Blinking lights

[Lumberjack625]

When I turn my game console(on a wall tap) on, the lights in my room blink once. When an appliance in the laundry room downstairs turns on, all the lights in the house blink once. When my sister uses a hair styling thing in her room, all the lights upstairs dim and blink constantly. Nothing happens when I turn my pc or monitor on, yet they are on a surge protector. What's going on!?!?!

Can this damage or lag anything?

[Samppa221]

Do you have many devices on the same wall plug?

[Vivilacqua1]

When some home appliances turn on, they can require alot of power, then the house realizes it needs to send more power to everywhere else to get everything to work at full potential. Your computer just doesn't use enough power to do that. No lag or anything like that involved.

[Lumberjack625]

The console, a HDtv, and an U verse wireless receiver are on the one tap. The pc and monitor on the surge protector.

[Lumberjack625]

Why does a game console and hair straightener need so much power?

[Guest Generallee]

Why does a game console and hair straightener need so much power?

 

There is something seriously wrong with your electrical network, maybe multiple wall taps are on the same breaker switch 

 

That's gonna be a headache to fix though

[Lumberjack625]

OK, so is everyone sure my stuff won't be damaged though.

[Allshevski]

OK, so is everyone sure my stuff won't be damaged though.

If your electricity system doesn't crap out they probably won't. But it's on the good way to just blow up.. Really, something is wrong, better contact an electrician before you see your house in flames... 

[LogicalDrm]

I would contact professional. That's one symptom of very serious issue which has potential to kill anyone touching just light switch. No joke. My dad had that issue and told about it to electrian friend to get it fixed.

[johnny5c]

A surge protector is good but I would look into a UPS in your case, sounds like you have a really overloaded circuit and a UPS is the best protection for brown outs because it insures all connected electronics receive a constant voltage.  Are the lights that blink CFL's?

[Matt420740]

When some home appliances turn on, they can require alot of power, then the house realizes it needs to send more power to everywhere else to get everything to work at full potential. Your computer just doesn't use enough power to do that. No lag or anything like that involved.

Thats not how it works at all lol......   Your house isn't sentient, it doesn't "realize" or "send" anything.

 

On older houses with poor wiring its not uncommon to see the lights dim if you turn on an applicance with a high current draw.  The increased current draw causes a slight drop in voltage across the system resulting in dimmed or flickering lights.  However, a game console is not a high draw appliance, so you might want to have it looked into OP.

[dcb-z]

Our house does the same thing. When the washing machine/dryer turns on or I use my hair dryer, the lights will dim a bit. We have all our important electronics (computers, home theater system) set up on their own UPS and surge protector, though.

 

Our house isn't that old though, it was built around 2000.

[Vivilacqua1]

I'm oversimplifying because I'm on my phone

Thats not how it works at all lol......   Your house isn't sentient, it doesn't "realize" or "send" anything.

 

On older houses with poor wiring its not uncommon to see the lights dim if you turn on an applicance with a high current draw.  The increased current draw causes a slight drop in voltage across the system resulting in dimmed or flickering lights.  However, a game console is not a high draw appliance, so you might want to have it looked into OP.