voltage spike

My electric utility shut my power off for 10 minutes to change a cable on a pole. I was not home. When I returned about 2 hours later my computer sounded like it was on but I knew I had shut it off prior to leaving. When I pressed the start button the computer went silent. When I opened up the tower I saw melted wiring inside. I told them that they caused a voltage spike when they reenergized the circuit. They said they did not do anything wrong and did not detect any unusual electrical disturbances. They refused to reimburse me. They also burned up my atomic clock. I believe they caused a voltage spike or is there some other possible explanation? I'm litigating. Thanks

Reply to
jw
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your best plan will to be fix the damage and get on with life. going after a utility company, unless you have some special political clout, will be a lot like tilting at windmills. a fun but ultimately futile exercise.

add a UPS to your new computer.

im assuming your clock is a $20 model with a WWV radio receiver in it and not a cesium beam time standard. mine operates from batterys only.

Reply to
TimPerry

I had it on a ups but the spike was so strong it went thru it. I know what you mean about getting on with life but I'm out a lot of money not to mention time and the bottom line is they know they did this and why should I turn it in to my homeowners like they want me to. That's what drives up all of our insurance rates. I find it interesting that they have plenty of money to retain high priced law firms but no money to pay for the damage they cause.

Reply to
jw

Voltage transients can occur when they power up/down the system. The utility doesn't typically put any test equipment on the line, so I guess their statement that they "did not detect any unusual disturbances" is accurate! Neither of you has any hard evidence to support whether there was or wasn't a transient at the time they switched the line on or off. Your evidence suggests a transient, but does not link it to their activity.

Good luck

Ben Miller

Reply to
Ben Miller

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