Strange things are happening in my house. Some time between midnight and 6:30 AM for the last five nights (different times) we hear a somewhat mechanical sound, probably not a beep, not sure, as asleep, which wakes us, followed by an instantaneous flash of light from either the dining room or foyer. Cannot tell as cannot see from bed room. Foyer light is LED on wall switch, Dining room has two table lamps CFL, and a curio cabinet incandescent, plugged into wall receptacles. Dining room light is halogen on a wall dimmer. All are turned OFF. This is the only time it happens, never during the day and only once a night. Guess I will have to stay up all night to catch. I cannot understand what even remotely would cause this to happen. Checked neutrals, jiggled all switches and connections - nothing. I have never run into or heard of anything like this in 50 years. I am lost as to where to start looking. Any thoughts?
Strange things are happening
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There's a large number of devices in the home that make noise and emit light. For example, a malfunctioning garage door could make noise and trigger lights. Or a TV, kitchen appliance, computer/phone/tablet...many possibilities.
It could even be something outside the home, like a passing vehicle.
It could even be something outside the home, like a passing vehicle.
You built your house over the portal to an evil parallel universe. Get out fast!
Sorry, you've got a good mystery there. I'm looking forward to hearing the final answer. I personally like the smoke alarm idea. But something outside makes sense too. My next door neighbor used to have a morning paper delivered. Driver pulled up to near the neighbor's back door so he could turn around. The headlights would shine right into my bedroom.
Sorry, you've got a good mystery there. I'm looking forward to hearing the final answer. I personally like the smoke alarm idea. But something outside makes sense too. My next door neighbor used to have a morning paper delivered. Driver pulled up to near the neighbor's back door so he could turn around. The headlights would shine right into my bedroom.
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I'd rule out any light on a standard light switch. Smart switches, dimmers,
occupancy sensors etc would not be ruled out. Anything w/o a switch (ie
plugged in) would not be ruled out either.
I wouldn't buy a security cam just for this purpose, but it would be an easy
way to find the culprit.
occupancy sensors etc would not be ruled out. Anything w/o a switch (ie
plugged in) would not be ruled out either.
I wouldn't buy a security cam just for this purpose, but it would be an easy
way to find the culprit.
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I would set up a Camcorder. Most likely this is from outside the home and you are seeing the flash come through the windows. Possibly, the power company is switching sub stations is the middle of the night as they like to do and a loose connection in their system is flashing/arcing.
New info. Set the alarm for 5:55 this AM to catch event. Woke at 5 AM wife told me event already occurred just past mid-night - she heard two beeps, dining room (she thinks) light flashed. I sat up from 5:45 to still awake and nothing happened. Will stay up tonight to catch mid-night event, if it occurs. Event only occurs at around 12 or 6 am and only once a day. I suspect dimmer switch but the timing makes no sense and there is no beep in the dimmer. I am going to replace the dimmer tomorrow. Perhaps the power company sends out a signal at these times to read meters?
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What make & model smoke detectors do you have?
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It could be the refrigerator going into defrost mode if it's a digital display model. The defrost cycles aren't regularly spaced events since they depend on compressor run time. Just a WAG.
More info: Event occurred just after mid-night last night. TVIO was recording late night show. It stopped recording at 12:02 and restarted at 12:06. Had local power company come out and check service. No problem noted and no idea what the problem is. Seems to affect two or three different circuits. There are no timers anywhere in house. Power tech guesses it may have something to due with the neutral. He will put a recorder on the service next week. Mystery still even close to being solved.
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We put our dishwasher on a time-delay so it runs in the middle of the night. More than once I'd heard it go off and scares the crap out of me.
Wouldn't explain the flash of light, but that sounds like a car to me as well.
Maybe set up a trail cam or something outside?
Wouldn't explain the flash of light, but that sounds like a car to me as well.
Maybe set up a trail cam or something outside?
Hmmm. Lots of breakers on power lines will automatically reset after five minutes when tripped. I think you may be onto something. Things in my house beep and flash when the power comes back on. That's often how I know it's out. That first flicker will wake me up, then it'll go out for good.
The timing is suspicious though. Midnight to 5 AM sounds like a scheduled outage window.
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Do you have cable tv ?
My cable company updates everynight,
And the cable box then will reboot
This could explain the noises and the lights.
And the lights on the box can put on an impresive show.
My cable company updates everynight,
And the cable box then will reboot
This could explain the noises and the lights.
And the lights on the box can put on an impresive show.
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