Ask HN: Dunkelflaute' turns off my monitor

4 pointsby bertilivor 7 Monaten1 comments

I'm based in Denmark and blackout or power grid issues are a non issue here, as far as I know. I also have three state operated wind turbines when looking out the window (not that it probably matters here) but I can easily tell if the wind is blowing.

My problem is that today, and in periods during winters, we sometimes have periods of what Germans call 'dunkelflaute' - foggy weather where the turbines stall and solar panels go dark. And then my monitor turns dark! I can sometimes get it back after switching it on and off a few times, but it will soon go dark again on "those days", where I work on a laptop instead.

Previous years I didn't grok the spooky correlation/causation, but I clearly see it now.

The monitor (which I really like, Dell UltraSharp 43", running at 53 watts) is connected to a Mac Mini M4 via a HDMI cable (5 meters long). Changing the HDMI cable, the issue still persist. With a smaller Dell monitor, there are no issues. Ok, no problem, just change the monitor.

But wait... I got spooked up - is there is even such a thing as 'thin' or 'fluttering' electrical supply at this 53 watt consumption level? Is this be a first hint of a solarpunk future where data centers gobble up the "good electricity" and we are left with "leftovers"?

1 comments

fainpulvor 7 Monaten

So the assumption is that the electricity you get is not "clean". You could check if your energy provider publishes some data on their website (like frequency and voltage stability). If not, or if the issue is within your house installation, you could use a multimeter to measure voltage and frequency at the outlet during such an event. Disclaimer: be careful – this can kill you if you make a mistake. Only use a multimeter and probes which are properly rated to measure electrical outlets in your house. Read the manual / make sure you understand the risks involved.