On Tue, 21 Nov 2006 00:43:09 -0600, sherwindu
wrote:

I recently posted something about my stove igniter burning out after a power
failure.
My electric company, ComEd would not pay for the damage and an appeal to them
got nowhere. They are only responsible for 'negligence' issues. If we have
more than normal rates of power outages in my neighborhood, can't that be
construed as
negligence? I don't think surge protection would have made a difference, in my
case.
Maybe I should contact my insurance company, but for $165 in damages, it may not

be worth it.


Sometimes power companies try to exploit a customer's lack of
technical knowledge. I've seen cases where the customer has
complained that surges have caused damage to expensive consumer
electronics. The utility denied responsibility.

When the customer complained repeatedly, the power company said "Oh
no... not us... our power is clean" and claimed that the argument was
in their favor because the slow-acting paper strip-chart recorders
that they installed to monitor line voltage showed nothing abnormal.
The point is that many potentially damaging situations would not
necessarily show up on a strip chart recorder.

They are responsible for providing power and a service drop according
to nationally recognized standards for safety, and a workmanlike
installation from transformer to the demarcation point of your service
entrance. An open or loose neutral at the power company transformer
can cause serious damage, injury, or death to a customer and should be
a liability issue on the part of the utility.

You will probably not have much luck winning claims for storm damage,
lighting induced power surges or just plain old power outages unless
you can prove negligence, wiring errors on the part of the utility
(known to happen), or that they somehow used sub-standard equipment.

Beachcomber