How can appliances get fried when they are turned off, but plugged into surge protectors?

Question

How can I keep it from happening again?  There was a recent problem in the electric- it sounded like a transformer blew or something and there was crackling in the appliances of the house, I ran and unplugged the computer, and the DVD player started smoking.  I ran and unplugged the TV and DVD players, and by the time I got back to the office, there was smoke coming up there too, my subwoofer and printer fried.  I lost our American DVD player, my subwoofer speaker system, and my printer.  These were plugged into two surge protectors, one plugged into the other.  There are three fuses, the main one for the whole house out at our counter, a main one for the downstairs, and then the fuse for the outlet.  How come none of them turned off, but the appliances got fried?

You got FAAAAT!!! · Accepted Answer

nothing is foolproof, I had a surge blow out my protectors and my stereo once, and then it never happened since.  Could be a defective protector, maybe it just wore out after a while, or maybe the surge was too fast to be stopped in time.  Just like fire, electricity has a mind of its own and can't really be controlled.

big.boy802 · Answer

Cause unless you buy a really expensive surge protector, they are worthless. A transformer blowing up sends alot of power into the electrical system and it always fries the weakest things, wether its the appliances or the fuses (fyi a big power surge can jump a breaker thats shut off)

da_zoo_keeper · Answer

Wow!  It sounds like your building's wiring isn't grounded properly!  How old is it?  I think you need a qualified electrician to come in and check out the entire building!!!  Good luck with that....

Anonymous · Answer

this sounds like a short circuit, possibly in your ring main.

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How can appliances get fried when they are turned off, but plugged into surge protectors?

4 Answers