jonh2765
New Member
lestat45559 I am deeply sorry to hear you loss.:( Thank you for sharing
Lost it all: An electrical warning
- Thread starter lestat45559
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Gene
New Member
So sorry to hear this. And this hits close to home for me. I too had an electrical fire due to a faulty power strip connected to my reef tank. And not the strip connected to lighting which was and still is on its own timer and a separate power supply.
I had noticed a slight odor for two days and actually was worried my refrigerator was going bad.
The next day I happened to be home when I could smell this odor and much stronger. About the same time the fire alarm went off and within seconds I had a full fledged fire coming from my power strip and it did not trip it. The carpet and a spot on my cabinet had flames. Small but had I not been there I'm afraid I could have lost much.
I was advised to replace any power strips which are in continuous use after one year to be on the safe side. And to keep the lighting on a separate timer with built in protection.
I purchased new strip and a timer rated for outdoor and marine use. My lighting timer is a Coleman product.
I am a lifelong hobbyist, and started my marine hobby nine years ago. Many have much more elaborate systems than I do, yet the basic elements are the same.
I am happy you all are safe and healthy! Everything else can be replaced, you cannot. Best of luck to you as you rebuild. And many thanks for sharing your misfortune. This will help others along the way.
I had noticed a slight odor for two days and actually was worried my refrigerator was going bad.
The next day I happened to be home when I could smell this odor and much stronger. About the same time the fire alarm went off and within seconds I had a full fledged fire coming from my power strip and it did not trip it. The carpet and a spot on my cabinet had flames. Small but had I not been there I'm afraid I could have lost much.
I was advised to replace any power strips which are in continuous use after one year to be on the safe side. And to keep the lighting on a separate timer with built in protection.
I purchased new strip and a timer rated for outdoor and marine use. My lighting timer is a Coleman product.
I am a lifelong hobbyist, and started my marine hobby nine years ago. Many have much more elaborate systems than I do, yet the basic elements are the same.
I am happy you all are safe and healthy! Everything else can be replaced, you cannot. Best of luck to you as you rebuild. And many thanks for sharing your misfortune. This will help others along the way.
acolotto
Active Member
sorry for your loss, but coralife timer power strips are the worst! I have read many cases of them shorting out and also starting fires when being used for aquariums. There are many similar power strips that are exactly the same as this one, seems like every year they just change the name on the power strip and keep selling it, take this guys warning and STAY AWAY!
WetWhistle
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Very sad for the cats, tank and damage to the house. Sorry for your loss. :'(
BNUTTHEHUT
Active Member
Be careful which one you use. mine would turn off and on by itself.
http://www.theguardian.com/technolo...oke-and-carbon-monoxide-alarm-on-safety-fears
Newb73
Valuable Member
This thread gives me an idea. Perhaps we should start an recovery forum here on R2R for long term members/reefers who suffer a catastrophic loss. People could chip in on pumps, lights, Neptune stuff.
Would be great PR for the big vendors like Ecotech Marine and Neptune systems to donate equipment to people who can prove they were previous customers (should be easy enough now days) and have suffered a catastrophic loss. They get a write off and PR, plus they get continued sales by keeping the hobbyist in the hobby, R2R supports its members, unfortunate members get a recovery boost to keep them from giving up on reefing.
Its a win win....win.
Would be great PR for the big vendors like Ecotech Marine and Neptune systems to donate equipment to people who can prove they were previous customers (should be easy enough now days) and have suffered a catastrophic loss. They get a write off and PR, plus they get continued sales by keeping the hobbyist in the hobby, R2R supports its members, unfortunate members get a recovery boost to keep them from giving up on reefing.
Its a win win....win.
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Unfortunately, bad apples would exploit it. We do not allow requests for donations without prior approval for this very reason.
Sorry for your loss. Your tank and your kitties, they are all family. I hope that your local club will help you build up your reef once you get a tank back up on a stand. Prayers to you and your family. I'm glad that it was not a total loss. God bless.
Reefer with SeaHorses
Community Member
So sorry for your loss. Pets, including water bound ones are just like members of the family. And I'm unplugging my cord tonight. It's on my rock tank. Glad you and your family are okay.
mochaclownlover
Valuable Member
Sorry for your loss. You might want to consider sending the company a complain email and try to get them to take that item off the market.
OP
OP
Again, I can not express my feeling of belonging with I read all the kind thoughts, I have hired a private adjuster they had an army of people in the house the other day documenting every little item I owned. I am looking forward to seeing their report with mixed feelings. I am sure I will want to curl up and have a good cry at the amount of loss, I tend to keep things, lights skimmers, always like spares. Maybe this will teach me not to so much, I used to help so many here in New England when they had equipment problems or need to house live stock. Hell I held 90% of all the donated corals and fish of our annual auctions up here.
That can be good, or bad. Good meaning they will fight for you like a lawyer. Bad meaning they charge you like a lawyer. But when it comes to fires, insurance companies are sometimes horrible, so I think that was a good move.
This is coming from a former insurance adjuster...in hurricane/catastrophe stricken areas (Ivan and Katrina were the 2 storms I worked)
Harold Green
Well-Known Member
Now who doesn't love insurance companies. Years ago I had a tree on some adjacent vacant lot fall and take out a large custom greenhouse next to my home. I filed a claim that the insurance company paid. Eight or nine months later a storm snapped off a large tree in my front yard and the upper part fell on my roof breaking the decking and cornice. The adjuster came out and estimated the damage at five dollars less than my deductable so they didn't have to pay a dime and then sent me a cancellation notice because I filed two claims in one year. Needless to say I cancelled my car and boat insurance through them if that's the way they treat a long time customer who had never filed a claim before. They're only happy as long as you don't cost them any money.
Oooh time to break out my favorite anti-insurance-company pic of all time. Taken by me, near Gulf Breeze FL in the Hurricane Ivan aftermath zone. It's an all-time classic
Harold Green
Well-Known Member
Thanks that's a classic and unfortunately often true. I was fishing out on a lake one night and after heading in I was met by my truck and boat trailer totaled in the parking lot. Apparently a woman had lost control of her car and ran into the parking lot taking out a half dozen or so vehicles. She was insured by state farm. They drug their feet for a week while my boat sat out at the lake. Then they wanted to total my truck and trailer. I showed them several thousand dollars in receipts for replacing the engine and trailer components. They actually offered me $150 dollars for my trailer. A galvanized, drive on, tilt trailer that was completely rebuilt before the accident. They insisted that was the going price for a used trailer. I asked how I was supposed to find one to fit my center console boat. When I finally got them up to enough to fix my trailer(with parts receipts) they made me purchase the trailer back from them so I could get it repaired.
Spit.fire
Active Member
sorry for your losses
best of luck with the rebuild
ive only every heard bad things about those power bars, ive had one burn up but never amounted to anything serious other than a blown breaker and a bit of smoke
best of luck with the rebuild
OP
OP
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