Post from Wendy Scholl from Crystal River Ranch…

Electrical Surge Residential Protection

Please Provide Your Surge Damage Details – Click Here

For years, many of us have had to replace expensive appliances, furnace thermostats, heat pump motherboards, various electronics, numerous outlet rated surge protectors, and more.  Since 2009 my residence has been hit with three damaging surge events.  A whole house surge protection device (SPD) rated light commercial combined with multiple plug-in outlet surge protection devices for anything that is persistently on was recommended to me 2009 and this has worked.  Kindly forward and share this with anyone you know who has experienced one or more damaging residential surge events and/or is concerned about residence protection in Crystal River Ranch (CRR), Crystal Village (CV) or other Greenwater location.

This communication is from me, Wendy Scholl, an individual CRR property owner. I’m not communicating representing the CRR board nor am I an electrician.  I believe the following information is timely and will be helpful to many of you faced with damage from the 12/9/2015 surge event. In our locale, an electrical surge sourced house fire is a real risk. One CRR Riverview Way property owner’s bathroom heater thermostat exploded off the wall leaving scorch marks around and inside the wall 2/7/2008.  Fortunately they were home, heard it explode and were able to quickly deal with it.

A light commercial rated whole house surge protection device (SPD) plus using outlet plug-in SPDs for every appliance, internet modem, computer, etc. have twice saved all my appliances and electronics in the recent damaging surge hits to my home 12/9/2015 and 1/17/2012. Each event, a whole house SPD light commercial level rating took the blow and that is my only replacement cost.

There are a variety of residential surge protection choices.  In the 2009 damaging surge event when I lost multiple appliances, both a knowledgeable electrician and a retired PSE engineering employee recommended I install a light commercial rated SPD.  Here is an informative read about protecting your home from a surge event: http://www.thisoldhouse.com/toh/article/0,,387874-3,00.html

I believe most of you are aware that PSE has no committed electrical grid remedy ahead to prevent damaging surges nor will they recommend or pay for an SPD.  Over the years, owners like me have submitted claims.  No surge damage cost claim to PSE I know of has been reimbursed. Here is a whole house SPD that is highly rated with a maximum surge capacity of 108kA or 108,000 Amps. This one recommended to me by multiple sources.

Eaton CHSPT2ULTRA 108kV or 108,000 Amps maximum surge out (Light Commercial Grade) Rated indoor / outdoor install, requires a 50 amp 2 pole breaker in the electrical panel. $110 at: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B005C5NQTA?psc=1&redirect=true&ref_=oh_aui_detailpage_o00_s00

As an example, this SPD low rated Home Depot $60.97 Square D Q02175SB in panel 22,500 Amps only provided partial protection to a vacant CRR property owner 12/9/2015.

Another informative site:

http://www.stevejenkins.com/blog/2014/10/whats-the-best-whole-house-surge-protection/

To convert kA to Amps:  http://www.convertunits.com/from/kA/to/ampere

CRR community residential damaging surge event dates I have in my records are:

December 9, 2015
January 17, 2012
December 23, 2008 – January 5, 2009 During 4 weeks multiple damaging surges in CRR.
February 8, 2008

May an evil doer force not hit your home and to all a safe peaceful 2016.

Wendy Scholl, WebAdmin@CrystalRiverRanch.org

UPDATE: Power has been restored. They are still working on the phones.

Phone (as of 2pm Wednesday): Update from one of the local Century Link field technicians. One of the fibers that provides a dial tone to our area was taken down in this storm. It’s a bigger deal than most issues to fix but since it’s fiber, the technicians were able to estimate where the issue is (13 miles above Enumclaw). People are on the way there now to pinpoint the problem physically, and then they’ll get specialized service up to the site for the repair. My contact estimated 2-3 days as the worst case scenario for regular phone/Internet to be restored “if it’s not underwater up there.” (Unfortunately I just found out some phone and power lines are in the river at MP 38 and the geography sounds as if it may be the same issue.) He has offered to update me if he gets new information. In the meantime, Century Link has some way of routing all 911 calls to the Forest Service who will notify whatever agency is needed. We talked about the urgency of restoring service for both local businesses and emergency communication and he will underscore those points with the folks who set priorities.

Power (as of 10am today): The 55kV transmission line was dropped in to the White River by a tree that fell at “Sniper’s Corner” (where the Hancock bridge washed out a few years ago).  There is no significant damage to the structures on either side of the crossing (this is GREAT news).  Minutes ago, crews were successful getting a pull rope across the river, which is a key component to getting the transmission conductors pulled across and reattached to the poles.  Once we complete repairs on the transmission line we will heat up the Greenwater substation.

The two electric distribution circuits out of the Greenwater sub are GWR-13 (feeding Greenwater, Crystal River Ranch, and other areas north of the sub), and GWR-16 (feeding Alta Crystal, WRRA communities, and Crystal).  GWR-13 has VERY minor damage and will be ready to be energized once we get the substation up and running.  The majority of GWR-16 is ready as well.

Field reports indicate that FR 7150 has been completely washed out by Minnehaha Creek (GWR-16 radial).  PSE’s damage assessment team was not able to access PSE’s system beyond this washout, thus the extent of the damage is unknown.  Any damage along this single-phase distribution radial can be isolated, thus the majority of customers on GWR-16 will be energized.

We do not have an estimated time of restoration just yet.  I’ll be sure to provide an update once we receive additional info from our crews.

Check out the Potluck Harvest Dinner and Pie Contest

This is a community benefit event for the Greenwater Community Center.

Saturday Nov 21st at the Greenwater Community Center
6pm Dinner
7pm Pie Contest

Click the flyer below to learn more…

The National Forest Service (NFS) is closing public comment for the Greenwater Access and Travel Management project: http://www.fs.usda.gov/project/?project=47991 soon.

This project would decide which forest roads to retain and at what maintenance levels, and which roads are no longer needed. The project would describe treatments needed to minimize impacts to other resources and comply with laws and Forest Plan direction.

Public feedback on this project needs to be emailed by Nov 20, 2015 to: comments-pacificnorthwest-mtbaker-snoqualmie-snoqualmie@fs.fed.us

The final CVHA Board meeting of 2015 will be held on Sunday, November 8th from 1pm to 3pm at Scott and Bernie Rush’s home (16608 Crystal Dr. E.) in Village 1.

All homeowners are invited to attend.

Update (9/14): The burn ban is no longer in effect.

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Our community is still under a Stage 3 Burn Ban.

Conditions have not improve and remain critical.

Please remember to remind any renters or guests that may be using you home to not have any outdoor fires of any kind. The full DNR news release is below.

DNR currently has a statewide burn ban on all DNR-protected lands through September 30, 2015. See Commissioner Goldmark’s Statewide Burn Ban Order. Why does DNR have a burn ban? In an effort to reduce human-caused wildfires during extremely hot and dry summer months, DNR will issue a burn ban. When the burn ban is in place, it will prohibit outdoor fires on all state, county, city, and private land under DNR fire protection. Human activities are the number one cause of destructive wildfires. These wildfires are dangerous and becoming more costly. Restricting those activities helps reduce the likelihood a fire will start. What IS allowed during the burn ban? Liquid gas stoves and propane stoves that do not use solid briquettes. Camp stoves and lanterns with attached pressurized gas canisters. Solid fuel and citronella candles in metal or glass containers. Propane gas camp stoves or propane campfire pits used for campground or backcountry use. What is NOT ALLOWED during the burn ban? Recreational fires Fireworks of any kind. Any incendiary devices, such as exploding targets, sky lanterns, or tracer ammunition. Charcoal briquettes Lanterns, stoves, and Tiki torches that use non-pressurized liquid gas or fuel. Solid fuel candles that are not enclosed within a metal or glass container. It is YOUR responsibility to know the burning rules. If you plan to burn, know the rules. For state laws governing DNR regulated burning, see Chapter 76.04 RCW. For DNR administrative rules, see Chapter 332-24 WAC. What are the consequences for starting a wildfire during a burn ban? A violation of this burn ban is punishable as a crime. In addition to criminal prosecution, DNR may pursue civil actions against any person whose negligence is responsible for starting or allowing a fire to spread. If your fire escapes, you will be responsible for paying for people and equipment for fire suppression as required by Chapter 76.04 RCW. – See more at: http://www.dnr.wa.gov/programs-and-services/wildfire/outdoor-burning/burn-bans#sthash.AWYlgvBI.dPVpjRh0.dpuf

The 3rd quarter CVHA Board meeting will be Saturday, 01 August, 9am at Scott and Bernie Rush’s  home in CV 1,   16608 Crystal Dr. E.

All homeowners are invited. It is a great way to meet the Board members and  hear about all the current CVHA  issues.

There will be two Board positions opening in January 2016. If you think you might be interested, come and see what we do, and if you would be interested in serving on the Board.

Click here for the full summer newsletter.

CVHA Community Picnic

• The Community Picnic will be held on Saturday, 01 August from noon to 4pm, at the McNabb / Rush homes in CV 1 (at the intersection of Crystal Drive and Chinook Lane). The Association will provide hamburgers, hot dogs, chips, and potato salad. Please bring your own beverages.
• This is a great time to meet your neighbors and learn more about the neighborhood. There are a number of new families in the Village that are especially welcome.
• Please RSVP at cvhapres@gmail.com or call Scott at 206.719.8436, so that we can plan the amount of food.

Summer Work Party Weekend

The Summer Work Party Weekend will be held on Saturday and Sunday August 22^nd and 23^rd from 9:00am to Noon each day.  We will convene at the north cul-de-sac in CV1. This year’s projects are the following:

1. Excavate/prepare areas for installation of the remaining water meters.
2. Clear and pile scotch broom in the common area between CV1 and CV2.

Please bring the following if you can: Shovel, small garden trowel, metal rake, and work gloves.

Thanks,
Mike Emard

There is an outdoor fire ban in place for our area due to the dry conditions. See more details here: http://www.co.pierce.wa.us/index.aspx?NID=980

Please do not use fireworks in these dry conditions. Using fireworks while there is an outdoor burn ban is an irresponsible thing to do. Fireworks could easily spark a forest fire that could not only take trees, but also could take your neighbor’s house. More details on fireworks use here:

http://www.co.pierce.wa.us/DocumentCenter/View/28573

Getting exited for the long July 4th weekend. USA!  USA! USA!!!

Thanks all,
Mike Emard & The CVHA Board

We are trying to better organize the Water system files. If you have any of the following items you would like to donate, please email  Scott at cvhapres@gmail.com

– Standard file cabinet file hanger metal frames

– File folders, hanging type

– 3 ring hole punch

– Standard size 3 ring notebook binders

– Legal size  notebook binders

– Clipboards