"crabshell" wrote in message
news:2009050323084816807-crabshell@nottoohotmalecom...
On 2009-05-03 13:34:50 -0500, "RBM" said:


"crabshell" wrote in message
news:2009050313243975249-crabshell@nottoohotmalecom...
On 2009-05-03 12:19:02 -0500, "RBM" said:


"crabshell" wrote in message
news:2009050312065016807-crabshell@nottoohotmalecom...
There were several dead curcuits around the house this morning after
an
electrical storm. I reset all the breakers, including the main 200
amp
breaker. After messing around with the breakers I noticed that
whenever
the AC blower comes on, the other circuits wake up and began working.
When I turn the AC breaker off, the other circuits turn off too. I
don't
have a new breaker handy so I switched the AC breaker with a breaker
from
another circuit that I know was working, and it didn't help at all.
The
panel is a 2 years old Seimans.

Thnaks for any advice.


You have lost one of the two hot legs coming in. The problem could be
in
the
main breaker, but more than likely it's outside. Contact your electric
utility company, and in the mean time turn off all 240 volt circuits

Thta's what an electrician I called this morning suggested. I'm waiting
for the power company to get back to me. Thanks!

It's not so much a matter of what the problem is, but rather, where it
is.
Hopefully it's not a bad main breaker, which would be your
responsibility.
Usually these open circuits happen in more hostile environments like
outdoor
meter boxes, and outside overhead connections, either at the pole or
house.

Crazy story... it turned out to be an improperly seated meter cover (at
least I assume that's what the glass part is called) that must have been
jostled by a strike or thunder. The previous owner built a roof over the
porch and actually built it around the meter. The meter is partially
embedded in the roof, so when I had my panel replaced 2 years ago, the
electrician didn't reset the meter correctly due to the tight confines.
The service provider (Oncor) didn't want to mess with it, telling me it
was illegal, but he relented. Meanwhile I assume when I go to sell the
house, the inspector might say something (even though ours did not). So
now the meter cover is correctly attached, but he couldn't get the metal
strap around it so it's just a friction fit. How hard it it to relocate a
meter?



Very difficult to answer. In my area I deal with three electric utilities,
and each uses their own metering equipment and have their own sets of rules.
In a simple situation you could just lower the meter box and replace the
service entrance cable feeding into it, provided that the rest of the
existing installation meets all current codes. I'd call a local electrician,
a different one than you used previously and ask