FPL | Flickers and Flickers and Power Annoyances
 

Flickers and Power Annoyances

Momentary Interruptions - flickers | Power outages | Voltage variances | Sags and swells | Surges and spikes | Electrical interference | Learn how to protect your home

Those annoying electric disturbances

Sometimes the only way to know you've had a power disturbance is a blinking digital display or flickering lights. Other times the image on your television or computer screen will shrink or your stereo or computer won't work.

All these power disturbance problems are caused by different events. Some possible causes include:

Symptom *

Possible Causes

Lights flickering

Sag or Swell
Momentary Power Interruption

Electronic equipment damaged

Surge or Spike

Air conditioning interrupted

Sag or Swell
Momentary Power Interruption

Computer or television monitor images shrink

Sag

Blinking digital display

Momentary Power Interruption

Computer turns on and off

Momentary Power Interruption

Electricity in the entire home is off

Power Outage

Static on telephone, television and radio

Electrical Interference
 

What you can do

If you experience an outage or repeated power problems:

* Note: Be aware that these symptoms can also be caused by other problems not related to electric problems.

Flickers (momentary interruptions)

The most common power interruption. When your power is interrupted for less than 60 seconds. Though inconvenient, flickers are generally harmless and resolve themselves quickly. Possible causes:

  • lightning striking near a power line
  • tree branches falling and small animals contacting equipment
  • vehicles hitting power poles
  • sea spray coating the power lines or
  • damage to underground electrical equipment.

Power outages

When your power is interrupted for more than one minute. Possible causes:

  • lightning strikes
  • equipment damage from vehicle accidents
  • construction crews or moisture digging into electrical cables and lines and
  • failure of lines to automatically reset when trees or animals make contact.

Voltage variances

Electronic equipment may be damaged by fluctuations in voltage that can be caused by:

  • lightning
  • nearby construction, causing a brief additional burden to the electric system, or
  • industrial motors being turned on and off in your home's vicinity.

Sags and swells

When voltage rises above or below what normally reaches your home.

Surges and spikes

This occurs when the electricity in your home jumps, due to a brief additional burden on the electrical system. Though they usually last for much less than a second, spikes and surges are often to blame for destroying sensitive electronic equipment.

Electrical interference

Electrical interference can be caused by high frequency electromagnetic signals, which often result from:

  • loose connections
  • bad wiring or
  • problems with electrical equipment in your home.

Learn more about solving electrical interferences.

Learn how to protect your home

FPL understands how disruptive power disturbances can be, especially when you experience them often. To learn how to protect your home and electronics from the effects of these power interruptions, visit: