power surges
Electrical current jumps
Power surges are sudden spikes in electrical voltage that can damage electronic equipment.
They occur when voltage briefly exceeds normal levels—from lightning strikes, utility switching, or turning on high-powered appliances.
Surge protectors guard against them: The power surge fried my computer.
Figuratively, a power surge can describe any sudden increase in force or intensity.
- alternating currentPeriodically reversing electrical flow
- overvoltageExcess electrical pressure
- varistorVoltage-sensitive resistance element
- electricityEnergy from charged particles
- harmonic distortionSpurious overtones in output
zinc oxide · breaker · lightning rods · lightning strike · electrical storm · short circuits · circuit breakers · tripped breaker · blown fuse · current · transmission lines · loads · voltage spike · peaks · flickering · fault detection · thunder · zap
- reliabilityreliable, dependable, trustworthy, consistent, faithful
- extreme energygamma rays, supernovas, explosions, fusion, fission
power surgesbrownouts
Temporary drops in electricity
undervoltage · low voltage · blackouts · power failures · power outages
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