On 22 Sep 2004 04:28:17 GMT, (Chris Lewis)
wrote:

All the symptoms are explainable by a loose main feed hot in the panel (or
upstream) making intermittent (and poor) connection. Consistent with
"dropped a leg" terminology.

The power company dug up part of the cable running to my house and
fixed it there. They said that the cable TV company had cut the wire
and water got in it. (We've had a lot of rain lately.) I assume that
either the cable TV company repaired the cut, but didn't do it
properly to seal out the water, or partially cut it.

The latter can be _extremely_ dangerous when 120V devices try
to cope with anywhere up to 240V. Boom. Flames. Etc.

That's why I got on it right away. I thought it could possibly be
something wrong in my house. I called the electrician, and they asked
if the stove would come on. It wouldn't. They said to have the power
company come out and check it first, and that's what I did.

Whenever you see something this drastic happening, it's time to
kill the main breaker and get help ASAP.

I didn't kill the main breaker (in retrospect I should have). I did
call the electrician ASAP.

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