Big ole power surge 3 AFCI breakers took the hit

[washman]

About 8:15 PM tonight, something bad happened in my 'hood. Massive power surge while I was watching My Sister Eileen. Helacious noises from the breaker room and power goes out in part of the house. 5 breakers are thrown. I reset them all but the one 20A AFCI made in Phillipines ain't cooperating. I hit the blue reset on it, then got the breaker to stay in on position.

Come to find out, I get fed power behind me whilst everyone else on my block is dark. Street light in front is dark, behind me is on.

I go to all the AFCI and hit the blue test/reset button. Works fine except for 3. Talking with the neighbors they told me the breakers are toast. While they stay on, I have no AFCI protection. It is code here on new construction. And I'm not taking any shortcuts or chances.

So I price them at Agent Orange online. Holy jumping monkey farts.........37.00 each. I need 1 20 A and 2 15 A. They are Murray/Siemens 1 inch size and Agent Orange has them in stock. So after work tomorrow I will pick them up and replace them.

Oh, it also took out my Motorola cable box. Totally blitzed it. Nothing comes on. It is toast. Cable co. comes out Sat 'tween 2-4 to replace.

I'd be really pissed if I was watching Lawrence Welk re-runs and this happened. But alas, Larry was not on tonight.

 

[gusherb]

Oh yes those pesky AFCI breakers... Not only are they expensive but also known to nuisance trip on motors running such as vacuum cleaners. I'm very glad that they aren't required on electrical run in EMT. My old neighbors new house was done in EMT and they have no AFCI breakers. (I'm actually impressed that a tract home builder is still building homes with EMT as Romex has been allowed for over a decade in my area)

 

[washman]

Well got em replaced except for 1

In my zeal to get them replaced, I forgot the other 20A on the left side of the bus. I will get one tomorrow at Agent Orange.

Would have been a five minute job were it not for the pigtail that you have to run to the neutral bar. That along with a rather crowded workplace in the panel made it harder than it needed to be.

Washman is alive and well so he must have done sumptin right!