What is a Brownout?
A brownout is a temporary interruption of power service in which the electric power is reduced, rather than being cut as is the case with a blackout. Lights may flicker and dim during a brownout, and the event also often wreaks havoc with electrical appliances such as computers. One could consider a brownout the opposite of a power surge, an electrical event in which a sudden burst of power enters the system. There are a wide ranges of causes for brownouts. Just like blackouts, overloads on the electrical system can trigger a brownout, as the generating facility is unable to provide enough power. It can also occur when events such as storms disrupt the distribution grid, or when there are other problems in the system. Brownouts can last for a few seconds or a few hours, depending on the type of brownout and how quickly a power utility can get full power running again. In some cases, a brownout is actually deliberate, in which case it is known as a voltage reduction. Voltage reductions
A. A brownout is more or less the opposite of a power surge, where voltage falls below normal levels. Q: How long can I expect the batteries to last? A: Depends upon the specification of the batteries used. On larger equipment (above around 5kVA) you can often specify 10-year design life batteries. Unless you do so, the manufacturer will fit standard batteries. These should be renewed at around four years – by then even if they haven’t failed the runtime will be deteriorating. Battery life depends upon a number of issues, particularly temperature and the number of ‘deep discharges’ experienced. Battery life is halved for every 10 degrees (C) temperature increase above it’s specified operating temperature (usually 25 degrees (C). UPS batteries are designed for maximum life in ‘typical’ use, which means long periods at continuous low charge and occasional minor discharges. So-called ‘deep’ discharges on a repeated basis will reduce the life of the battery. Q. What is a power surge? A. A
Most of us have heard of blackouts, when there is a complete power shut down-but a brownout? We experience it almost daily during summers, except we do not know the term. An electrical brownout is nothing but a power surge, when the electricity voltage level spikes or drops below the required level for safe operation of electrical devices. When a large number of air conditioners are turned on in a particular locality, a brownout occurs. It can happen anytime but is most common during summers as that is when people tend to use them most. Harold M. Belbin, co-founder and principal security engineer of Visiting Geeks (www.VisitingGeeks.com), an on-site computer repair, networking, security and wireless company serving homeowners and small businesses north of Boston, USA says, “Today’s extreme heat is going to wreak havoc on personal computers. Have you ever seen the lights dim when the air conditioner, refrigerator, or vacuum cleaner turns on? These are examples of an electrical brownout.
