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You leave home at 6:30 a.m. and return at 5:00 p.m. Your digital clocks are blinking 12:00, and your VCR did not record your favorite program. WHAT HAPPENED? Most likely, it was a momentary power interruption (MPI), which is a temporary fault on the electric system.
These momentary outages are most often caused by animals contacting our high voltage equipment, lightning,
or a tree branch brushing on the power line. MEWS has over 100 miles of
distribution line so the temporary fault may not even be anywhere near your
home. Inconvenient as they are, MPI's serve a useful purpose. Basically they have the same function as your home's circuit breakers or fuses. When a circuit breaker trips, it cuts off power to help prevent
damage to your home's electrical system caused by a fault or an overload.
Just as you have to find your service panel and reset your circuit breakers, we have to find and reset our breakers or replace fuses which could take up to several hours. However, long-term outages can be decreased by over 90% when our protection devices release automatically.
Although most MPI's are caused by factors beyond our control, we're working to find ways to minimize some of them - additional lightning protection, improvements in the combination of protective devices, and tree trimming help.
Computers, VCRs, televisions, microwaves, stereos and other electronic equipment
have become fixtures in today's homes. Even clocks have gone digital, leaving
them vulnerable to momentary power outages. To protect sensitive microprocessors
from surges or fluctuations in electric service, take these precautions:
- Install surge protectors on every avenue to the
outside world to prevent damage from power fluctuations. Start
with the points where your electrical, cable and phone lines enter the home.
- Inspect electrical wiring and outlets
periodically to ensure safe, reliable service. Connections should
be tight and dry and properly grounded. If necessary, contact a professional
electrician to upgrade electrical service.
- Use both surge protectors and battery backups on
computer equipment. Power outages of less than one second can
erase random access memory and all of the data stored there.
- Buy clocks and VCRs with built-in battery
backups. The battery will protect the memory and settings during
momentary power outages.
For More Information Contact:
Mayfield Electric & Water Systems
301 East Broadway, Mayfield, KY 42066
Tel: 270-247-4661
FAX: 270-247-0550
Internet: jcre@mayfieldews.com
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