Economic question

[buckeyefarmer]

When i was young, the tv got unplugged during a storm.

 

[Ken]

Been in current house 3+ years; here is my solution. It has worked so far.

* Install whole house surge protector in service panel.

* Plug everything electronic into a dedicated surge protector.

* And most important of all, during a thunderstorm,
UNPLUG EVERYTHING !!!

Arky 217 Over the years working with our power company the meter protector price was 30 bucks then 130 and now 165 at last replacement. they also installed the ground grid of 8 foot rods into the ground and #8 copper attached.to pole ground. then lightening protector on poles before our house and past our transformer. to the house main breaker.
before this lightening would blow switches out of the wall as well wall outlets.
have metal grounded roof on house. connected to power ground.

I use in house before power to computers and tv. lightening protectors costing around 50 bucks they last until smoke is released.
Before leaving shut off modem and telephone lines.
Do have a question why does the input of telephone and input of power has to be with in 1/4th inch. so that any voltage spike jumps and destroys the circuit board.

We no longer use telephone radios since last only till next lightening burst.
standred old push button phones and then sometimes they have internal problems . just replace one the keyboard quit after a storm.
tornados have removed all trees taller than a power pole.

ken

 

[goeduck]

Most of the lightning damage I have had over the years came from the lightning hitting a tree then following along the ground into the house. Buried phone lines were guaranteed to be a path for damaged phones, modems, or anything connected to them. We tried the invisible fencing one time. Had it two weeks and lightning struck a tree then went to ground where the wire was buried. Blew the controller and the GFI outlet it was plugged into right out of my wall in the garage. We even had two tires ruined by lightning running along the ground and going for the steel cords. Guy at the shop put several patches in and every time he tanked them there was another leak. I guess it entered in one location, ran around the cord in the rubber, and came out somewhere else inside. After the 3rd attempt I stuck a knife in the sidewalls of both and had them replaced.

I don't think having your power lines buried in the ground is going to protect you.

If my power lines or house was next to one tall tree that would attract lightning that might be probable, but my power lines run through a forest so I doubt I would have that problem. I am not exactly in lightning country but you make good points for some parts of the country.

 

[Creamer]

I do not quite understand the system but when i was growing up we had 5 wires running from the main power pole to the house. One night we came home and and we had major issues with television, refrigerator, freezer, and a few other things not working. It was late at night and nothing was going to happen until morning so we went to bed. In the morning we got up and found a dead pheasant in the front yard and the middle of the five wires was down. Apparently it was the neutral wire and somehow this put a surge into everything.

 

[nap61]

Thanks for the replies. I did an internet search before I posted and everything I found indicated it was a problem with the closed evaporator system. That was the same thing the repairman said over the phone. Probably about $500 to repair. A new freezer to match would be $2,000 +. The repairman is supposed to be out tomorrow. I will try to update.
Also, the microwave started working again. I didn't do anything to help it. (It was like when your car won't start and you check the oil; and it then starts.) I have used it for 7 years without a problem. I have to wonder if it was "operator error".

Norman

 

[oosik]

With the electronic features on some of these new devices - I can well believe it could be "OP error". Even more likely - "OP accidentally pushing the wrong button".

My new motorcycle - 2017 BMW R1200 GSA is a prime example. I have two LCD displays on the bike. One is the OEM display(spedo, tach, ambient temp, engine temp, tire pressure, distance to destination, distance to waypoints, mpg, miles to refueling, ave mph, oil level, cruise control, suspension adjustment, ABS, traction control, stability control, audio controls, phone controls, etc, etc, etc) and the other is for my navigational device - Garmin Nav V. The Nav V has just as many adjustment as the OEM display.

EVERY TIME I start the bike I have to acknowledge, by tapping on one of the screens, that I WILL NOT play with the controls governing the operations of either screen while the bike is in motion. I've tried, while in motion, it almost was my undoing. Its complicated enough just scanning the data presented on the two monitors - let alone change to alternate data scanning while in motion.

 

[TnAndy]

A new freezer to match would be $2,000 +.

Norman

WOW....you buy big and/or expensive freezers ! We have 6 chest freezers + one upright (all of them smaller size....7-14cf), and none of them were over 400-500 bucks new.......and never had one go out yet either. Age range on them is 15-20yrs to latest one bought this fall.

 

[Deere Dude]

2 years ago I had a 13 yo microwave from our camper that quit. After spending a lot of time, over a year maybe off and on, troubleshooting it (I am not an electrician, but try) I burned up a $100 meter, bought another $100 in parts then I cried uncle. I bought a new one for $250-300 or so with a warranty. I lost my shirt on that deal.

A year later the 5 yo microwave in the house went out and the decision to replace was very quick.

Over the past 4 years our 10 yo heat pump with gas back up seemed to have problems every year, like a combustion blower, then a circulation fan, then a gas regulator, then a few weeks ago the heat roll out switch was bad, I thought. After replacing a $130 burner a few weeks ago which didn't fix it, the next step was pull the heat exchanger and a couple other things that I saw were bad. The minimum to check all that stuff was $500-$1000 + parts. I told him just to order a new unit, just air with gas back up.

It cost $4000 and stung a little bit, but there is a limit to how much a guy can. Sick of the nickel and diming me.

 

[ultrarunner]

Yep... neighbors micro is Amana Radar Range from the 1960's... still works well... Moms is GE over range from the 70's and no issue... other neighbors have gone through several.

Maybe built to sell vs. built to last?

The reason I say this is a 1960's Radar Range cost a month's wages and today a microwave is a few hours wages.

 

[NorTracNY]

WOW....you buy big and/or expensive freezers ! We have 6 chest freezers + one upright (all of them smaller size....7-14cf), and none of them were over 400-500 bucks new.......and never had one go out yet either. Age range on them is 15-20yrs to latest one bought this fall.

Anyone want to bet with me that the newest one will be the first to fail? I just bought a new refrigerator and oven. The oven stopped working and the refrigerator had already been repaired 4 times. I hate buying new appliances because they are all cr@p. Even the salespeople say they will only last 5-7years! I will try to repair myself or seriously consider buying new. I've kept the dishwasher and dryer working by repairing myself. Except the last time the drying wasn't working well. I went online and went through several debugs, but didn't have luck. I was busy at the time so I let a repairman come in. He changed out the part that was next on the list for me to try. $22 part cost me $220 for someone else to spend 20 minutes.

I've come to realize that the Energy Star program is actually VERY environmentally unfriendly. The ratings should look at the lifetime energy cost and not the yearly use energy cost. It's certainly better for the environment to have a refrigerator last 20 years and use $85/year in energy than 5 years and $70/year in energy.