So you got a good surge-protector?

WutWuzDat · 09-30-06, 02:02 PM

notice how the company is now 'gathering facts'. that means "we ain't gonna pay diddly".

Electrical Surge Fries Appliances In Hundreds of Arlington Homes

Dominion Contractor Claims Responsibility

By Leef Smith
Washington Post Staff Writer
Saturday, September 30, 2006; Page B01

Catherine Jamieson had costly surge protectors safeguarding her most precious electronics. So, she said, she was one of the "lucky ones" when a power surge heaved through her East Falls Church neighborhood this week, frying computers and damaging appliances in hundreds of homes.

Still, Jamieson said her home suffered a stunning amount of trouble, starting with a $1,500 alarm system that was still smoking when the security company arrived, a fried phone line and a busted furnace. Her neighbor discovered her refrigerator aflame, Jamieson said, noting that her own situation "could be worse."

"It makes me want to cry," Jamieson, 57, said. Her home was one of more than 200 affected in the Arlington County neighborhood when Pike Electric, a contractor for Dominion Virginia Power, was doing repairs Tuesday and allowed two power lines to touch, Dominion officials said. The contact sent a rush of power into as many as 600 homes, some of them on Sycamore Street, Washington Street and Lee Highway. It still has not been determined how many homes suffered damage, they said.

Today, many of those homeowners are still waiting to hear from power company officials about whether and when they will be compensated for the damage, residents said.

Although Dominion officials said they and Pike immediately dispatched crews to talk to affected homeowners, many residents said they went days without knowing they had damaged appliances -- such as furnaces that had not yet been switched on and other appliances that weren't in use.

Others thought their home's troubles were isolated. They said they learned of the incident not from the power companies, but from neighborhood word of mouth.

"To leave us hanging, to not contact us, that's just not acceptable," said Elizabeth Yoder, 53, who lost an alarm system and whose circuit breaker that runs her washing machine broke. "We feel like we're at the mercy of a fourth party."

Dominion spokeswoman Le-Ha Anderson said yesterday that Pike has taken "full responsibility" for the incident and that Pike has 10 adjustors and coordinators in the area assessing damage.

Anderson initially said customers would have their appliances replaced. But later, she said Pike representatives will "look at each claim and determine what they think is fair."

Pike officials said yesterday that they are still waiting for reports to come in from adjustors and have not determined how reimbursement will be handled. They said that it is the first time such an incident has occurred, so they do not have a policy on how to proceed.

"We are in the process of gathering the facts and making a determination about what we're going to do," said James Fox, general counsel for Pike, which is headquartered in Mount Airy, N.C. "What we have is a policy of trying to be fair based on factual information."

tycho102 · 09-30-06, 03:22 PM

Must've happened on the sub-station's output lines, inside of all the fault switches. The entire northeast's power gird is frightening. It's so dense and overloaded, there's stuff from the 50's which was scheduled to be replaced in the 70's....and still hasn't been.

bradclark1 · 09-30-06, 03:59 PM

I have a good one on my old outdated desktop but not on my newish laptop.

Perilscope · 09-30-06, 04:31 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bradclark1

I have a good one on my old outdated desktop but not on my newish laptop.

I like what you said, "I have a good one". I have no doubt you do, because you know there are good ones, and cheap ones.

I always look if my clients have one, they often do, but I see that they own extremely cheap ones, when I read the specs it makes me shiver, it's like not having one at all.

For who doesn't have one yet, this could be a good read:
http://www.smartcomputing.com/editor...8l09/38l09.asp

This next link is even better, they have a full menu on the left about surges:
http://www.powerhousetv.com/stellent...su_000413.hcsp

STEED · 10-01-06, 12:02 PM

All my electrics have surge-protectors, the fire brigade in the U.K. recommend you should replace them all every ten years so I'm OK for another five years. Just as well, I am connected to a bad substation which suffers from bad change overs on the grid.

09-30-06, 02:02 PM	#1
WutWuzDat Planesman Join Date: Apr 2002 Location: I can't remember... In front of a PC? Posts: 185 Downloads: 0 Uploads: 0	So you got a good surge-protector? notice how the company is now 'gathering facts'. that means "we ain't gonna pay diddly". Electrical Surge Fries Appliances In Hundreds of Arlington Homes Dominion Contractor Claims Responsibility By Leef Smith Washington Post Staff Writer Saturday, September 30, 2006; Page B01 Catherine Jamieson had costly surge protectors safeguarding her most precious electronics. So, she said, she was one of the "lucky ones" when a power surge heaved through her East Falls Church neighborhood this week, frying computers and damaging appliances in hundreds of homes. Still, Jamieson said her home suffered a stunning amount of trouble, starting with a $1,500 alarm system that was still smoking when the security company arrived, a fried phone line and a busted furnace. Her neighbor discovered her refrigerator aflame, Jamieson said, noting that her own situation "could be worse." "It makes me want to cry," Jamieson, 57, said. Her home was one of more than 200 affected in the Arlington County neighborhood when Pike Electric, a contractor for Dominion Virginia Power, was doing repairs Tuesday and allowed two power lines to touch, Dominion officials said. The contact sent a rush of power into as many as 600 homes, some of them on Sycamore Street, Washington Street and Lee Highway. It still has not been determined how many homes suffered damage, they said. Today, many of those homeowners are still waiting to hear from power company officials about whether and when they will be compensated for the damage, residents said. Although Dominion officials said they and Pike immediately dispatched crews to talk to affected homeowners, many residents said they went days without knowing they had damaged appliances -- such as furnaces that had not yet been switched on and other appliances that weren't in use. Others thought their home's troubles were isolated. They said they learned of the incident not from the power companies, but from neighborhood word of mouth. "To leave us hanging, to not contact us, that's just not acceptable," said Elizabeth Yoder, 53, who lost an alarm system and whose circuit breaker that runs her washing machine broke. "We feel like we're at the mercy of a fourth party." Dominion spokeswoman Le-Ha Anderson said yesterday that Pike has taken "full responsibility" for the incident and that Pike has 10 adjustors and coordinators in the area assessing damage. Anderson initially said customers would have their appliances replaced. But later, she said Pike representatives will "look at each claim and determine what they think is fair." Pike officials said yesterday that they are still waiting for reports to come in from adjustors and have not determined how reimbursement will be handled. They said that it is the first time such an incident has occurred, so they do not have a policy on how to proceed. "We are in the process of gathering the facts and making a determination about what we're going to do," said James Fox, general counsel for Pike, which is headquartered in Mount Airy, N.C. "What we have is a policy of trying to be fair based on factual information." __________________ - Adam ©1988 - 2008. All rights reserved. Life is like a roll of toliet paper, the older you get, the faster it goes! Last edited by WutWuzDat; 09-30-06 at 02:06 PM.

09-30-06, 03:22 PM	#2
tycho102 Ace of the Deep Join Date: May 2005 Posts: 1,100 Downloads: 0 Uploads: 0	Must've happened on the sub-station's output lines, inside of all the fault switches. The entire northeast's power gird is frightening. It's so dense and overloaded, there's stuff from the 50's which was scheduled to be replaced in the 70's....and still hasn't been. __________________ My little Silent Hunter 4 repository

10-01-06, 12:02 PM	#5
STEED Lucky Jack Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Down Town UK Posts: 27,695 Downloads: 89 Uploads: 48	All my electrics have surge-protectors, the fire brigade in the U.K. recommend you should replace them all every ten years so I'm OK for another five years. Just as well, I am connected to a bad substation which suffers from bad change overs on the grid. __________________ Dr Who rest in peace 1963-2017. To borrow Davros saying...I NAME YOU CHIBNALL THE DESTROYER OF DR WHO YOU KILLED IT!

09-30-06, 03:59 PM	#3
bradclark1 Ocean Warrior Join Date: Feb 2003 Location: Connecticut, USA. Posts: 2,794 Downloads: 29 Uploads: 0	I have a good one on my old outdated desktop but not on my newish laptop.