Kim, Have the unit checked. What we had was another brownout which means there's a small amount of electricity getting through. When that happens, the unit keeps TRYING over and over again to work but then it really taxes the engine out. It will burn out pretty quickly. If you're home when it happens, turn off the main at your circuit box immediately to save your big appliances.
Also, MAKE SURE you have a battery back up for your computer that will shut your computer down for you.
an uninteruptable power supply for your computer should protect it from power surges and brownouts (batteries make for very effective filters/isolation from the woes of the grid).
And I wouldn't describe a brownout as "small amount of electricity", it still is plenty enough to kill you. The better description of a brown out is it is a lower than normal voltage situation, somethings have no problems working with low voltages (incandescent light bulbs for one) where as others don't do so well. Large electric motors with heavy loads for one are apt to draw even more current under these conditions which makes them heat-up and burn-out.
