Many members often wonder, “What causes my lights to blink?” A “blink” refers to a brief power interruption on the grid, which causes lights to turn off and then quickly back on, akin to blinking your eyes. This can be quite annoying. However, Kay Electric Cooperative strives to prevent these occurrences and minimize their impact. Interestingly, the smart power grid might have just blinked to spare you from experiencing a full-blown outage.
How Blinking Works
When a power interruption or short circuit occurs, often due to factors like lightning strikes, vehicles hitting poles, or a critter or tree branch making contact with an energized power line, a device known as an “oil circuit recloser” (OCR) is triggered. The OCR opens to stop the interruption and then quickly closes. Essentially, an OCR functions like a breaker in your home's electrical panel but has the ability to reset itself automatically.
The Pattern of Blinks
You might notice that blinks usually happen in sets of three before a potential outage. If the disruption persists, the OCR will “trip” two more times, allowing the fault time to clear. If successful, this prevents the Cooperative from experiencing a prolonged outage and deploying a repair crew. However, if the fault does not clear, the OCR remains open, stopping electricity flow and protecting the lines until the issue is resolved.
Minimizing the Impact of Blinks
While the blinking process is quick, it can affect small appliances by causing them to lose electronic memory, necessitating a reset of digital clocks and devices with displays. Cooperative members can take steps to reduce the inconvenience of blinks:
- Purchase Appliances with Battery Backup: When buying small appliances and digital clocks, opt for models with battery backup or smart devices that automatically reset.
- Use a Meter-Base Surge Protector: Consider purchasing a meter-base surge protector from Kay Electric to help safeguard major appliances in your home.
- Invest in Surge Protector Power Strips: Equip your computer and other electronic devices with surge protector power strips that have a built-in uninterruptible power supply (UPS) to maintain memory during power interruptions.
Remember, when your lights blink, it’s a sign that the cooperative’s equipment is functioning correctly to protect you from more serious power issues.