3:30 in the morning. I was woken up with a flash and thunder that practically levitated me out of the bed. The lightning strike was so powerful and close that I checked the house for damage. Even before then I saw the light go out on my C-pap and most of the power in the house died.
The house inverter was making a high warning tone down in the basement. I went to the basement to see if the house was on fire. There was a strong burnt electrical smell but nothing was actively burning. While down the basement I disconnected the fried inverter from the electrical system.
At that point I decided to try and get some sleep until daylight. Fortunately I keep a backup battery pack for running my c-pap.
The weird thing is that the grid did not go down. Usually the grid goes down and I’m left with my off-grid solar electric system. However, with the grid still up I was able to transfer the solar electric side to grid power.
Once that was done I went on-line and ordered a replacement inverter. It should here in a couple of days. If it was going to be a long delay I could have always reinstalled the old modified sine wave inverter. I’d only replaced it because it doesn’t work well well the new LED lights.
All in all, it could have been worse.
-Sixbears
Indeed, it could have been far worse.
ReplyDeleteCan I assume you keep a currently charged fire extinguisher or three in your home friend?
I was just notified that tree work tomorrow, maybe Thursday will entail my power might be shut off during the day. Oh, joy as wife uses CPAP, but I already tested my generator for use for AC and refrigerators.
Grid power a nice thing. Solar power also useful but so far, I cannot run the AC with mine.
I always keep a few fire extinguishers handy. It's cheap insurance.
DeleteI don't even have AC. However, the fans normally are enough and they run off my solar electric system.
Two is one and one is none eh... The lists are endless.
ReplyDeleteThat's why I saved the old inverter. While it doesn't play nicely with LEDs it runs the well pump just fine.
ReplyDeleteI also saved the old charge controller assembly when I upgraded to a more efficient one.
Then I've three different small complete solar electric systems and parts for a fourth.