SOLVED. YA - Little girl in early 80s uses her computer to secretly control home's electricity [s]

[Kinsey]

I read this YA book in the early to mid 80s. A girl, perhaps twelve years old, and her single mother move into a new house in a new city (or town). The girl has her own computer (from the early 80s), which she keeps in her room. She quickly discovers that certain words entered in her computer control the flow of electricity in the house. One word might turn off the lights in the kitchen; another might cause a power surge in an outlet, etc. She spends most of her free time in her room trying out different words on her computer. It is very slow going.

Eventually she starts using her secret electrical abilities for mischief. At one point, her grandmother visits and stays with them for a few days. I don't remember why, but the girl is angry with her grandmother, and cranks up the electricity when she hears hew blow drying her hair. The poor grandmother ends up horribly singed.

It is later revealed in the book that the house's previous owner, who had designed the house, made sure it was built to the most modern of standards to such an extent that it could even be controlled with a computer.

There is also a little blurb at the end of the book about how the author did a tremendous amount of research to ensure that everything that happened in the story was possible. Even in the early 80s I found that statement to be absurd.

[Kinsey]

I'm still trying to find this book.

[Lobstergirl, au gratin]

Still?

[Andy]

Kinsey wrote: "I read this YA book in the early to mid 80s. A girl, perhaps twelve years old, and her single mother move into a new house in a new city (or town). The girl has her own computer (from the early 80s..."

That sounds vaguely familiar to me; I'll see if I can find anything about it.

[Cheryl]

You'll have better luck jogging someone's memory if you come back and 'bump' this thread every month or two. Consider this your free bump for January, and come back sometime in Feb. with anything else you remember, or just type 'bump' as a comment.

[Jesse]

Is this it?

The Revolt of 10-X

[Kinsey]

Cheryl, I think that's it. There's precious little description that I can find anywhere online, but everything about it seems to fit. Thank you! And sorry it took me so long to see your post.