Loss power again for the 3rd time in one week! (not counting the storm last Tuesday). This seems to be becoming a regular occurrenc with Reliant Energy.

Anyone else have short power outages? (not counting those that happen with a bad storm)

-- quietly (quietly@preparing.com), September 05, 1999

Answers

Quitely:

I hate to say this [knocking on virtual wood as I do], but here in rural MO, our biggest outage in the last decade was just long enough to reset most of the digital clocks in the house. Ice storms, tornadoes, etc. No problems. I have a generator that I bought to run equipment in the orchards. Will it work for the house [Honda says so, but I haven't had the need to test it]. Both our power producer and our distribution system has been very reliable.

Best wish

-- Z1X4Y7 (Z1X4Y7@aol.com), September 05, 1999.

Although power outages have occured since the beginning of home electrification, we are more sensitive to them now because some of us think that we could be forced to live without it for a long time.

There were two brown-outs in Massachusetts yesterday, and I admit they really made me nervous. There was no odd weather, just a perfectly normal Saturday afternoon. I can't recall having a brown-out, but once in a while the power goes off for a minute or so then comes right back on. I suspect this happens everywhere, but I don't know how common brown-outs are.

Of course it has nothing to do with Y2K, but I understand if it has you wondering.

p.s. If you spent less than $30 on a surge protector for your computer, go buy another one today.

-- semper paratus (always@ready.now), September 05, 1999.

Houston Poweroutage and Light Company is not reliant-able.

-- no talking please (breadlines@soupkitchen.gov), September 05, 1999.

Be careful of those brownouts! We had one about a month ago; first time ever for me. The power didn't go out completely, but just was real weak. I could run a small fan, but the TV, lights, etc. all went off. I scurried around unpluging things, but both my neighbors lost small relays in their air conditioning units. Weirdest thing - one of my light switches came ON by itself, and now will not turn off.

-- Lon Frank (lgal@exp.net), September 05, 1999.

Semper is correct:

No surges, but fire in the sky. My $150 unit protected my computer but it ate my modem [also protected by the same unit; the phone line to the unit is attached forever; I believe fused is the word]. Safer is better.

Best wishes,,,

-- Z1X4Y7 (Z1X4Y7@aol.com), September 05, 1999.

Living some 35 miles north of Houston, and on a different electrical server ( Entergy) we have experienced many "rolling blackouts" this summer. (3 of which occurred while we were at home, but by the blinking electric clocks, we have had many more) Entergy even apoligised on KTRH for the inconvenience. This is just to note, I have lived here for 18 years, and have never before experienced a rolling outage. This stuff is beginning to make my unbelieving friends skeptical.

-- D.R.Green (greenshouse@hotmail.com), September 05, 1999.

Thank you all for the responses. While I'm not jumping to the conclusion that this is y2k related...it does reaffirm my belief that it is necessary to be prepared for anything.

Any suggestions on what type of surge protector to purchase? I do have one but don't rememember how much it cost (don't think it was over $30.00 though). Two of the three time the outages occured my computer was on....

-- quietly (quietly@preparing.com), September 06, 1999.

Quietly preparing, I didn't have any surges or outages this time.

D.R. Green, did you also hear them say on Channel 13 (KTRH) that Entergy was tied in to the Northeast grid? I have to tell you, that would worry me if I was one of their customers!

-- Gayla (privacy@please.com), September 06, 1999.

Gayla, yes, I did hear the report, and also on the Navy Survey posted on Jim Lord's site, it lists Gulf States Utilities ( the power supplier at a Florida Naval facility) as likely to have outages. Entergy was GSU until a few months ago, don't know if there is any corelation.

-- D.R. Green (greenshouse@hotmail.com), September 06, 1999.

We are having alot of surges. I can't keep the messages on my anwering machine any longer. I have been telling everyone to email. By the time I get home from work all the clocks are blinking and messages are gone. It is really weird. Electric company doesn't know what is causing it.

-- Moore Dinty moore (not@thistime.com), September 06, 1999.

Dinty Moore, are you in or near Houston too?

-- quietly (quietly@preparing.com), September 06, 1999.

GWB is a GI (as evidenced by his business-protecting legislation) and his selling a BUNCH of everything he owns to get more liquid. Therefore it is probably just the govenors way of preparing the citizens for any possible outages. This is a test.. it is only a test....

-- Linda (lwmb@psln.com), September 07, 1999.

Brown outs are essentially a reduction in voltage. Usually by about 5%. I suspect it may have been a hot day in Massachusetts or in the area. New England has a problem with both the amount of generation available and directing its flow.

Semper is absolutely correct on the surge protector. Its also a good idea to get one with a battery so you can shut down your equipment and not lose what you are doing if the power goes off. But be aware that if lightning hits the line within a mile or so of your house even an expensive protector probably wont help.

Lon, it sounds like you had more than a planned brown out. Try calling the local utility and complaining. You might get them to foot the bill for the AC relays. It sounds like they screwed up.

You will see a lot of these problems in the next few years, Y2K or no Y2K. Everyone wants electricity but no one wants a new power plant or a new line in their neighborhood. Itll be a problem.

-- The Engineer (The Engineer@tech.com), September 07, 1999.

Yea, stay away from "surge protectors." One hit, and the protection is fried. It turns into an outlet strip, ANY YOU DON'T EVEN KNOW!

You can get a basic UPS for about $100.00. APC is pretty good, and has a large variety. Great investment, IMHO.

Tick... Tock... <:00=

-- Sysman (y2kboard@yahoo.com), September 07, 1999.