Kill Your Television- Literally.

[Beware the Beast Man]

This will be the third TV CC and I lost in just over the past year. We turned on the TV this morning and- nothing. Everything else plugged into that particular wall outlet works. I don't know if we had another power surge or what. Normally, I would plug the TV into the surge protector, but I neglected to do that in order to free up some outlets for the Christmas tree (which I took down weeks ago).

Do you think I should inform the maintenance office of my apartment building?

Oh yeah, one other thing- the warranty just expired. :cry:

[democracyindanger]

1. That sucks.

Send a letter to management. Don't expect them to do anything, but if there's some electrical fire or something you've put the responsibility on them.

[Reverend_Smitty]

2. wow you have some bad luck with televisions

3 in one year, something must be up with the wiring in the building to keep surging your appliances like that. I suppose it wouldn't hurt to inform maintenance about it.

[Cathyclysmic]

5. The guy upstairs played with the wiring in his apartment

He was a regular fix-it guy...tore down walls and everything. We thought it was just him with the first two televisions. Well, he moved out. So, I guess there is some permanent damage...guess I better check the fire alarm!

[Reverend_Smitty]

7. That's gotta be against some fire code...

if the building management doesn't do something about it, call the fire marshall and have them force the management to fix it. You don't want a fire hazard on your hands

[Cathyclysmic]

8. Definitely, I will talk maintenance and take it further if we have to.

We have lived here for three years and we really like it. I guess the owner died and the daughter is in charge now. We have all noticed a laissez-faire attitude taking over the place.

[Midlodemocrat]

3. That would really concern me, BtBM.

I would be concerned about short circuiting and the potential for a fire. I would definitely call the building manager.

Good luck.

[necso]

4. You can pick up

a little circuit tester (shaped like a three-prong plug) and a voltmeter for a few bucks.

The first will indicate if the circuit is wired properly, the second will indicate voltage levels.

The combination of the two is a pretty good test.

I would test.

[Cathyclysmic]

6. Thanks! So, at a hardware store?

don't know much about electricity/home wiring. Are these gadgets come with a handy guide about what's normal...or should I do some Googleing?

[necso]

9. A good hardware store should.

But I can't speak to your area.

The plug-in tester just sticks in and shows a pattern of lights/no-lights.

The voltmeter will need to be hooked up right and set to the appropriate AC voltage level (typically). There should be instructions in the box. But you can burn it up (maybe) if you screw up.

I wouldn't spend too much on a voltmeter (multimeter); they can get expensive, but I have used low-end ones with no problems. And that way if you screw up or lose it, then it's no big deal.

These are two tools that everyone should have.

For instance, you can test phone lines (disconnected from the TNI, phones, etc) by running a low voltage from a battery over the (various) wires at the TNI and checking the voltage (knowing what it is at the battery) at the (same) wires at the various outlets.

This is pretty good for detecting a partial (/complete) short and for figuring out which wires go where.

[Cathyclysmic]

10. Thanks again

[RebelOne]

11. I have had two TVs killed because of power surges and outages.

[DanCa]

12. 57 channels and nothing on

I got a 44 magnum solid steel cast, and in the blessed name of Elvis I began to blast - Bruce SpringSteen 57 channels and nothing on.