Why does the electricity go out during bad weather?

Answer 1

When lightning strikes a power line. it may flash-over between different wire conductors on that power line. This along with the fact that it charges (or "inonizes") the air between those wires; which can cause a short circuit on the power line. Also a lightning strike can break off a large tree branch which can cause a short circuit on the power line.

Because a continuing short circuit can seriously damage the power line, protective circuit breakers or fuses interrupt power flow on the power line to limit damage. This is when your lights go out. If you were are fed by a circuit breaker that interrupted your power, it counts down for 15 seconds, and then restores power on the assumption that the short circuit no longer exists. If the short circuit still exists, the circuit breaker will interrupt power again.

So when your lights go out in a thunderstorm, count to 15. If your power comes back, count yourself lucky. You were served by circuit breaker and your power line only experienced a temporary short circuit.

If your power doesn't come back in 15 seconds, either you are served by a fuse or your power line is more seriously damaged - in both cases you will have to wait for a utility line crew to make repairs. Edited by PopPop.

Answer 2

Power systems are always supervised by protection systems which guard against a variety of faults in the system. These faults can be over or under current, over or under voltage, high or low frequency, short to ground, interphase shorts, etc. Protection monitors systems and when it detects a fault disconnects the zone to prevent damage. During a lightning storm it is easy to see how some of these faults may occur when lightning strikes a power line or transformer.

Answer 3

depends. there are many ways. for definitions please use wikipedia the free encyclopedia

1short out

2over capacity

3down power line

4trip

5switched off

6interfierance eg, a kite on a power line

one of the biggest causes is storms lightning could hit a line and short the circuit of a tree branch could dislodge a wire or ice from a freezing rain storm could stress the lines until they snap

one of the most cascadic causes is over capacity wich is when more electricity is used than what is availabe causing substations a power stations to shut down eg June 2004 a clackout stretches from Chicago usa to Toronto Canada to New York New York and back to windsor Canada and Detroit wich was the worst blackout in north America's history!

depends. there are many ways. for definitions please use wikipedia the free encyclopedia

1short out

2over capacity

3down power line

4trip

5switched off

6interfierance eg, a kite on a power line

one of the biggest causes is storms lightning could hit a line and short the circuit of a tree branch could dislodge a wire or ice from a freezing rain storm could stress the lines until they snap

one of the most cascadic causes is over capacity wich is when more electricity is used than what is availabe causing substations a power stations to shut down eg June 2004 a clackout stretches from Chicago usa to Toronto Canada to New York New York and back to windsor Canada and Detroit wich was the worst blackout in north America's history!

Answer 4

Electric power is most commonly distributed by wires suspended from poles. These wires are not seriously affected by wind, rain, snow, or sleet, but can be coated in ice to the point where they break, or the poles supporting them break. However, the most common cause of outages is tree limbs striking power lines and knocking them down. High winds cause tree limbs to sway and break, which can lead to limbs striking wires. Never touch a downed wire! It may still be 'live', or carrying electricity.

Answer 5

Well, sometimes power such on used on lights, can go out. The reason for that is because something could break the power line. Or there could be a car wreck. Disasters such as hurricanes or tornadoes can really break to power line.

Answer 6

The most common cause of a power outage during a thunder storm is lightening. Trees that have been struck by lightening can fall onto power lines and cause power outages.

Answer 7

Good question, Well it can knock down power lines,or phone lines and it can destroy them until DP&L or someone else gets to put them back up!

Answer 8

Lightning can damage power grids and high winds can topple trees onto power lines, or even knock down the utility poles directly.