Algeria Horan
Mon, 31 Oct 2016 05:37:33 GMT in
alt.home.repair, wrote:

I have considered shutting off the breakers, but I just unplug the
stuff that has blown in the past due to power outages, such as the
motor control board on my washing machine (which had holes blown
in it that showed up the first time it was used after a series of
power outages during the night).

Sounds like one or more attempts to bring the power back on surged
your appliance. Significantly by the sounds of the damage.

I agree though that your method of shutting everything off is
better, but we get a lot of power outages (sometimes as many as a
dozen a year) as I have never seen a single year without at least
a one day power outage.

Here's the thing though with his method... If the incoming 'surge' is
high enough, it's going to jump across the contact points seperated
in the breaker in the 'off' position. It would almost be like the
breaker being switched on. Same effect with small appliance switches
of various kinds. There's just not that much of a gap and if the
incoming current is high enough, it's going to cross it. If you want
to isolate them, unplugging is the better option. It's MUCH harder
for it to jump out of the outlet to your devices power prongs. [g]





--
Make yourself sheep and the wolves will eat you.
Benjamin Franklin