The power goes out. Or worse, it half goes out — the lights dim, the fridge makes a noise it doesn’t normally make, and everything feels slightly wrong.
Knowing which one you’re dealing with matters, because one of them is the network’s problem and the other might be yours.
Blackout: the power is off
A complete loss of supply. Straightforward to identify, if not to enjoy.
Causes: storm damage to overhead lines, equipment failure at the substation, a car into a pole, planned maintenance, or load shedding on extreme demand days.
First thing to check: is it just you? Look at the neighbours. If their lights are on and yours aren’t, this isn’t a network outage — it’s something at your property, and that’s a different conversation entirely. Check your switchboard for a tripped main switch or RCD.
If the whole street is dark, it’s the distributor’s problem. Report it to whoever supplies your area — United Energy, AusNet, Jemena or Citipower — and they’ll have an outage map and an estimated restoration time.
Brownout: the voltage has dropped
Less familiar, and more damaging.
A brownout is a sustained drop in supply voltage rather than a complete loss. The power is still on, but there’s less of it than there should be.
How to recognise one: lights noticeably dimmer than usual for a sustained period, motors sounding laboured — fridges, pool pumps, air conditioners — appliances resetting or behaving oddly, and electronics restarting for no obvious reason.
Why it’s worse than a blackout: during a blackout, appliances are simply off. During a brownout, motors keep trying to run on insufficient voltage, which makes them draw more current to compensate. More current means more heat. Compressor motors in fridges and air conditioners are particularly vulnerable, and they’re expensive.
What to do: switch off and unplug sensitive and motor-driven equipment until normal supply returns. Don’t wait to see whether it sorts itself out.
Causes: extreme demand on the network, a fault upstream, or — importantly — a problem at your own property.
When a brownout is your problem, not the network’s
This is the part worth paying attention to, because a persistent brownout at a single property usually points at something local:
Undersized or deteriorated consumer mains. The cable from the street to your switchboard may be original and may be too small for what the house now draws.
A loose or corroded connection at the meter panel or main switch. This causes voltage drop under load, and it also generates heat — which makes it a safety issue as much as a nuisance.
Genuine overload. The house is drawing more than the supply can comfortably deliver.
A neutral fault. This one is serious. A failing neutral connection can cause voltages across your circuits to swing — some appliances get too little, others get too much, and things start failing in seemingly unrelated ways.
The clear signal: if the lights dim every time the air conditioner or the kettle starts, and the neighbours are fine, that’s your installation talking. Get it looked at. See switchboard upgrades and repair.
What to do during an outage
Turn off and unplug sensitive electronics and anything with a motor. When power is restored it comes back with a surge, and that surge is what kills equipment. Leave one light switched on so you know when supply returns.
Leave the fridge and freezer shut. A full freezer holds safe temperature for around 48 hours unopened; a half-full one about 24. A fridge is roughly four hours. Every time you open the door you lose hours.
Don’t run a generator indoors. Not in a garage, not on a covered verandah, not near an open window. Carbon monoxide poisoning after storms is a recurring cause of death in Australia and it is entirely preventable.
Never touch fallen powerlines. Ten metres minimum, assume everything is live, call 000.
Check on neighbours who are elderly, unwell, or dependent on powered medical equipment.
When power comes back on
Bring things back gradually rather than all at once. Turn the main circuits on one at a time rather than throwing everything back simultaneously.
Then check: the fridge and freezer are running and their contents are still cold, the hot water system has restarted, and nothing smells hot. Reset clocks and timers — including the one on your hot water system if it’s on a timer, because it’s easy to forget and then wonder why you’ve had cold showers for a week.
If something doesn’t restart, or you smell anything hot, or a breaker won’t reset — stop and call. Surge damage is real and it isn’t always visible.
Being ready for the next one
Melbourne gets storms, and the eastern suburbs are leafy, which is lovely right up until a branch takes a line down.
Worth having: torches with charged batteries — not candles, which cause house fires every year — a power bank for phones, a battery radio, and your distributor’s outage number saved before you need it.
Worth doing: surge protection at the switchboard rather than just on individual power boards, which protects the whole installation including hardwired appliances. And if outages are frequent where you are, a home battery with backup capability will keep essential circuits running — though be aware not every battery does this, and it has to be specified for it.
If you or someone in your household relies on powered medical equipment, register with your distributor as a life-support customer. It gets you advance notice of planned outages and priority restoration.
When to call an electrician
Call straight away if: your property has no power but the neighbours do; a breaker or RCD won’t reset; there’s any burning smell, heat or buzzing at the switchboard; lights dim persistently when appliances start; or appliances have failed since supply was restored.
We do emergency and after-hours callouts across Melbourne’s eastern suburbs. If you’re not sure whether what you’re seeing is a network problem or yours, ring us — we’ll tell you in two minutes and there’s no charge for the question.
Registered Master Electrician. Over 200 five-star Google reviews. Lifetime workmanship warranty.
Related: What constitutes an electrical emergency · Urgent Electrician Melbourne
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Blackout/Brownout FAQs
A brownout is a drop in voltage in the electrical supply, causing lights to dim and appliances to malfunction, but power is not completely lost. A blackout, on the other hand, is a complete loss of power in an area, resulting in a total outage of electricity.
To protect your electronics during a brownout, unplug sensitive devices to prevent damage from voltage fluctuations. Installing surge protectors can also help manage voltage changes and protect your appliances from potential damage when power is restored.
Your emergency kit should include:
- A torch and extra batteries
- A first aid kit
- Necessary medications
- Non-perishable food and water (at least one gallon per person per day for three days)
- A battery-powered or hand-crank radio
- Portable chargers for phones and other devices
Battery storage systems like the Tesla Powerwall store energy that can be used during power outages. They provide a reliable backup power source, ensuring that essential appliances and systems continue to function even when the main power supply is interrupted. This reduces reliance on the grid and enhances energy resilience.
During a blackout, stay calm and:
- Check if the outage is localised by looking outside or contacting neighbors
- Use a torch instead of candles to reduce fire risks
- Unplug sensitive electronics to avoid damage from potential power surges
- Listen to a battery-powered radio for updates from local authorities
To prepare for future outages:
- Install surge protectors to safeguard your electronics
- Invest in a backup generator or a battery storage system like the Tesla Powerwall
- Ensure your emergency kit is well-stocked
- Keep your phone and other essential devices fully charged
- Sign up for alerts from your local utility company to stay informed about outages and restoration times
