Are power outages common in your area?
Jul 22nd 2006, 9:53 pm
#16
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Joined: Dec 2005
Posts: 88,020
Re: Are power outages common in your area?
Yes in summer and winter...the cable is usually down too. Last winter the power was off for about 24 hrs and the cable was down for a week. Its usually due to overhead cables being brought down by falling trees/branches.
The village we lived in Nr Chester UK had overhead cables and we had exactly the same problem.
The village we lived in Nr Chester UK had overhead cables and we had exactly the same problem.
Jul 23rd 2006, 2:04 am
#17
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Joined: Oct 2003
Location: Portland, OR
Posts: 974
Re: Are power outages common in your area?
Originally Posted by Texas_Dave
Since moving here it seems common to have power outages, I guess because most power lines are above ground? It got so bad recently that I bought a small generator to power an AC unit - we have an old Husky dog who doesn't do too well in the Texas heat. Is this unique to my area of Texas, or a State/Country wide problem?
On average the power is off at least once every 2 months, for anything from 30 mins to a couple of hours.
The utility companies here seem to damage each others infrastructure regularly. A recent example was when the water company dug through our gas line at the office, even though the gas company had been notified of work and had placed flags along the whole length of their lines.
Hot dog
On average the power is off at least once every 2 months, for anything from 30 mins to a couple of hours.
The utility companies here seem to damage each others infrastructure regularly. A recent example was when the water company dug through our gas line at the office, even though the gas company had been notified of work and had placed flags along the whole length of their lines.
Hot dog
5 times today, as a cold front (brr it went from 100F to 85F in 2 hours, seriously) rolled through Austin, accompanied by a squall line and associated thunderstorms/rain/wind/hail. Get used to it. Bet defence is small UPS's around important things - 1 for the VOIP phone, router and cable modem (so the phone may still work), a big one for all the PCs, one for the fish tank (don't ask, it's a complicated answer) and one for the time warner box (it takes 5 minutes to reboot if the power is lost).
- Tim
Jul 23rd 2006, 4:49 am
#18
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Location: MA, USA
Posts: 92,170
Re: Are power outages common in your area?
very common...in maine, generally it was only usually for a few mins at a time, but would often get blips randomly for a few seconds...and in bad weather like rain/snow storms, parts of the state could lose power for hours, it sucked because though we had oil heating, it needs the electric to run the pumps, so no heat, weren't a lot of fun.
over here in mass, we've already had a blip, and a power cut on our street that lasted all evening, finally got fixed around 11:30...sucked because it was hotter than hell out.
over here in mass, we've already had a blip, and a power cut on our street that lasted all evening, finally got fixed around 11:30...sucked because it was hotter than hell out.
Jul 23rd 2006, 4:24 pm
#19
Junior Showtime
Joined: Jul 2005
Location: Singapore
Posts: 3,759
Re: Are power outages common in your area?
Originally Posted by Rompers
I'm led to believe your favourite "electrical appliance" runs on batteries anyway Kate. 
Jul 23rd 2006, 5:20 pm
#20
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Joined: Mar 2004
Location: Chicago, Il
Posts: 1,320
Re: Are power outages common in your area?
we get brown outs probably along the lines of once a week here.... damned airconditioners... oh... wait.
Jul 23rd 2006, 6:34 pm
#21
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Re: Are power outages common in your area?
Originally Posted by Kate2112
Bah!
Jul 24th 2006, 1:11 am
#22
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Location: NC Triangle
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Re: Are power outages common in your area?
So...does anyone reckon if the power lines were buried it would be any better ? Round here, they have these tree things that tend to fall down when:
a) struck by lightning in summer
b) hit by a gust of wind in autumn and spring
c) covered in ice or snow in winter
And, of course, when trees fall, out goes the power...in really rural places, I can understand overhead lines, but in the tristate area the population density is such that I would have thought burying them would make sense.
a) struck by lightning in summer
b) hit by a gust of wind in autumn and spring
c) covered in ice or snow in winter
And, of course, when trees fall, out goes the power...in really rural places, I can understand overhead lines, but in the tristate area the population density is such that I would have thought burying them would make sense.
Jul 24th 2006, 3:41 am
#23
WTF?
Joined: Aug 2003
Location: Homeostasis
Posts: 79,367
Re: Are power outages common in your area?
I've rarely had a power outage. 
Jul 24th 2006, 4:43 am
#24
The American Job
Joined: Aug 2005
Location: Colorado
Posts: 579
Re: Are power outages common in your area?
Not too bad here the usual flicker for 2 seconds when there's a storm but other than that its fine.
Jul 24th 2006, 5:11 am
#25
Account Closed
Joined: Mar 2004
Posts: 2
Re: Are power outages common in your area?
Missus is in Concord. Bay Area, no power, hit 113 today.
Colorado was a cool 98, not so cool if you were working outside on the south side.
But we have power. And it cools down at night.
Unfortunately she is the one who insists on having the Air Con running.
Colorado was a cool 98, not so cool if you were working outside on the south side.
But we have power. And it cools down at night.
Unfortunately she is the one who insists on having the Air Con running.
Jul 24th 2006, 5:49 am
#26
Lapine Member
Joined: Nov 2004
Location: Austin, Texas in my own little world
Posts: 21,691
Re: Are power outages common in your area?
Originally Posted by TimFountain
5 times today, as a cold front (brr it went from 100F to 85F in 2 hours, seriously) rolled through Austin, accompanied by a squall line and associated thunderstorms/rain/wind/hail.
I'm on Pedernales -- we had some pretty big thunderboomers yesterday but the lights didn't even flicker.
I don't know why COA is so temperamental but it is. I'll never forget the night the power went out in July.... like, all night.... and I was five months pregnant. Hot does not even begin to describe it.
Jul 24th 2006, 12:37 pm
#27
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Posts: 974
Re: Are power outages common in your area?
Originally Posted by snowbunny
Are you on COA power?
I'm on Pedernales -- we had some pretty big thunderboomers yesterday but the lights didn't even flicker.
I don't know why COA is so temperamental but it is. I'll never forget the night the power went out in July.... like, all night.... and I was five months pregnant. Hot does not even begin to describe it.
I'm on Pedernales -- we had some pretty big thunderboomers yesterday but the lights didn't even flicker.
I don't know why COA is so temperamental but it is. I'll never forget the night the power went out in July.... like, all night.... and I was five months pregnant. Hot does not even begin to describe it.
We do not have overhead power lines in the neighborhood (Forest Ridge, near the Dell Diamond), but of course somewhere it goes overground, and that's the problem.
- Tim
Jul 24th 2006, 1:12 pm
#28
Maño-Americano
Joined: Apr 2003
Location: In the heart of the Ozarks
Posts: 10,216
Re: Are power outages common in your area?
Very common down here too- due to the rural setting I live in, and the huge amounts of pine trees down here. All it takes is one big limb to break off and snag a line on it's way down. We were w/o electricity on Saturday night for about 2 hours- thank goodness for the BBQ grill and the lantern we keep ready.
Longest outage was maybe 3-4 hours though...which can be an eternity in July or August doen here.
Longest outage was maybe 3-4 hours though...which can be an eternity in July or August doen here.
Jul 24th 2006, 2:47 pm
#29
Junior Showtime
Joined: Jul 2005
Location: Singapore
Posts: 3,759
Re: Are power outages common in your area?
Originally Posted by Rompers
Where have you been Kate? I've been waiting for a kick in the nuts ever since I posted that.
I dont have time to post at the weekend...*huge nut kick*
Sorry I couldnt deliver that earlier I was shopping for alternative power cell sources
Jul 24th 2006, 3:12 pm
#30
Thread Starter
Joined: May 2006
Posts: 2,717
Re: Are power outages common in your area?
I'm slowly replacing appliances with ones that have a backup battery, but this is currently life at Texas_Daves house:
