What caused a power outage for my neighbors w/ Pics

[funman1]

Well around 6-7ish today I was in my computer room, and heard a huge buzzzzz, then a LOUD bang and a bright flash!!!
And sparks came showering down onto my house right next to the computer room I was in..

Then the UPS's the computers were on started to beep (Meaning power outage)
A few seconds later the power returned but I went outside to investigate.. On the power pole in my backyard a large SMUD fuse had blown up on the pole sending showering sparks down..

We called SMUD and alerted them, about 20 mins later a SMUD guy showed up and looked at the damadge...

Said no big deal.. Our guys will come fix it tomorrow...
OK I said thanks..


Well apparently he was VERY wrong..
At about 9:00 We heard air brakes set and lots of noise, I looked out and 6 SMUD trucks had descended on our driveway. Apparently it knocked out a BUNCH of houses behind us... So they had to get it fixed tonight..

(I hope Justin, who lives behind me did not have a power outage)

They said the cause was a bad wire underground..

I asked for the blown fuse and they said sure..
Here you go.. After setting them up with some Free Cappuccino at about 10:00 they pulled away..

Here are the pics of the blown fuse that rained sparks down on the house..

 

[buttons buster]

Wow that really sucks.
Glad too see that you always giving stuff away for fre though.
So generous

 

[funman1]

Well sucks for the people around my house..
Didn't really affect me too much..

As far as the free stuff goes...

What comes around goes around..


If you have read many of my posts, I get some INSANE stuff for free A LOT! (Like the Cappuccino machine, my crazy PLC tank controller, etc..)
I attribute a lot of it to me giving stuff away for free.

The whole "Do unto others........."

 

[buttons buster]

Usually when people say Karma it is attributed with a negative connotation, but for the case with you obviously not.

How did you get that soda machine that I saw earlier in your Capp machine thread?
Also how is it plumbed?
Like where is the Co2, soda "juice", etc.

 

[funman1]

Well the soda machine.....
I won a two head dispenser on ebay (in the pics) and the guy was local (Diamond Springs), so I went up there to get it and found out he runs a Pepsi clearance business.
So he ended up GIVING me the carbonator, 3 syurp pumps, a CO2 tank and regulator, and a buch of other little odd things I needed; all for the cost of the "Dispenser heads" I had won on ebay for $95.00)

So then I set out on a quest for a fridge I could demolish for the project. Low and behold.. My friends apt manager was getting rid of one..
They said it didn't work, so they had bought a new one for the tenant.. After I looked at it I said, uhhhhmmm the dial is set to its warmest setting, was it always like that?
They said don't know, don't care, it's all yours..

Took it home turned down the temp knob, and soon had ICE in the fridge part as well as the frezzer..

Well now I had all the parts I needed to I set out on a quest to build it..
The RO water is pumped from bottle next to the Co2 bottle into the carbonator where it then carbonates the water with Co2.
Then the Co2 also powers the sryup pumps connected to the bag-in-the-box of flavors.. into the mixing head..

I also added some cool electronics so the pump can't run dry (Water bottle empty) and if it does, it shuts down not only the carbonator but also the dispensing heads till more water is added...

Final cost out the door for this baby, (including sryup) $256.00

Here's some more detailed pics..
ENJOY...

 

[Reefugee]

Steve - I am surprised you just didn't fix the problem yourself. ;-)

 

[Justin74]

So that's what that was! Ya my power went out, all for about 5 seconds max. They must have had a switch a few spans ahead that kicked in when that span of line went down. I use to patroll them for PG&E and now I can't even remember what there called heheh. But I obviously got lucky too, which usually aint the case

Um, so what are you going to do with that fuse

-Justin

 

[matttaylor]

I'm sure it was all of Steve's "electronics / computers" that actually caused the fuse to blow. I think you use more electricity in a day to run your house than i do in a year!

 

[kdblove_99]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=10813199#post10813199 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Reefugee
Steve - I am surprised you just didn't fix the problem yourself. ;-)

Too funny but yet so true!

 

[funman1]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=10813199#post10813199 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Reefugee
Steve - I am surprised you just didn't fix the problem yourself. ;-)

hahah
I would have but didn't have a fuse that big in my garage
AND MY power wasn't out...

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=10814860#post10814860 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Justin74
Um, so what are you going to do with that fuse

Well It's all burned up, so I gave it to the School I used to teach for, to be shown as a demonstation.

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=10815012#post10815012 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by matttaylor
I'm sure it was all of Steve's "electronics / computers" that actually caused the fuse to blow. I think you use more electricity in a day to run your house than i do in a year!

Well hey it wasn't my house that was out of power so it could not have been me!!
Uhh yeah my electricty bill last month was $650

 

[Reef n' Madness]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=10815570#post10815570 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by funman1

Uhh yeah my electricty bill last month was $650

I wont be complaining about my electric bill anymore!! :lol:

 

[matttaylor]

I topped out at $750 in July! But i've got it down to under $200 now. All it took was teaching the children to turn off lights when they left the room.