Non-motoring > AC - Power surge
Thread Author: NortonES2 Replies: 11
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New Fri 25 Nov 11 13:11 
 AC - Power surge - NortonES2
www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-lancashire-15867961

Apparently an unforeseeable event, not liable for damage saith the spokeman for ENW. I wondered what would cause such an event - no mention of work on the system? Maybe copper theft. Must get used to the fact that these events are more and more likely I suppose. However, apart from surge protection for the PC which I already have, are there any other steps a householder could take to protect the other appliances?
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New Fri 25 Nov 11 13:25 
 AC - Power surge - Slidingpillar
AFAIK the Electricity Supply Regulations have been broken. Bit of luck now a lawyer who knows the law on this issue will see the article and advise the residents.

This sounds way beyond what a PC surge protector is designed for, and I'd not be too surprised if one didn't cope with this. Full protection is expensive, you'd need a AVR (automatic voltage regulator) and you're going to spend an awful lot to have one rated at a whole house's consumption level.
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New Fri 25 Nov 11 13:58 
 AC - Power surge - Mike Hannon
The cheek of these utility companies is breathtaking, isn't it?
I was at a friend's house in England a few years ago and there was a BT engineer working down a manhole in the street nearby. The landline went dead, as did those of the neighbours. When I went outside and spoke to the workman, telling him that all the nearby phones were dead he said 'nothing to do with me, mate'.
And when I rang BT (my pal was out) I was told 'I'll put down the problem for investigation on the 23rd'. That was 10 days away.
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New Fri 25 Nov 11 14:02 
 AC - Power surge - Iffy
The public utility culture of treating customers as an inconvenience is one of things which survived privatisation.

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New Fri 25 Nov 11 14:10 
 AC - Power surge - MD
Place lid on manhole and park on it (motoring link)
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New Fri 25 Nov 11 14:43 
 AC - Power surge - devonite
Mrs Patel Said:
"at first i blamed my husband for not having the wiring done properly"!!!!

Says it all really!
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New Fri 25 Nov 11 15:03 
 AC - Power surge - NortonES2
Thought it might be a little beyond the kit we have! Re the Regs: HSE have the task of enforcing/investigating incidents, but not involved in the civil damages side. Haven't heard whether HSE are investigating - they haven't been mentioned yet in the press.
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New Fri 25 Nov 11 15:26 
 AC - Power surge - madf
We have regular (every 2-3 years) overvoltage problems in N Staffs . Suddenly over a period of hours the mains voltage rises to c 280-300V and blows lots of things. It happens so quickly that fuses are not blown (they protect current anyway, not voltage).

Last time it happened it took out our TV signal amplifier in the loft, a radio recharger and a mains security light. We complained to teh supplier - EON - who replaced all our broken bits foc - after testing them . (In one case, I replaced it and they refunded the cost)..

Cause? Apparently 25=30 years ago , Midlands Electrictiy installed a batch of mains cabling with a faulty cable which gives occasional problems at the local substations. or summat like that.

One friend had all her built in kitchen appliances blown up...
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New Fri 25 Nov 11 15:28 
 AC - Power surge - spamcan61
Sounds like the usual scenario where some rascal nicks the copper earthing at the substation and everyone's voltage ends up at 415V (or something like that, haven't used 3 phase since college).

Agree with others there's nowt sensible you can do at domestic level to protect yourself from this level of overvoltage.


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New Fri 25 Nov 11 17:03 
 AC - Power surge - Manatee
This happened to my aunt & uncle a while back when their substation was broken into and cable stolen.

The Electricity Supply Act obliges the supply company to take reasonable steps to protect the supply. My cousin took them on, on the basis that they had a puny padlock on it, but they weren't having any of it. I dare say she'd have won in court, but who's going to call their bluff?
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New Sun 27 Nov 11 01:08 
 AC - Power surge - -
Following the results of a nearby lightning strike which took some of our households goods out we bought several good quality surge protectors, these now protect all of of the main electricians nightmares where we have our TV and sound system and computers etc.

Incidentally Sony and Panasonic items survived the surge where other makes simply died.
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New Mon 28 Nov 11 14:08 
 AC - Power surge - sajid
i am the unfortunate one to suffer the power surge it damaged the following items

fridge freezer
microwave oven
washing machine
boiler
dvd
vcr
satelite
plug in bell
Surge protectors all burnt out but replaced by the electric company

the washing machine repaired under warranty
bought a new fridge as food was going off and i couldnt wait for the repairers to come over and the old one was a samsung fridge freezer and was over 10 years old and got myself a siemens with 5 yrs waranty

the boiler repaired under waranty, however having problems with the wireless thermostat, now not working so no heating, so waitin for the installer to repair them

ordered a new microwave oven but cancelled it as the repairers came over and picked up the damaged items, so waiting for them to repair them. bought new bell chimes to replace the old one damaged

This surge is like going back in time when you had no items to help you cook and cool, watch the tv

had to take a day off work to deal with the problems

Last edited by: sajid on Mon 28 Nov 11 at 14:11
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