Weird power issue - Calgarypuck Forums - The Unofficial Calgary Flames Fan Community

Eddie Bronze · 11-18-2008, 09:27 PM

Just watching the game tonight and all of a sudden the power goes out in my unit. Weird part is, it came back on for at least some people. I can see the lights on in other units from my balcony. Certain outlets are working in my unit and certain ones aren't. For example, the fridge isn't working but the microwave and oven are. The computer is working in one room and the tv won't in another. None of the lights will come on.

Looked on enmax's site but looks like I can't call after nine although you would have to think there is an emergency number somewhere.

tkflames · 11-18-2008, 09:32 PM

I would feel dumb not asking...did you check your breakers?

Eddie Bronze · 11-18-2008, 09:37 PM

You bet I did.

Actually just got a number off of enmax's voice recog system, called the guy and he said for sure something is wrong in the box or wherever that main power switch is in the building. Figures I'm going to have to get an electrician in.

Nancy · 11-18-2008, 10:05 PM

I'm not an electrician, so I'm mostly talking out my arse, but residential circuits are based on a 3 wire "split phase" system where there is a neutral conductor and two opposite 120V conductors . Half the load of your home will be on one conductors and half on the other. 240V appliances will be connected to both. That would explain some circuits working and some not.

Eddie Bronze · 11-18-2008, 10:42 PM

I'm certainly no electrician, either. Main thing I was worried about was all the food in my fridge so I pulled it out and plugged it into another outlet. Nothing. Tried another one (all of them in the kitchen) and it worked. Thank God!

HalifaxDrunk · 11-18-2008, 10:44 PM

Lesson learned, too much porn makes Eddie Bronze's power go out.

V · 11-18-2008, 10:46 PM

That's really weird that your oven is working. I would've assumed that Nancy was right, and that one of the legs was dead, but then the oven wouldn't work. Your oven doesn't have the regular looking plug-in, right? More of a bigger circular one?

BlackArcher101 · 11-18-2008, 10:46 PM

Sounds like the transmogrifier

Nancy · 11-19-2008, 12:04 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by V

That's really weird that your oven is working. I would've assumed that Nancy was right, and that one of the legs was dead, but then the oven wouldn't work. Your oven doesn't have the regular looking plug-in, right? More of a bigger circular one?

I'm guessing he just saw that the clock on the stove was working. The electronics may run off of a 120V circuit... stoves have both 120V and 240V as they have 3/1 wiring.

Locke · 11-19-2008, 12:19 AM

Dude, I just needed a little juice to run my hot plate....sorry about that....

Eddie Bronze · 11-19-2008, 08:18 AM

HD, I was watching the Flames game!!! Was there strippers at the game?

Quote:

Originally Posted by Nancy

I'm guessing he just saw that the clock on the stove was working. The electronics may run off of a 120V circuit... stoves have both 120V and 240V as they have 3/1 wiring.

I actually turned it on to check, though. Should have said that before. Just mentioned the clocks because as soon as the TV turned off and the lights went out, I looked up and saw the clocks working on the oven and microwave. It was an instantaneous thing. Everything came right back on, well, at least the stuff that's still working.

I'm not even sure that it could be 120/240 issue because the computer and tv and both plugged into regular outlets and obviously the computer is working, but the tv isn't. The outlet the fridge is plugged into normally wouldn't run the fridge, the one on the wall closest to it wouldn't run it, but the one on the counter would. ???

Eddie Bronze · 11-19-2008, 08:23 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by V

That's really weird that your oven is working. I would've assumed that Nancy was right, and that one of the legs was dead, but then the oven wouldn't work. Your oven doesn't have the regular looking plug-in, right? More of a bigger circular one?

I can't actually get a look at it. I should explain that I don't have a typical oven. I have a unit that is built into the cabinets that bakes/cooks only. That part works fine. The burners are a separate unit built into the counter top and they aren't working.

edit* I just checked the washer and dryer and they aren't working so that might answer the question about 120/240 but the outlet thing still baffles me.

BlackArcher101 · 11-19-2008, 08:46 AM

Ah, this is starting to sound familiar.

Exactly same symptoms happened to me in a new apartment. High current draw appliances wouldn't work, especially the large oven, washer and dryer.

Turned out whoever was in charge of the electrical distribution had put a load limiter on my line, effectively only allowing a smaller draw of current.

This could be what's happening here, but what confuses me is that everyones power went out when it started.

mykalberta · 11-19-2008, 09:03 AM

This has nothing to do with your issue but where I live in Crescent Heights, the power goes out a minimum of once per month.

Last year from January - now it has gone out 16 different times. Of the 10 times it went out when I was home, the average amount of down time was roughly 26 minutes.

Its fracking ridiculous. When I lived in Sunnyside I only ever had one power outage in 2 years.

Eddie Bronze · 11-19-2008, 09:13 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BlackArcher101

This could be what's happening here, but what confuses me is that everyones power went out when it started.

I don't know that for certain. I wasn't sitting watching into other people's units when it happened. I just assumed that since the lights all went out and the tv turned off that we had a little surge or flicker of power. But when I looked out and saw everyone else's working and mine wasn't, I knew something was wrong. I guess it is possible it was just me. But why would they only put a load limiter on certain units? I still don't get how that would effect certain regular outlets and not effect other ones.

Guy working at the Calgary Control Center says it's for sure a problem either in my breaker box or in the main breaker box in the building. I even called enmax to make sure they didn't turn the power off by accident. My bills are paid!

Eddie Bronze · 11-19-2008, 09:39 AM

... So, since the fridge is pulled out I figured I would save myself having to move it again later and decided to clean in behind there. Pulled out the vacuum cleaner and plugged it into the opposite plug in the same outlet that the fridge is plugged into and nothing. So half of that one outlet is working. Got it running from the one in the bathroom.