I had the gas company come over to put a shut off valve behind the kitchen stove this morning. While unplugging the 110 electric cord i noticed a flicker in other lights, gas man did too. Later i put a cup pf coffee in the microwave. It bogged down and was flickering along with other lights. I ran to the breaker box and could smell it was hot so opened one panel door but nothing going on there so opened the smaller box door and got a small cloud of smoke. By then gas tech is yelling about 911 and to run outside and call 911. I got around him and pulled out the mains then called the OH SH*T hot line. Nothing like seeing a big bruiser with an ax heading right at you. No big problem thankfully. The feed between the box's shorted out due to the outer sheath not inserted into clamp ring so vibrations from rail traffic 4 blocks away rubbed the inner wires bare. May post pic's of clamp and section of wire left by electric contractor. I've worked out of town all year, glad i was home.
Almost lost the house this morning
- Thread starter NAGANT
- Start date
yodogsandman
Well-Known Member
Wow, was it good you were home! Good catch!
smokeywolf
Well-Known Member
Good luck was yours today. Very happy that you were able to head off catastrophe.
I'm borderline paranoid about fire. We have over a dozen fire extinguishers located in strategic locations throughout the house, plus one in each truck.
The two extinguishers in the shop, the one by the BBQs and smoker and the ones in both trucks are the larger models with the short hose. Also have a big H2O extinguisher in the shop for a total of 3 in the shop.
EDIT:
My new safe is rated for 1865 F for 110 minutes. Fire rating was a BIG consideration.
I'm borderline paranoid about fire. We have over a dozen fire extinguishers located in strategic locations throughout the house, plus one in each truck.
The two extinguishers in the shop, the one by the BBQs and smoker and the ones in both trucks are the larger models with the short hose. Also have a big H2O extinguisher in the shop for a total of 3 in the shop.
EDIT:
My new safe is rated for 1865 F for 110 minutes. Fire rating was a BIG consideration.
Last edited:
oscarflytyer
Well-Known Member
Glad it all worked out. We rehab houses. Got to where we rip out drywall and rewire old alum with new copper. Sleep MUCH better at night - especially when it is the kids' houses they are living in!
L1A1Rocker
Active Member
Wow, just caught this thread. Glad you were there to step up! Few years ago I walked into the garage and smelled heavy electrical "smoke". Took a while but I found it. Turned out to be the water heater.
JWFilips
Well-Known Member
My house had a Federal Pacific 200 amp Breaker box when assembled in 1981. after a number of years and the advent of the internet I started reading scary stories about these!
I had a co-worker that had a friend who was an industrial electrician and mentioned my concern to him. The next day he called me to "volunteeer" his services because he said I was living in a time bomb. I bought the items he needed ( from his list ; a Square -D 200 amp service) and replaced the Circuit box! Also showed me how to add circuits in the future.
Sure glad I found someone like him to help me out!
I had a co-worker that had a friend who was an industrial electrician and mentioned my concern to him. The next day he called me to "volunteeer" his services because he said I was living in a time bomb. I bought the items he needed ( from his list ; a Square -D 200 amp service) and replaced the Circuit box! Also showed me how to add circuits in the future.
Sure glad I found someone like him to help me out!
F
freebullet
Guest
Oooo, dang. Lucky lucky.
I've been removing & replacing all of the original 1944 wiring from our home. Sounds like that should be in high gear now. Nothing lasts forever.
I've been removing & replacing all of the original 1944 wiring from our home. Sounds like that should be in high gear now. Nothing lasts forever.
Bret4207
At the casting bench in the sky. RIP Bret.
When we re-habbed our kitchen a couple years back SWMBO acquired a double oven, something that is apparently "in" these days. I rant he suggested heavy cable to it and used the common little doo-hickeys you put in a metal box to keep the wire from getting cut that also serves as an anchor. Tightened it down good and tight. After throwing the breaker the first time I ended up tearing it all back out again because Mr. "Tighter is Better" managed to cut right through the cable insulation!!! Lesson learned, "There's such a thing as too tight."
Where we live the fire dept is going to be at least 15 minutes getting here on a good day. I, being the public spirited type I am, looked into forming a volunteer fire co in my town after a neighbors place burnt to the ground for the 2nd time in 20 years. Turns out you simply can't do it anymore unless you have millions of dollars and people willing to put hundreds of hours a year into training. OSHA, lawyers, NFPA and politicians got into the mix it seems and managed to make it so volunteers int he sticks need the same training as urban professional firemen. People are going to die because of this.
Where we live the fire dept is going to be at least 15 minutes getting here on a good day. I, being the public spirited type I am, looked into forming a volunteer fire co in my town after a neighbors place burnt to the ground for the 2nd time in 20 years. Turns out you simply can't do it anymore unless you have millions of dollars and people willing to put hundreds of hours a year into training. OSHA, lawyers, NFPA and politicians got into the mix it seems and managed to make it so volunteers int he sticks need the same training as urban professional firemen. People are going to die because of this.
Glad it all worked out.
We've had two "almost" disasters here in 30 some years.Both were condensate lines on AC units.And thanks to the man upstairs I happened to be more or less home.
The numbskulls who put the AC unit in attic(Architectural Digest,full tilt attic with finished stairs)....cracked the dagum pan under the unit.Drain line gets stopped up,and instead of the sensor shutting it down....it's running out the cracked pan.Water was dribbling out the ceiling onto a gorgeous main staircase.Caught it.
The other time was the big 5ton unit at the terrace level....caught that one,by luck,too.
Just an FYI,google ice maker water lines.They are notorious for bustin and causing MAJOR water damage.Ask an insurance guy about them......he'll get all heeby jeeby at the mere mention.
We've had two "almost" disasters here in 30 some years.Both were condensate lines on AC units.And thanks to the man upstairs I happened to be more or less home.
The numbskulls who put the AC unit in attic(Architectural Digest,full tilt attic with finished stairs)....cracked the dagum pan under the unit.Drain line gets stopped up,and instead of the sensor shutting it down....it's running out the cracked pan.Water was dribbling out the ceiling onto a gorgeous main staircase.Caught it.
The other time was the big 5ton unit at the terrace level....caught that one,by luck,too.
Just an FYI,google ice maker water lines.They are notorious for bustin and causing MAJOR water damage.Ask an insurance guy about them......he'll get all heeby jeeby at the mere mention.
