FPL Lingo

Power quality has a language all its own. Here are some words that often appear in discussions about improving power quality in your business.

Electrical Interference/Noise - This occurs when high frequency electromagnetic signals, often from loose connections, bad wiring or problems with electrical equipment, causes TVs, radios, computers and cordless phones to malfunction. It is often perceived as static.

Momentary Power Interruption (Flicker) - Loss of power lasting from a fraction of a second to a few seconds. These are usually caused by plants, animals or lighting contacting power lines, or by damage to underground lines.

Outage - A complete loss of power lasting from one minute to several hours or, in extreme cases, days.

Power Disturbance - Any change in the voltage, current or frequency that disrupts the operation of electrical equipment.

Sag - A short-term (less than a minute) voltage drop.

Spike - A sudden and extreme increase in voltage, which may cause substantial damage to equipment.

Surge - A fast and sudden voltage increase. Over time, repeated surges may damage equipment.

Swell - A short-term (less than a minute) voltage increase.