(Permission requested for a slide)
This slide is directed to all FReepers who may be current or former electricians, electrical engineers, utility technicians, or power-company personnel.
My area of OK has been experiencing frequent “power bumps” lately. Either the power goes off completely, then comes back on 5-10 seconds later; or, one circuit in a home shuts off, then comes back on. In my own house, it’s the one that controls my computer, the TV, the clock in my bedroom — and my A/C. Everything else stays on.
This has been happening ever since O G & E began “upgrading the infrastructure”, which occurred at about the same time that marijuana growers came to OK to open up shop. It is, of course, of greater-than-usual concern currently because temps have been 101 to 105 for nearly 2 weeks, and it doesn’t look likely to end any time soon.
Guess I’d like to know if constant “power bumps” are a normal part of installing new equipment. O G & E is finally getting around to burying power lines also, which they needed to do decades ago.
I don’t want to think that they’re deliberately doing this “just to show people who’s the boss”. (And I realize that the idea sounds paranoid). The power doesn’t stay off long enough to be considered a “rolling blackout”.
This being my longest slide ever, I ask the pardon of my fellow FReepers. Still, I’d be grateful for any knowledge that any of you may have on the subject. Thanks in advance.
(ELECTRICAL SLIDE OVER)
Always the same circuit?
Sounds like uncontrolled X-Y-Z legging.
Crappy power company.
Are you in an REC?
It isn’t normal to have such frequent momentary outages. Usually, this is the result of an upstream breaker tripping. They automatically close back, usually in just a couple of seconds. Absent some trees falling on the line, a storm, or cars repeatedly hitting poles in your area, that shouldn’t be happening.
The partial outages are more interesting. That implies something at the distribution secondary (120/240 volt) level, or even in your own wiring.
Myself, I’d exercise every breaker in the box, including the main. Off, then on. Kind of ensures (hopefully) that the internal contacts are connecting solidly. I’d also record the times of when this happens, and then call OG&E. If you have a smart meter, they may already be seeing the issue, as long as the problem is on their side of the meter.
Do the short outages only take place during normal working hours, or later in the evening as well? Their work shouldn’t be causing this to happen, and especially not more than once when, say, they cut new wires into a new circuit. Most all their work should be done without affecting the customers.
From the list you noted of stuff that blinks off it sounds like you might have a weak “pole.” The power to your house is most likely “two pole,” meaning it’s 120/240 volts. The things that use 120 volts are running off one pole-to-ground. The things that use 240 use both “lines” to add up to 240 volts. Are any of your 240 volt appliance being temperamental?
What you’re describing doesn’t sound like the power company. Does your house have aluminum wires from the pole to the main breaker? These can corrode over time and when one line starts to oxidize then one pole can get “blinky” before it goes off. Is your electric water heater getting as hot as normal? If not, that’s an indicator.
After checking your outside supply lines try switching one of the appliances you noted to the other side of the house. You might need to check some of the voltages at the outlets you are seeing blink off? Figure out which breaker in your distribution panel supplies the things that blink off. Flip it once and note how it acts. Breakers do get tired and sometimes contacts get mungy and do odd things.
If the problem is not local just sue the power company———
This is by no means hi-tech insight, but if this is to continue for a while, I'd at least run an extension cord to the computer from the other circuit in the house that stays on. It's pretty annoying to have to re-boot all the time.
Maybe put a battery powered clock in the bedroom.
As a retired electrician and electronic tech (IOW 'out of date') I would have to agree with Meyer: the first culprit to check is your local wiring. While there could be a pole transformer oddity, I would want to check my house wiring carefully before calling the power company.
My first question would be, 'Do you have aluminum wiring in the house?' Of course that would imply an older house. Barring that, I would start with the main wiring in the panel and make sure the wire connections are tight; you would be surprised how often large terminal connections have loosened up over time. Also check the main breaker at this time. Don't ignore the neutral wire connections.
The individual circuit breakers are easy to check - and you don't have to wear gloves and stand on a pad. :) Just gently jiggle the wires where they go into the breakers and see if they pull loose; again, check all the circuit neutrals. If your circuit outages are on a GFCI protected circuit (receptacles or breakers) then replace them... and double check the neutral connections on a GFCI circuit.
That's a starter course. One can encounter strange things in house wiring, most of them caused by a novice 'knowing' what they are doing. Home owners replacing ceiling fans are the worst - and when you ask them if there has been any recent wiring work, they will refuse to tell you. When you charge them for the extra two hours of tracing, they call you a crook. sigh
I hope you work it out. :)
Thank you for employing the “slide alert” courtesy.