We could have died!

Aliantha · 03-24-2014, 07:08 PM

Check out these pics. All fixed now, but we blew a pole fuse on Thursday night then could smell a little bit of smoke. Had some lights doing funny things to begin with. Turns out this was the reason.

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It's all fixed now, but it was a real shock to find out how close we came to having our house burn down. Fortunately we have a steel frame house and insulation in the ceiling with fire retardant in it or we'd be all dead, or homeless at the least.

orthodoc · 03-24-2014, 07:30 PM

Holy carp, Ali, I'm glad you're all okay.

Aliantha · 03-24-2014, 07:43 PM

Thanks Ortho. We're pretty happy about it too.

xoxoxoBruce · 03-25-2014, 12:45 AM

That's service entrance wire isn't it? Was that wire in the floor, the wall, the ceiling? Did they say what it shorted to, itself or something else.

It's a sign! A sign you are supposed to enjoy life.

Aliantha · 03-25-2014, 06:15 AM

The wiring here is fucked. It is an entry wire, but we have a divided switch board. It was associated with the main fuse which is inside instead of in the meter box outside. It blew the electricity out to the street. They had to replace the pole fuse. Its just a nightmare. The best guess is that there was a tear in one of the wires because the sparky who wired this house didnt use grommets to seat the wires as they were pulled through the steel frame.

Clodfobble · 03-25-2014, 07:19 AM

That's scary. I'm glad you guys are okay.

glatt · 03-25-2014, 08:26 AM

Wow. Glad you are OK, Ali.

Is steel frame common in residential there? We use almost exclusively wood frame around here, but even I know you need grommets around wires in steel frame. Steel is sharp! They make knives out of it.

Spexxvet · 03-25-2014, 09:19 AM

Wow! That's shocking. Glad you're, ohm, currently ok.

Lola Bunny · 03-25-2014, 01:48 PM

Glad y'all are okay.

lumberjim · 03-25-2014, 02:11 PM

so, this is the first day of the rest of your life. the part where you didnt die. in an alternate universe, there's an Ali who was burned horribly in the fire, and in another one who died, and yet another where she got a huge cash settlement and lived like a drunken Queen for 2 years and then had a heart attack and died.

In this reality, she.......

xoxoxoBruce · 03-25-2014, 02:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Aliantha

The best guess is that there was a tear in one of the wires because the sparky who wired this house didnt use grommets to seat the wires as they were pulled through the steel frame.

Yeah, that's what I wondered when you said steel framing. That sucks. As I recall your house isn't that old, I wonder if you can go back to the builder to rectify their mistake?

Gravdigr · 03-25-2014, 02:52 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by xoxoxoBruce

...I wonder if you can go back to the builder to rectify their mistake?

'Rectify their mistake'...is that Latin for 'sue them to death'?

I hope so.

Gravdigr · 03-25-2014, 02:52 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Aliantha

We're pretty happy about it too.

xoxoxoBruce · 03-25-2014, 03:43 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gravdigr

'Rectify their mistake'...is that Latin for 'sue them to death'?

I hope so.

An American named Sue.

No, Australian... just pay to fix it so it can't happen again.

Aliantha · 03-25-2014, 04:09 PM

The rewiring was organised by the previous owners. We're thinking the sparky that did the job is probably dead by now.

03-24-2014, 07:08 PM	#1
Aliantha trying hard to be a better person Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Brisbane, Australia Posts: 16,493	We could have died! Check out these pics. All fixed now, but we blew a pole fuse on Thursday night then could smell a little bit of smoke. Had some lights doing funny things to begin with. Turns out this was the reason. It's all fixed now, but it was a real shock to find out how close we came to having our house burn down. Fortunately we have a steel frame house and insulation in the ceiling with fire retardant in it or we'd be all dead, or homeless at the least. __________________ Kind words are the music of the world. F. W. Faber

03-24-2014, 07:30 PM	#2
orthodoc Not Suspicious, Merely Canadian Join Date: Oct 2006 Posts: 3,774	Holy carp, Ali, I'm glad you're all okay. __________________ The greatness of a nation and its moral progress can be judged by the way its animals are treated. - Ghandi

03-24-2014, 07:43 PM	#3
Aliantha trying hard to be a better person Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Brisbane, Australia Posts: 16,493	Thanks Ortho. We're pretty happy about it too. __________________ Kind words are the music of the world. F. W. Faber

03-25-2014, 12:45 AM	#4
xoxoxoBruce The future is unwritten Join Date: Oct 2002 Posts: 71,105	That's service entrance wire isn't it? Was that wire in the floor, the wall, the ceiling? Did they say what it shorted to, itself or something else. It's a sign! A sign you are supposed to enjoy life. __________________ The descent of man ~ Nixon, Friedman, Reagan, Trump.

03-25-2014, 06:15 AM	#5
Aliantha trying hard to be a better person Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Brisbane, Australia Posts: 16,493	The wiring here is fucked. It is an entry wire, but we have a divided switch board. It was associated with the main fuse which is inside instead of in the meter box outside. It blew the electricity out to the street. They had to replace the pole fuse. Its just a nightmare. The best guess is that there was a tear in one of the wires because the sparky who wired this house didnt use grommets to seat the wires as they were pulled through the steel frame. __________________ Kind words are the music of the world. F. W. Faber

03-25-2014, 07:19 AM	#6
Clodfobble UNDER CONDITIONAL MITIGATION Join Date: Mar 2004 Location: Austin, TX Posts: 20,012	That's scary. I'm glad you guys are okay. __________________ My book My other book My spirit animal

03-25-2014, 08:26 AM	#7
glatt ™ Join Date: Jul 2003 Location: Arlington, VA Posts: 27,717	Wow. Glad you are OK, Ali. Is steel frame common in residential there? We use almost exclusively wood frame around here, but even I know you need grommets around wires in steel frame. Steel is sharp! They make knives out of it.

03-25-2014, 09:19 AM	#8
Spexxvet Makes some feel uncomfortable Join Date: Dec 2005 Posts: 10,346	Wow! That's shocking. Glad you're, ohm, currently ok. __________________ "I'm certainly free, nay compelled, to spread the gospel of Spex. " - xoxoxoBruce

03-25-2014, 01:48 PM	#9
Lola Bunny Junior Master Dwellar Join Date: May 2011 Posts: 2,728	Glad y'all are okay.

03-25-2014, 02:11 PM	#10
lumberjim I can hear my ears Join Date: Oct 2003 Posts: 25,571	so, this is the first day of the rest of your life. the part where you didnt die. in an alternate universe, there's an Ali who was burned horribly in the fire, and in another one who died, and yet another where she got a huge cash settlement and lived like a drunken Queen for 2 years and then had a heart attack and died. In this reality, she....... __________________ This body holding me reminds me of my own mortality Embrace this moment, remember We are eternal, all this pain is an illusion ~MJKeenan

03-25-2014, 04:09 PM	#15
Aliantha trying hard to be a better person Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Brisbane, Australia Posts: 16,493	The rewiring was organised by the previous owners. We're thinking the sparky that did the job is probably dead by now. __________________ Kind words are the music of the world. F. W. Faber

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