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What happened

A new electric kettle apparently caused a loss of power in a circuit. The circuit is one of two 120V/20A lines protected by an Intermatic PanelGuard model IG1240R surge protection device (SPD) at the panel. (This appears to be an older model. A similar device is described at http://www.intermatic.com/Products/SurgeProtectiveDevices/IG_Series/IG1240RC3.aspx.) The circuit breaker was not tripped, nor did either of the line monitor lights on the SPD go out (indicating it thinks it is working properly).

The problem

I have been unable to restore power to this circuit. Of course the kettle was immediately unplugged (and seems to be working properly on a different circuit). All I can see to do is make sure all connections at the panel are secure and to flip the circuit breaker switches off and back on. I cannot open up the SPD itself and it has no external controls--only its two monitoring lights. Testing with an ohmmeter at the receptacle shows continuity. The voltmeter verifies no current at the receptacle, but there is current between the circuit breaker and the SPD. There is current throughout the other line protected by the SPD.

Additional information

This is the first such loss of power we have experienced in this circuit in the 10 years we have lived here, so presumably it is correctly wired.

There are no receptacle-GFCIs installed on this circuit: just plain 3-prong 2-outlet receptacles. Each has a little label stating it is GFCI protected and refers to "instructions" at the panel--of which there are none.

The question

This all points to a defective SPD, but am I perhaps missing something? What does it take to reset one of these things?

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    The GFCI for the circuit might be in a bathroom. Check the GFCI's in the house as one might be feeding the kitchen (which should be on GFCI)
    – diceless
    Commented Oct 21, 2014 at 21:43
  • @diceless Thank you for the suggestion. This is a dedicated kitchen circuit--no connections to a bathroom. There are four outlets, all ordinary (non-GFCI) 3-prong receptacles. However, your suggestion inspired me to hunt around and I found an isolated GFCI (with no outlets) in the basement beneath the kitchen: sure enough, it's on the circuit and was tripped. If you would be so kind as to paste your comment into an answer I would be glad to accept it.
    – whuber
    Commented Oct 21, 2014 at 21:54

1 Answer 1

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3

The GFCI for the circuit might be in a bathroom. Check the GFCI's in the house as one might be feeding the kitchen (which should be on GFCI)

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    +1 The suggestion to look harder for a (hidden, unexpected) GFCI solved the problem: many thanks.
    – whuber
    Commented Oct 21, 2014 at 21:58

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