Blinks' can signal a properly working electrical system

We often hear the question from members "What causes my lights to blink?" The utility network is subject to certain short-term losses of power, and Heart of Texas Electric Cooperative takes all possible measures to prevent these occurrences and minimize affects to our members.

Blinking lights are a result of momentary outages that occur when a type of disturbance exists on the line. This could be a lightning strike, an automobile striking a pole or when a squirrel or tree branch comes into contact with an energized power line.

When lights blink, it is an indication that the Cooperative's equipment is operating properly. If a fault or short circuit happens on a power line, a device called an "oil circuit recloser" (OCR) opens to stop it, then quickly closes back in. Although the process is quick - and usually temporary - it may cause your lights to blink, making it necessary to reset digital clocks and appliances with digital displays.

The OCR is essentially a breaker, functioning much like a breaker in the electrical panel in your home. It permits power to continue flowing through the line with only a brief interruption of service - rather than causing an extended power outage.

If the short circuit continues, the OCR will operate or 'trip' three times before eventually stopping the flow of electricity and causing a power outage. This process protects the lines from damage, cutting off power to the affected section of the line and isolating the problem until it can be repaired.

Although the weather and nature's creatures are beyond our control, Cooperative members can lessen the effects and inconvenience of "blinks" when they occur. When purchasing small appliances and digital clocks, consider a model with battery backup. You also may want to install meter-base surge protection for the major appliances in your home and surge protection with built-in uninterrupted power supply (UPS) for your computer or other electronic devices whose "memory" could be lost with a power interruption.

Anything that comes into contact with any part of the distribution system that delivers electricity to your meter can reduce the quality of power you receive. Tree limbs, small animals and miscellaneous foreign objects are the most common causes of those irritating blinking lights and reset clocks.

Heart of Texas Electric Cooperative works constantly to control as many of these factors as is physically possible. Our linemen conduct routine overhead line inspections to detect wind and weather damage.

Trees native to this area commonly produce as much as 72" (six feet!) of re-growth annually, making them one of our leading causes of reduced power quality and outages.  An aggressive, territory-wide, right-of-way maintenance and tree trimming program is used to address this problem. 

Small animals such as squirrels and even birds can ground out areas of the system causing brief interruptions of power. Our crews are currently installing Pest Shields in an effort to reduce this problem.

Damage to underground facilities can lead to interruption of power and extremely dangerous situations. Our line crews are currently fusing and sectionalizing much of our underground to localize as much as possible interruptions caused by damage to underground facilities, but we still urge ANYONE digging for ANY reason to contact Dig-Tess at 1-800-344-8377 before starting their project. You may also visit their website at digtess.org. We can reduce the annoyance of an outage caused by a cut line, but a simple call to this totally free service could save your life!

Reliability and value are two important aspects of the cooperative system. Providing members with affordable and reliable service are values that the cooperative believes in. While some may view blinks as an inconvenience, in all actuality they are the result of a reliable system. 

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Last modified: 09/30/07 - ©2000 All rights reserved