So my breaker box "exploded" - I have no power or whether my devices are safe

[Manta_Breh]

Playing my ps5 and all of a sudden the power just went out in my apartment, it didn't go off suddenly, but kind of felt like my TV just slowly shutdown and I heard a couple strange noises before the power went off fully . I checked the breaker box and nothing was tripped.

I called the maintenance guy and he came over and checked the building power thing, every apartment and the building had power it was just a problem in my unit, but the breaker was fine and he said I'm receiving current and outputting current or something.

Then he started checking around some more with the wiring and as he was poking around with his tester thing the thing legit exploded in sparks ... No one was hurt, but it was pretty damn loud and I saw a couple sparks and then he showed me the burnt wires and apparently it's something to do the wiri g/cable.

The owner told me he's gonna get someone else to come take a look tomorrow and so here I am at.my.cousins place crashing for the night super fukkin worried not because of when I'll be able to get power next and go back home but also for the state of my electronics, got a gaming pc, ps5 and my oled TV which I saved up for so long to buy.... I'm really hoping gets get sorted out and that also importantly, my electronic devices are safe and that nothing happened to them.

Any era electricians/engineers have a faced a similar situation or have any advise for me?

I've turned off everything after the power cut tho and removed them from the extensions. Pretty stressed ATM and can't sleep because I'm worried and I have to wake up early tomorrow to go to the building management office to get a permit for someone to come take a look because it's damn covid/lockdowns on top of it so the sops are strict 😔😔😔😔



EDIT - FINALLY GOT POWER - See post 15

 

[19thCenturyFox]

Your TV, consoles and PC should be fine but your fridge might be thawing and that can be pretty nasty.

 

[gcubed]

are you in the US?

chances are things are fine if the power didn't blow out like that when everything was on... but you do have renters insurance?

 

[Manta_Breh]

Your TV, consoles and PC should be fine but your fridge might be thawing and that can be pretty nasty.

Click to shrink...

Moved the important stuff to my cousin's fridge like the meat, but kept some others since he doesn't have any space, and my gf will take a few off me as well, but I can deal with food going bad haha, more worried for my electronics and the duration of how long I'll have to be away from home. I'm just glad my cousin lives in the same building so I can at least be in a place with electricity to sleep/charge phone etc.

 

[Deleted member 99254]

Sounds like that explosion was just the electrician bridging a live wire with something, if you have proper grounding and a GFCI for your electronics you're totally safe.

 

[Manta_Breh]

are you in the US?

chances are things are fine if the power didn't blow out like that when everything was on... but you do have renters insurance?

Click to shrink...

I don't live in the US. Foreign student living in Malaysia haha ... The owners are expecting me to foot the bill from the initial convo but I avoided that ... Right now just looking to get it fixed, Ans then when it's time for money talks it'll be me and my dad discussing with them because no way in hell would we agree to foot the entire billl for this because it's nothing to do with us - although rent agreement says otherwise , but it states renters are liable for maintenance but building wiring etc etc is different ...anyway everything can be negotiable for hopefully it shouldn't be an issue unless they are really stubborn.

 

[gcubed]

I don't live in the US. Foreign student living in Malaysia haha ... The owners are expecting me to foot the bill from the initial convo but I avoided that ... Right now just looking to get it fixed, Ans then when it's time for money talks it'll be me and my dad discussing with them because no way in hell would we agree to foot the entire billl for this because it's nothing to do with us - although rent agreement says otherwise , but it states renters are liable for maintenance but building wiring etc etc is different ...anyway everything can be negotiable for hopefully it shouldn't be an issue unless they are really stubborn.

Click to shrink...

ah, that sucks, didn't seem US from the original post, but unsure. Crazy that you would be responsible for anything as a renter... besides if you obviously put a hole in the wall or damage something explicitly. Having fault electric seems like an issue that is solely the responsibility of the owner

 

[Manta_Breh]

Sounds like that explosion was just the electrician bridging a live wire with something, if you have proper grounding and a GFCI for your electronics you're totally safe.

Click to shrink...

GCFI?

Honestly not sure about all that. My Tv is plugged in straight to the wall and the speakers/ps5 etc are on a different extension which should be surge protected .... All were removed and turned off prior to him poking around and setting it off..... Yeah sounds like that what he did, he was poking around the wired with his tester thing, it was metal and the tip of it was burnt after he gathered himself and checked his equipment.

It's a high rise building so I'm assuming it has lightnigng conductors and all the stuff that protects itself from stuff like that, been through thunderstorms without an issue, but just out of habit I try not using my electronics during thunderstorms.

 

[Manta_Breh]

ah, that sucks, didn't seem US from the original post, but unsure. Crazy that you would be responsible for anything as a renter... besides if you obviously put a hole in the wall or damage something explicitly. Having fault electric seems like an issue that is solely the responsibility of the owner

Click to shrink...

Exactly. I mean my owners are pretty chill for the most part and they like me as a renter because I'm on time with my rent and unlike other students, I didn't go back home and leave the unit, I've stayed the entire time and paid the original fee when the entire world was giving reduced rents to everyone. Although recently my dad managed to negotiate them for lower rent because it's been an year now and we signed an extension. Been fixing their broken ass airconditioners and servicing them myself as per their "terms and conditions" but no way in hell would we agree to foot the bill when it comes to this. Let's see how .... It's so damn weird though, out of nowhere .... Making me wonder if I had too many electronics plugged in, but that doesn't make sense since I'm sure the unit is more than capable since it's a high rise building, tons of students live here and even though I live alone (gf comes by most days) I don't think my devices nor I am capable of shorting out a fuse or something haha.

 

[kurahador]

Happen to my parent house once where powers keep going down dimming the lights and turning off the tv. Turns out there's a huge spark fest going on few blocks from the house caused by an exposed wires.

The explosion the guy caused most likely just him shorting wires to see if there's a current going ---- it did. Your electronics are fine. Modern apartment and high rise building has multiple protection against surge, and the breaker box tripping means it's doing its job.

 

[Manta_Breh]

Happen to my parent house once where powers keep going down dimming the lights and turning off the tv. Turns out there's a huge spark fest going on few blocks from the house caused by an exposed wires.

The explosion the guy caused most likely just him shorting wires to see if there's a current going ---- it did. Your electronics are fine. Modern apartment and high rise building has multiple protection against surge, and the breaker box tripping means it's doing its job.

Click to shrink...

The breaker in my unit didn't trip at all though when the power went out, it was as is haha.. I'm not sure about the status of the breaker box outside the the unit (external one that powers the floor I think) ..but the dude said it was fine as well. He thinks it's the wiring that's messed up.

 

[kurahador]

The breaker in my unit didn't trip at all though when the power went out, it was as is haha.. I'm not sure about the status of the breaker box outside the the unit (external one that powers the floor I think) ..but the dude said it was fine as well. He thinks it's the wiring that's messed up.

Click to shrink...

Like I said, there are multiple protection. The one that tripped is the breaker that covers the entire floor, so the current essentially didn't reach your unit --- at least the amount that can damage electronics.

 

[CerealKi11a]

Sounds like that explosion was just the electrician bridging a live wire with something, if you have proper grounding and a GFCI for your electronics you're totally safe.

Click to shrink...

That's what it sounds like to me.

 

[Manta_Breh]

Like I said, there are multiple protection. The one that tripped is the breaker that covers the entire floor, so the current essentially didn't reach your unit --- at least the amount that can damage electronics.

Click to shrink...

Ahh I see. Yeah hopefully all goes well tomorrow when the other electrician comes.




I'll just add some pictures incase you guys have an idea hahah

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Image 20210819-205525 hosted in ImgBB

ibb.co

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Image 20210819-205550 hosted in ImgBB

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I don't know if it works


Trying to use era/upload stuff from my mobile is a new experience. I've always used my pc lol.

 

[Manta_Breh]

UPDATE-



WE HAVE POWER! .... The electrician came over and fixed it. It didnt seem like too big an issue, but the electrician said the management/building just cut a few corners when wiring/putting up the breaker and it was something with a spark fuse/plug that was causing it.... But thank god, I've got power, my ps5 etc is working.