged through a build in high resistance discharge circuit.

MOST important thing to consider: You need a place to legally dispose of tubes. Where I am its not easy or free. 73, Mike

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"Summary: In 1988, the US Supreme Court ruled in the California v. Greenwood case that garbage is public domain. The case involved the police departments search of a drug dealers trash. They found enough drug paraphernalia to issue a warrant for his arrest and eventual conviction."

So unless there is a local ordinance against "scavenging" or dumpster diving then it's completely legal. It is not theft as garbage is public domain so long as it's in a publicly accessible area.

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Originally Posted by 520

"Summary: In 1988, the US Supreme Court ruled in the California v. Greenwood case that garbage is public domain. The case involved the police departments search of a drug dealers trash. They found enough drug paraphernalia to issue a warrant for his arrest and eventual conviction."

So unless there is a local ordinance against "scavenging" or dumpster diving then it's completely legal. It is not theft as garbage is public domain so long as it's in a publicly accessible area.

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You must have missed the "He even said they have gates but they are never locked" part of his statement. So most likely a rented or contracted dumpster, on company owned property, behind a gate.

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Originally Posted by 520

"Summary: In 1988, the US Supreme Court ruled in the California v. Greenwood case that garbage is public domain. The case involved the police departments search of a drug dealers trash. They found enough drug paraphernalia to issue a warrant for his arrest and eventual conviction."

So unless there is a local ordinance against "scavenging" or dumpster diving then it's completely legal. It is not theft as garbage is public domain so long as it's in a publicly accessible area.

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Is a dumpster on a construction site or on business property considered trash or a storage bin? Is there a difference between searching property and taking property? I do not know and would tend to error on the safe side. After all lawyers make a living dissecting the fine lines and meaning of the law. I have no intention of paying 10,000 pds. of copper to a lawyer just to find out I am right.

Patriot-
At least in Indiana: Any trash can or container that you set out to the road on your trash day is able to be searched by the police. BUT the law enforcement must FIRST approach a judge with probable cause and that judge must determine if there is said probable cause to issue a search warrant to then have law enforcement pick up the trash and search it. Spent 4 years working in the government system so I kinda sorta know what I'm preaching.

A dumpster that is on a jobsite, behind a gate, or at a company business on company owned property is private property. In this case above, entering private property is an easy trespass charge, and if anything is removed from the premises including from inside the dumpster could be considered theft. Think of it in another manner. Our recycling company that holds the contract for my town's trash route gives us plastic recycling bins. They have their name on it. You can actually be charged with theft for taking say aluminum cans out of that container- even if it is on your curb, because it is XYZ's property. Would they enforce it? Doubtful, but would I want to risk going to jail because I pilfered all the recycle bins on a street? No.

And just as an added bonus, that same company that provides us our recycle bins is also one of the largest dumpster rental firms in the state!

I am standing by my original statement. Trash is public domain according to the supreme court. Of course if it's somewhere that is not public access trespassing could be an issue.

But if the dumpster is somewhere the public is allowed to be then it's fair game...of course there can be local ordinances that make scavenging illegal.

Also if you are asked to leave while dumpster diving you must leave or you can be charged with trespassing. If you come back after being asked to leave then you can also be charged with trespassing.

Here is AZ you can't be charged with trespassing unless given prior notice which means that either there are signs posted or a custodian of the property has told you to leave.

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Originally Posted by recyclersteve

Oh, and by the way, I asked him about scrapping from his corporate dumpster (which they share with another electrical firm) and he said there is no problem. He even said they have gates but they are never locked, so I could go there anytime I wanted.

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3rd party involved, Doesn't sound like a good idea.

The act of throwing trash in a dumpster is considered abandonment. Therefor those items become public domain. But is the situation we are talking about here with the particular dumpster behind gates and being shared with another business I would want to get consent from all parties. Behind gates means it's not in public access and therefor isn't public domain.

Written permission trumps all other arguments, Mike


As many others have said in the past dumpster diving can be profitable but seems to be an easy excuse for law enforcement to ask questions. Mike

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Originally Posted by 520

The act of throwing trash in a dumpster is considered abandonment. Therefor those items become public domain. But is the situation we are talking about here with the particular dumpster behind gates and being shared with another business I would want to get consent from all parties. Behind gates means it's not in public access and therefor isn't public domain.

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Bingo!

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Originally Posted by sledge

Bingo!

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And even the abandoned property statement has exceptions. In NYC they have/had a special police squad that arrest folks for taking abandoned property off the street.

On one of the NYC cop shows had a scene where the "protect the trash squad" set up surveillance on an abandoned couch. When a couple of unsuspecting citizens decided that abandoned couch might look good in their apartment. Their dream was dashed when the "trash squad" jumped from their hiding place and arrested them.

Laws are different in different places and you should be aware before you get involved. 73, Mike

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Originally Posted by miked

And even the abandoned property statement has exceptions. In NYC they have/had a special police squad that arrest folks for taking abandoned property off the street.

On one of the NYC cop shows had a scene where the "protect the trash squad" set up surveillance on an abandoned couch. When a couple of unsuspecting citizens decided that abandoned couch might look good in their apartment. Their dream was dashed when the "trash squad" jumped from their hiding place and arrested them.

Laws are different in different places and you should be aware before you get involved. 73, Mike

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Now that is pretty extreme and I wouldn't be surprised if the cop show was staged to look that way. I know it is technically illegal to drive 1 mile over the speed limit, but cmon!

Thanks to everyone who responded. There is some very good information here. I believe I will print out some of the stuff about the Supreme Court ruling and abandonment and keep it in my glove compartment just in case.

I will quote the NewZealand Police.

"If it's not yours, its not yours"

Had to look up leverite. It is now my favorite word!

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Originally Posted by auminer

^^^that^^^

It's why TVs are leverite as far as I'm concerned.

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