ESB Power surges

[boberto]

I've recently moved into a newly built house. On friday morning my fridge (3 months old) wasn't working. The power light was on but motor wasn't running. Logged a call with the supplier who might contact me on monday or tuesday. Came home that evening and the panel for my central heating wasn't working. I rang the electrician who wired the houses and he informed me that this had happened to a few people on the estate and he blamed ESB power surges. He said he'd replace the unit but I'd have to claim from ESB or house insurance. Are power surges so rare that a replaced unit isn't going to suffer the same fate? I don't know if the fridge problem is related. Should the electrician have provided some sort of 'surge protection' as standard? Will the ESB/insurer just say its my problem? I'll happily take any advice on this...

 

[SineWave]

To the best of my knowledge, ESB are aobliged to supply +/-5% of the standard voltage (230vac or 400vac).

Voltage spikes, however are very hard to prove and they may occur during switching on of the ESB network.

I'ld imagine that trying to apportion blame to ESB will be very difficult.

In relation to the control unit and other units failing; it could well be the fact that it was a bad batch of units, purchased and fitted at same time.

See what fridge engineer says, but do not mention "power surges".

No, a power-surge protection system is not standard in domestic installations.