January 20, 2015
Have you ever noticed your lights dimming or flickering?
This is usually caused by a brownout.
However, most Florida homeowners don’t understand brownouts and how harmful they can be.
So, we’re answering a list of the most commonly asked questions about this electrical phenomenon.
Sometimes called a voltage slump, a brownout is a drop in voltage to your home’s electrical system.
Unlike blackouts, you still have power, just less of it. Think of a brownout as the opposite of a power surge.
Brownouts typically last from a few minutes to a few hours. They get their name from the color they turn your lights (a dimmed brown instead of brilliant light).
There are 2 main sources of brownouts: external (outside your home) and internal (inside your home).
To tell if the problem lies in your home or is more widespread, when you experience a brownout, see if your neighbors are also having problems. If not, the problem lies in your home and you may need to hire an electrician to find the cause.
Yes!
Don’t take brownouts lightly. The irregular power supply during the brownout can ruin your computer and other electronic devices.
Electronics are created to operate at specific voltages, so any fluctuations in power (both up and down) can damage them.
Also, when your power eventually comes back, the voltages wildly bounce around for a moment (power surges). Those fluctuations can also harm your electronic devices.
Take these precautions:
Energy Today is an electrical contractor in Florida that provides award-winning electrical service to Tampa Bay, Central Florida, and SW Florida with locations in Sarasota, Tampa Bay, Naples, and Orlando.