We've been having issues with our lights dimming repeatedly at times today. Is that a symptom of a brown out? It's been below freezing for few days so I wouldn't be surprised if the power grid is being maxed out.

 

You might want to plug a multimeter into a receptacle and check the voltage occasionally. One with a constant load on the other plug-in of the receptacle.

 

That's a good idea ..... if I can talk myself into going back out in the cold to get to my shop

I've never experienced a rolling brown out before. I usually get the dim a time or two and then nothing for however long. The TVA has been making conservation announcements on TV so I assume they are worried about not having enough electricity.

 

Ray- For my benefit, please explain why the original poster should test with a load plugged into the same outlet?

 

To reduce the chance of false reading. Without a load if the impedance of the meter is high as in the case with some cheap digital meters you may not get a true reading due to induced voltage.

 

I haven't ventured out yet but they just told on the news that a nearby town in Virginia has 3000 customers without power because of a blown transformer, nearest replacement is in Roanoke. Haven't noticed any dimming lights in a few hours although our local power company is asking all their customers to turn their thermostats to 60 degrees and not use dryers or dishwashers ..... and they are calling for a low of 4 degrees tonight .. Glad I got a wood stove!!

 

Do a lot of people heat with electric furnaces there? I normally think of peak loads being in the hot summer months with air conditioning. You mentioned TVA, I'll bet they have good rates.

 

They say our rates are decent but it's still more than I care to pay Around here more people have heat pumps [w/elec strip back up] than any other type of heat. It's been 15+ yrs since we've had lows around zero. Last week we had a low of -4 and currently it's 3 degrees with today's high expected in the teens. Normal temps for this time of year are lows in the 20's and highs in the 40's.

 

I can't complain with the TVA rates. I remember being on another power company in Georgia whose rates were usurious. We are at 8 degrees, now.... Oops, 5. Plenum fireplace in basement can't be beat, to help the heat pump stay off strips.

 

Plug some incandescent lamp fixtures into receptacles in different rooms. I'm not asking if they all dim, but for those that do dim, do they dim in unison?

Retry with a different combination of receptacles.

Or, using a imeter, measure the voltage at the panel or at a receptacle near the panel and on a circuit that is not being used for anything significant. On a circuit that is live, you don't need a light or other load when using a meter. False readings (and phantom voltage) is only found on a line that was switched off but where wires ran juxtaposed to other wires that are live.

Do you get dimming if nothing in your house is kicking on at the moment? To do this test, flip off the breakers for any all-electric water heaters and electric furnaces or heat pumps, and don't use the stove or hair dryer for about an hour while you observe the incandescent lights.

Now if any of the lights brighten then you have a real problem (with neutrals).

 

You are all on electric resistance strip heat then. No wonder the lights are dimming.

 

No elec strips running at my house, I disconnected them wife likes to play with the thermostat and I prefer wood heat anyway

The lights haven't dimmed any since yesterday early afternoon. When I first noticed it the 2 light fixtures in the bath rm and the 2 in the hallway all dimmed in unison. I'm thinking it was from what I think a brown out is although I've never experienced it before.