Last night "could" have been a very expensive night for me!

[C.Ann]

But luckily, it wasn't..

I had just turned on my computer, hopped on the DIS, and was reading/posting on the BB for a few minutes - planning on hopping over here after that..

It had started to rain - and I could hear a little thunder pretty far off in the distance - but nothing to get excited about.. I knew we were under a "severe thunderstorm watch" until 10 p.m., but there certainly wasn't anything going on that even came close to being severe..

All of a sudden the power went off - but right back on.. But within seconds, it was off and on again - and again - and again.. The condensor on my window a/c unit started clunking like crazy, the tv was going beserk, and my refrigerator was clicking like crazy (trying to go on, but kept getting knocked out by the power surges).. The closest thing to me was the a/c, so I quick hit the off button on that.. Next I yanked the power cord out of my lap top and began the shut down process (via my battery that is on it's last leg) and while that was going on, I jumped up, ran across the room and shut the fridge off.. No sooner did I get back to my recliner and the lights went out..

I had my crank-style flashlight right next to me, so I used that to find the phone number for the electric company and called them on my corded phone.. ETA for service being back on was midnight - at the earliest.. Shoot! I read for awhile via my flashlight and finally went to bed around 11 p.m. or so.. Luckily it wasn't too terribly muggy in here, so I did manage to fall asleep after a lot of tossing and turning - wondering if my a/c; tv; computer; and refrigerator had "fried" during all of those surges.. (And yes, the computer was on a surge protector..)

Got up this morning and the first thing I tried was the a/c.. No problem! Yay!!

Next was the fridge.. Again - no problem.. Double yay!!

Then the tv.. No issues except having to reset the cable channels.. Triple yay!!

This is the first I've been on my lap top today (was kind of stalling) and I am very happy to report that it seems to be working fine..

If I had to replace all four of those things, I think I would have just sat here and cried..

Funny part is that just about a month and a half ago the power company came to my door to tell me the power would be off for a couple of hours while they "upgraded" their system so we wouldn't lose the power so frequently here.. Since then I've lost my power more frequently (often in the early morning hours between 5 a.m. and 9 a.m. when there is nothing going on with the weather) than I have in the past five years or so!! What's that old saying? "If it ain't broke, don't fix it.."

Anyone else have "weather" issues last night?

 

[gregokdisney]

This exact thing happened to us just two days ago. In the middle of the afternoon, the storm was OVER, but all of a sudden the power started to flicker and surge. I have a surge protector on the computer, but after it was all said and done, the DVR, the cable box, the TV and the air conditioner were all acting wierd. I turned everything off and unplugged it all and waited a bit, and thank goodness it all powered up again okay. I was sweating bullets for a few minutes though! Glad you had a good outcome, too!

 

[KAMLEM]

That's what surge protectors are for.​

 

[DawnCt1]

DS#3 was helping a friend move into "off campus" housing last night. No rain, just a little wind and then suddenly a huge clap of thunder and lightening right over his head. It hit the house, sparks came out of the wall socket and he felt electricity brush over his arm from the screen door 2 feet away as they were entering. Lucky guy! I jokingly said that he looks happier today after a round of "electro shock therapy". (You can tell I worked in the "old days" in mental health).

 

[NatashaDisneyCM]

ya, we had a little more then just a "severe thunderstorm watch". But I LOVE severe weather!

 

[cntrygal]

Oh yeah, we had it right before you. Power only blinked a couple of times thought, it went from 1 clap of thunder in the distance to really servere in no time. could even see the road from the house, heck couldnt see the bush in front of the window either the rain was pounding so hard. I was going to go out and take the clothes off the line when i heard the first clap , the phone rang so i answered that first and I wasnt on the phone 2 mins and there was no sense going out everything was already drenched.

 

[C.Ann]

That's what surge protectors are for.​

Absolutely! And - they don't always function the way they're supposed to..

 

[DarthKTrava]

Absolutely! And - they don't always function the way they're supposed to..

True. I lost my desktop computer to a brownout. And it was plugged to a surge protector. Last nasty storm while I was at work, I called Mom to tell her to unplug EVERYTHING with this laptop.