Fluctuations in voltage, causing it to be abnormally low or high, have various causes.
| Voltage Disturbance | Typical Symptoms | Typical Causes |
| Sags and Swells |
- Shrinking computer displays (the image doesn't fill the whole screen) or lights that are overly bright or dim
|
- Brief reductions or increases in voltage that occur when a major appliance or other piece of equipment switches on or off
- A short circuit
|
Transient Voltage
(also known as impulses or spikes, these problems occur when there are sudden increases in voltage) |
- Processing errors, data loss or burned circuit boards
|
- Lightning strike
- Starting or stopping major equipment
|
| Radio/Television Interference |
- Loss of radio/television reception
- Poor-quality sound or picture that is interrupted by static
- Popping sounds, crackles, rolling horizontal lines, wavy lines, snow, ghosting or other reception problems
|
- Signals from other equipment, usually within your home or building or that of a neighbor
- Possible home sources include doorbell transformers, toaster ovens, electric blankets, ultrasonic pest controls, fans, refrigerators, heating pads, light dimmers, touch-controlled lamps, fluorescent lights, aquarium or waterbed heaters, furnace controls, computers or video games
- At times, the interference may be generated by utility equipment, such as loose hardware, or dirty or damaged insulators
|
| Harmonic Distortion |
- Appliance or equipment problems, such as communication errors, overheating or electrical hardware damage
|
- Certain electronic equipment, such as computers, monitors, and laser printers, video games, touch-controlled lamps and fluorescent lights, may use electricity in a way that causes distortion of the normal electrical wave pattern.
- Contrary to popular belief, harmonic distortion is not caused by a utility company sending out distorted electrical current.
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