Huntsville Utilities (HU) Electric Engineering was contacted at the end of July concerning frequency of power outages. They were provided with dates and addresses of outages. The main event was a recloser that detected a fault and opened or interrupted the flow of electricity. It is designed to do this and will attempt to clear the fault 3 times (lights blinking) and reclose the circuit. If unsuccessful, then blackout.
HU performed circuit and line inspections and replaced several arresters and fuses. The tree group looked at lines and reported they were in good shape with no overhanging limb issues.
At ten of the homes that had outages, HU conducted on-site inspections to measure the resistance of the ground rod at the meter. Most of the measurements were over 100 Ohms and failed to meet the National Electric Code of rod to earth resistance of 25 Ohms or less. Rocky soil is the main culprit. HU recommends installing an additional rod which will increase the amount of current that is diverted to the ground. Since 2017 NEC has required a 2nd rod on homes that have a ground rod. Homes built after 2017 may have a Ufer grounding system where the grounding electrode is concrete-encased during pouring of the foundation. Installing a ground rod at these homes may reduce the resistance also. There is no charge to measure the ground rod resistance. An electrician can install the additional rod if needed.
HU engineering stated that wired telecommunication services should be grounded also. It can be grounded through the main rod with an intersystem bonding device. If there’s a separate ground rod it MUST be bonded to the other rods. If not, there can be a difference of potential between the rods which could have a negative impact on electronics. Please consult an electrician for inspection or installation.
HU meter shop gave a demo on installing a lightning arrestor protective device to the meter. It’s a small device that will divert current to the ground if the voltage is fairly high, like a lightning strike. This is the first line of defense against some surges as it reduces the extra voltage before it reaches your main electrical panel. It provides protection for general wiring but not for electronic devices. Contact HU at 256-535-1200 and talk with a customer service rep. The $120 installation fee will be added to your bill.
Recap of the above activities and other items that could protect your home during power fluctuations:
- • Verify/install a 2nd ground rod, or 1st rod with a Ufer system. It should be at least 8 ft away and 8 ft deep from first one, and MUST be bonded to the rod by the meter. HU can measure the rod resistance for free. Contact Demetrius Pruitt at 256-932-2304. An electrician will need to install the rod.
- • Verify your wired telecommunication connection is bonded to other ground rods.
- • Install a lightning arrestor at the meter. Call 256-535-1200. A fee of $120 will be added to your bill.
- • Install an uninterruptible power supply (UPS) to electronics. When power is interrupted or fluctuates, a UPS will instantly provide battery back-up power and surge protection. APC brand is recommended.
- • Consider a whole home surge protection system installed on the electrical panels. This, along with a UPS is a good proactive method against blinks to your electronics. The average cost is $300 per panel. Most reputable electrical companies furnish this service.
- • Consider a lightning protection system that provides structural protection. Some insurance companies may provide discounts. Bonded Lightning Protection at 800-950-7933, or Standard Lightning Rods at 615-275-9742 serve the Huntsville area and work with HOAs. This is not a recommendation of their services. Please research contractors and verify license, reviews and proper insurance prior to any selection of lightning protection services.