Power and utility
Brownout
A brownout is a partial drop in voltage that is not a full outage, so lights dim and motor-driven devices work less well.
The U.S. Department of Energy describes a brownout as a partial reduction of electrical voltages that causes lights to dim and motor-driven devices to lose efficiency. Power stays on, but it is weaker than normal. A brownout can come from the grid, and a bad connection inside a home can look similar.
Low voltage can stress motors and electronics. A whole-house surge protector guards against high-voltage spikes, not low voltage, so ask an electrician what fits your problem. If the whole street is dim, call your utility. See ERCOT for the Texas grid.
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