Table 1. Power Anomalies

Event: sag (brownout)
Description: Short-term decrease in voltage levels
Effect: Frozen keyboards, unexpected system crashes, loss of efficiency and reduced life of electronic equipment

Event: blackout
Description: total loss of utility power
Effect: unexpected system crashes

Event: spike (impulse)
Description: instantaneous, dramatic increase in voltage levels
Effect: damage to hardware

Event: surge
Description: short-term increase in voltage levels
Effects: stress of electronic components, premature failure

Event: noise
Description: Electro-Magnetic Interference or Radio Frequency Interference may introduce distortions in utility power sine wave
Effects: data corruption