HEADS UP: Major Brown Out in my area of L.A.

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Just want to give ya'll a heads up.

It's now about 8:40 p.m. We had a very major brown-out about 8:30 p.m. which took power all the way down to off then went right back up again.

Is this what would be termed as "dirty power"? If so, it's a little distressing!!!

Sheesh. The lights are still flickering quite a bit. I'm not even sure I should have my computer back on!

Mike

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-- Mike Taylor (mtdesign3@aol.com), January 02, 2000

Answers

turn off your frig or any motor

-- TM (mercier7@pdnt.com), January 02, 2000.

Mike, are you using a UPS (battery back-up) for your computer.

If so, did it beep any prior to the brownout? If so, how long before the brownout started.

-- snooze button (alarmclock_2000@yahoo.com), January 02, 2000.


Sounds like a 'dirty power' scenario, but who knows? It may not be Y2K related. You need a UPS surge protector with battery backup. I've been looking into buying one -- I'll give this Y2K thing a bit more time before I decide...

-- Mello1 (Mello1@ix.netcom .com), January 02, 2000.

You should have a battery backup on your puter and surge protectors on things like your TV etc. Yes, thats dirty power. Yes it can hurt your equipment.

-- Yes It Is (dirty@power.com), January 02, 2000.

Mike,

At about 8:30 I saw a huge glow across the bay some 30 miles from here, which looked like an explosion (it's very clear tonight in L.A.) I mean this glow was huge and lasted about 2 seconds! It appears to have come from just south of El Segando. All the lights nearby seem to be on though. I wonder what it was...

-- Don (donald@duck.com), January 02, 2000.



Hawaii and LA, huh? As I was reading this, my mouse began not to work. I logged off. It's working now.

-- Mara (MaraWayne@aol.com), January 02, 2000.

Hey Mike -

Thanks for the heads up.

Is this the first brown out you've ever experienced there? I cannot remember a brown out in any of the places I have lived in or visited since I was a youngster. That was in Jersey City, NJ in the 50's. Also in the Pittsburg, PA area, if memory serves. Please keep us informed!

Respectfully;

Michael

-- Michael (mikeymac@uswesst.net), January 02, 2000.


Low voltage supply is a symptom of brown outs. Voltage variations will at best cause motors and compressors to overheat, and in worst case, burn out. Shut off your frig and any appliance that is motor driven.

-- TM (mercier7@pdnt.com), January 02, 2000.

Could this glow have been fireworks? Keep us posted if you find out anything. I'm in Orange County. Thanks

-- cin (cinlooo@aol.com), January 02, 2000.

No definitely not fireworks. I see fireworks from here all the time and this was an explosion the shape of a mushroom (kinda like what you see in the movies). I just got out my binoculars and map and the best I can tell is that it came from the Long Beach area.

-- Don (donald@duck.com), January 03, 2000.


Mr. Duck,

as you know Long Beach is refinery city!!!!!!!

By the way FOA over at Usagold says next week will be "big" and gold is heading UP UP UP...

-- Andy (2000EOD@prodigy.net), January 03, 2000.


I went into an LA chatroom and talked to someone who also saw an explosion but couldnt tell me anything more.

Gawd...there is nothing on the news, how odd. I guess if it's not a high-speed police chase, then it isn't news worthy.

-- cin (cinlooo@aol.com), January 03, 2000.


You people are spoiled - lol. For over two years we had a short power outage almost daily. The power company finaly figured out it was a bull rubbing his back against a pole.

We have lightning storms that blow out power every summer. You'll get used to running to pull important cords and using surge protectors after a few refrigerators, tvs, vcrs and answering machines buy the big one.

-- marsh (armstrng@snowcrest.net), January 03, 2000.


I've been through brown outs before but never like this one. Maybe I'm just jumpy.

I didn't hear any explosions and I'm very near Long Beach, surrounded by refineries. However, there are some large facilities in El Segundo and that is interesting.

I went outside to check for anything strange and saw nothing. It's cold here tonight (for L.A. anwyway) at about 54:. It was windy today but there is only a very light breeze now.

I don't have an UPS, just a Belkin Components Power Authority surge protector. My Mac usually comes through disruptions like this fine...I only lost what I was working on.

Thank you for the info...maybe we can keep this thread going with further details! Of course, there is nothing on the local news.

Mike

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-- Mike Taylor (mtdesign3@aol.com), January 03, 2000.


LOL!! Thanks marsh for the overdue giggle. I get a visual on things I read, and this one was FUNNY! Ho hoho, gawd! Thanks again.

MOOOzzzztt..ztzt MAOOOzzztt.. (whiff of hide)

-- mike (mikeymac@uswest.net), January 03, 2000.



I guess another little refinery explosion will give them a reason to jack the price of gas up again. Pretty much expected this, and more to come.

-- Hawk (flyin@high.again), January 03, 2000.

Mike, are the lights still flickering in your area?

-- Don (donald@duck.com), January 03, 2000.

This would be a good time for another sarcastic remark about how the brownout couldn't have anything to do with Y2K but I just got up and I'm running low. This is a low electrical usage time of the year and yet I've read about electrical disturbances, one after the other albeit most of them are very localized.

Maybe its the squirrel king mobilizing his forces, hotwiring parked cars and running them into power poles.

-- Guy Daley (guydaley@bwn.net), January 03, 2000.


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