Several airplanes had big problems because all their engines were the same model and serviced at the same time. ETOPS rules help with the servicing problem.
This is a 24 volt thermostat. Most 24 volt thermostats run off a transformer. Transformers have some amount of ability to damp surges, but they will also pass through the voltage they receive. So if your 240V spiked to 2000V, your 24V spiked to 200V. It sounds like their electronics section was not up to the task, and they all had the same problem for the same reason.
And that just happened to be the point of failure. I'm sure your planned community has all the same microwaves, all the same refrigerators, all the same dishwashers, all the same bathroom fans - it could have been any of those instead.
Yes, whole-house surge protectors are a thing. They come in a variety of form factors.
- Some slip under the electric meter.
- Some are built into new panels (not least, whole house surges are now Code).
- Some hang off a knockout in your main panel.
- Some have the form-factor of a circuit breaker and snap into 2 breaker spaces.
Which one is right for you depends on your situation - a flush-mount panel won't favor a knockout approach, a full panel won't favor a 2 breaker spaces approach, an existing panel you don't want to replace will cross off a "part of new panel" approach.
They don't "operate like" a circuit breaker. They just sit there and absorb surges.
This is a 24 volt thermostat. Most 24 volt thermostats run off a transformer. Transformers have some amount of ability to damp surges, but they will also pass through the voltage they receive. So if your 240V spiked to 2000V, your 24V spiked to 200V. It sounds like their electronics section was not up to the task, and they all had the same problem for the same reason.
And that just happened to be the point of failure. I'm sure your planned community has all the same microwaves, all the same refrigerators, all the same dishwashers, all the same bathroom fans - it could have been any of those instead.
Yes, whole-house surge protectors are a thing. They come in a variety of form factors.
- Some slip under the electric meter.
- Some are built into new panels (not least, whole house surges are now Code).
- Some hang off a knockout in your main panel.
- Some have the form-factor of a circuit breaker and snap into 2 breaker spaces.
Which one is right for you depends on your situation - a flush-mount panel won't favor a knockout approach, a full panel won't favor a 2 breaker spaces approach, an existing panel you don't want to replace will cross off a "part of new panel" approach.
They don't "operate like" a circuit breaker. They just sit there and absorb surges.