Friday, February 27, 2009

The trouble with surges

That nice big surge protector we got for the fridge is resting on the floor behind the fridge, and I'm wondering if I should mount it on the wall.

I can almost hear you saying: The what for the huh?

That's what we said, too, originally. We ordered the fridge when we were still in Utah, staying with our friends, the Andersons. Sis. Anderson said to be sure to get a surge protector. Umm, okay, we said, but then we didn't.

But remember the oven ordeal? It had a fried control board, which is what caused the trouble.

Then, exactly one week after we got the oven fixed, the heater stopped heating. Brrrr! The temperature fluctuates wildly around these parts, and that happened to be a cold week, in the 20s. Fortunately the repair guys came just a couple of hours after I called them, and scouted around.

Turned out, the trouble was a fried control board. Really, it had this one scorched spot, just like the oven's control board. Hmmm, I see a pattern developing here.

In fact, the oven repair guy had mentioned that the city had recently (within the past couple of years) worked on the electrical lines up at this end of town because they'd had trouble with power failures, power surges, and other power issues. Great. But if the city fixed the problem, why are things breaking down now? And, what else in the house has a control board with potential for frying?

So we remembered our friend's advice and put in some protection for the fridge, anyway. Can you get a surge protector for the whole house?

3 comments:

Boo said...

I think it would make sense to get several surge protectors, and plug as many things in as possible, even if you're not sure it's needed. For instance, put all the kitchen appliances on one or two strips, and of course all the electronics on the same strip, etc. That also makes it easy if you're going on a trip and want to save energy - just turn off the power strips before you leave and you know everything's turned off.

Mrs Abbott said...

crazy times!

Ben said...

All these things like electricity and heating and plumbing. So pesky when they don't work the way their supposed to. I wonder if it's the spirits of those who went before us messing with them just to remind us that they're there and that we should be grateful we don't have to fetch water from the well.