Brownouts and blackouts are a common phenomenon in most regions and states. While both cause interruption in electricity supply, blackouts can prolong for extended periods. They can cause damage to electrical devices, meaning you need to unplug them from wall outlets. But what differentiates brownouts from blackouts? Let’s find out.
Related articles: What Are Rolling Blackouts and How Can I Prepare for It?
What Causes Electricity Blackouts?
How Are Blackouts and Climate Change Linked?
What is a Brownout?
A brownout is a partial power outage. During a brownout, the grid’s system capacity is reduced and the voltage drops by about 10 to 25 percent. They can be intentional or unintentional. Intentional brownouts happen during an emergency to prevent total power outage. Ideally, utility companies use brownouts for load reduction. Unintentional brownouts can be caused by severe weather conditions, natural disasters or malfunction affecting the electrical grid. As you’d expect, brownouts last for a short period of time.
What Is a Blackout?
A blackout, also referred to as a power outage is a total loss of power. This happens unexpectedly, outside the control of utility companies. Unlike brownouts, blackouts affect whole towns and regions. Like brownouts, severe weather conditions and natural disasters can cause power outages. Increased load demand can also cause blackouts, especially during seasons when power-hungry appliances are running at full capacity. And as you’d expect, they can last for hours, weeks, or even months.
What Is The Difference Between Brownout and Blackout?
How can you tell the difference between a brownout and a blackout? Let’s find out.
As mentioned a brownout is a temporary reduction in the grid’s system capacity. It causes most appliances to shut down or malfunction. Lights tend to dim during a brownout. This happens due to lack of enough electricity to keep the appliances running.
A blackout, on the other hand, is a total loss of power. Here, appliances and lights shut down completely. Blackouts can last for a long period, depending on its cause. For example, Hurricane Maria caused a power blackout in Puerto Rico that lasted for 100 days, affecting over 100,000 residents.
A brownout is caused by a high demand in electricity. When the grid cannot sustain the demand, a brownout usually happens. This could be due to an increase in the use of air conditioners or other power-hungry appliances. Utility companies can also cause a brownout to prevent a blackout.
A blackout occurs during severe weather conditions, natural disasters, and war. Wind gusts can knock down electricity poles while severe flooding can damage electrical substations. Bombing electrical stations can also cause widespread power outages.
As you can see, brownouts are often localized affecting individual residential areas. Blackouts on the other hand, are extensive, affecting regions or states. Whether you are facing a brownout or a blackout, you should take preventive measures to reduce its severity.
What Should You Do During a Brownout or Blackout?
To keep your family and yourself safe during a brownout or blackout, you should do the following.
-
Unplug All Devices
While you can use some of your family appliances during a brownout, we recommend shutting them down and unplug them from a power source. As mentioned, a brownout causes a decrease in voltage, which can damage sensitive electrical devices.
Besides, unplugging your devices protects them from a power surge once electricity is restored. You should, however, have one light on so you can know when power is restored.
-
Use Portable Power Stations
Avoid plugging your devices in a wall outlet, instead, use a power station. Power stations provide backup power that can last for days or weeks.
The best part is they are portable and allow you to connect multiple devices simultaneously. BLUETTI offers you some of the best power stations on the market. Here are a few you can buy:
BLUETTI AC200L Portable Power Station | 2,400W 2,048Wh
The BLUETTI AC200L comes with a 2400W pure sine wave inverter providing stable and continuous current for running your critical electrical devices. It also has a 3600W surge capacity ideal for starting large appliances such as refrigerators and heating systems. This means you can still use large appliances during the blackout or brownout. And since it has a 2048Wh capacity, it can keep your devices like smartphones running for extended periods.
But that’s not all, its capacity can be expanded to 8192Wh or 63848Wh, incase of increased power demand. So, if you experience a prolonged power outage, you can connect extra batteries. You’ll love how fast it recharges. It takes only 45 minutes to recharge from 0% to 80% with a 2400W AC input. And the best part is you can use solar panels to recharge it.
So, if there’s no electricity in your state, just connect the BLUETTI AC200L to your solar panels, and you are sorted. Like other BLUETTI power stations, it comes equipped with an app that allows for remote monitoring and control. With no moving parts, it is quiet when it is running.
BLUETTI AC60 Portable Power Station | 600W 403Wh
This is yet another robust power station you can use during a brownout or blackout. It has a 403Wh capacity, ideal for a brownout or a short blackout. That said, you can use expandable batteries to increase its capacity to 2015Wh or 2,116Wh.
And thanks to the Turbo Charging feature, it can charge from 0 to 100% in one hour. This ensures you have power throughout the power outage. Unfortunately, the power station can only charge or run small devices such as rechargeable flashlights, smartphones, and laptops.
Like other premium power stations, it has a LiFePO4 battery, improving its efficiency and power output significantly. And you don’t have to use solar only, you can recharge using AC, lead acid battery, or your car. With the built-in app, you can monitor and control it via Bluetooth.
BLUETTI AC180 Solar Portable Power Station | 1,800W 1,152Wh
Finally, you can opt for the BLUETTI AC180 model that comes with 1800W pure sine wave inverter. This makes it an ideal option for running devices such as laptops and TVs. It also has a 2700W surge capacity for starting larger appliances.
If you want to run your refrigerator during the brownout, you can plug it in, and the power station will keep it running for 7 to 14 hours. Luckily, you get 11 ports, allowing you to connect multiple devices.
Like other BLUETTI power stations, you get four recharging options: solar, AC outlet, a generator, and your car. This means you can keep it charged during prolonged power blackouts. It is eco-friendly, quiet, and efficient, making it the perfect source of electricity during a brownout or blackout.
-
Stay Away from Power Lines
Keep away from fallen power lines near your home. The grid is susceptible to power surges when electricity is resorted. This can cause electrocution, if you are near them. If there are fallen power lines, call your utility company immediately.
-
Subscribe for Alerts
Once there’s a brownout or blackout, we recommend subscribing to your utility company’s alert system to keep you abreast of the situation. Alerts let you know what caused the brownout or blackout and when power will be restored.
Why are Blackouts Dangerous?
Unlike brownouts, blackouts can be difficult to fix, especially if it’s due to severe weather conditions or natural disasters such as earthquakes. Furthermore, they can last for extended periods. Prolonged power outages can cause severe consequences.
For example, without a running water pumping system, residents can stay for weeks without clean water. Patients who rely on electronic health devices are at a higher risk of losing their lives. But that’s not all, cooling and heating systems cannot run.
This means homes can overheat during hot days or temperatures can drop below zero during cold days. This can put people with existing health problems at a risk. Blackouts are especially dangerous in homes with young children and elders over 65 years.
How To Prepare For A Brownout or Blackout
To go through a brownout or blackout, you ought to stock your home with essentials. This includes non-perishable food and bottled water. You should also stock flashlights, batteries, emergency kits, and power backup systems.
Keep your devices (smartphones and laptops) charged for seamless communication with your loved ones. They also help you stay abreast with the situation. You should also allocate responsibilities to each family member to avoid confusion during a brownout or a blackout.
Final Thoughts
As you can see, a brownout is a temporary reduction in voltage while a blackout is a complete loss of electricity. Keep your devices unplugged during either and use a power station as a source of electricity. You should keep away from fallen electric wires and stay updated, through your utility company, on the situation.
