Big Voltage drop
Had an instance before when I had a voltage while running on a treadmill. I flipped all the breakers and it seem to work again for a month and now it is back and now when we use a high load appliance like the microwave the voltage drops.
I tested all the breakers by adding a load and it seems it’s on one leg. And I tested the lugs and the voltage did drop with a load. Unfortunately the tested I am using isn’t digital and doesn’t display the actual voltage but the 120 light is completely off under load and only the 24v is light. The 120v light comes back on when the appliance turns off.
Is there a problem in the house on one of the circuits? Or does the drop on the lug indicate a problem before the breaker panel?
Thanks in advance for any advice.
Edit: I picked up a digital multimeter and now under normal loads the one leg reads 125-126 and other 115ish. With the microwave on it goes becomes more unbalanced 130v one lug to 110v on the other
electrical wiring
asked 4 hours ago
ecco88ecco88
24318
add a comment |
Had an instance before when I had a voltage while running on a treadmill. I flipped all the breakers and it seem to work again for a month and now it is back and now when we use a high load appliance like the microwave the voltage drops.
I tested all the breakers by adding a load and it seems it’s on one leg. And I tested the lugs and the voltage did drop with a load. Unfortunately the tested I am using isn’t digital and doesn’t display the actual voltage but the 120 light is completely off under load and only the 24v is light. The 120v light comes back on when the appliance turns off.
Is there a problem in the house on one of the circuits? Or does the drop on the lug indicate a problem before the breaker panel?
Thanks in advance for any advice.
Edit: I picked up a digital multimeter and now under normal loads the one leg reads 125-126 and other 115ish. With the microwave on it goes becomes more unbalanced 130v one lug to 110v on the other
electrical wiring
asked 4 hours ago
ecco88ecco88
24318
Can you get a better tester that displays the actual voltage?
– ThreePhaseEel
4 hours ago
Getting one now
– ecco88
4 hours ago
If you keep turning off loads/circuits, do the legs start to balance each other out?
– ThreePhaseEel
1 hour ago
Actually turning off the breakers results in little or no change. One leg is 125-126 other now is 116-117. I literally had every breaker on the one leg turned off. Should I rearrange the breakers to see if it changes? Is it an issue on one of the branches that is causing the problem. Seems more like a service line issue.
– ecco88
42 mins ago
add a comment |
Had an instance before when I had a voltage while running on a treadmill. I flipped all the breakers and it seem to work again for a month and now it is back and now when we use a high load appliance like the microwave the voltage drops.
I tested all the breakers by adding a load and it seems it’s on one leg. And I tested the lugs and the voltage did drop with a load. Unfortunately the tested I am using isn’t digital and doesn’t display the actual voltage but the 120 light is completely off under load and only the 24v is light. The 120v light comes back on when the appliance turns off.
Is there a problem in the house on one of the circuits? Or does the drop on the lug indicate a problem before the breaker panel?
Thanks in advance for any advice.
Edit: I picked up a digital multimeter and now under normal loads the one leg reads 125-126 and other 115ish. With the microwave on it goes becomes more unbalanced 130v one lug to 110v on the other
electrical wiring
asked 4 hours ago
ecco88ecco88
24318
Had an instance before when I had a voltage while running on a treadmill. I flipped all the breakers and it seem to work again for a month and now it is back and now when we use a high load appliance like the microwave the voltage drops.
I tested all the breakers by adding a load and it seems it’s on one leg. And I tested the lugs and the voltage did drop with a load. Unfortunately the tested I am using isn’t digital and doesn’t display the actual voltage but the 120 light is completely off under load and only the 24v is light. The 120v light comes back on when the appliance turns off.
Is there a problem in the house on one of the circuits? Or does the drop on the lug indicate a problem before the breaker panel?
Thanks in advance for any advice.
Edit: I picked up a digital multimeter and now under normal loads the one leg reads 125-126 and other 115ish. With the microwave on it goes becomes more unbalanced 130v one lug to 110v on the other
electrical wiring
electrical wiring
asked 4 hours ago
ecco88ecco88
24318
asked 4 hours ago
ecco88ecco88
24318
edited 1 hour ago
ecco88
asked 4 hours ago
ecco88ecco88
24318
asked 4 hours ago
ecco88ecco88
24318
asked 4 hours ago
ecco88ecco88
24318
24318
Can you get a better tester that displays the actual voltage?
– ThreePhaseEel
4 hours ago
Getting one now
– ecco88
4 hours ago
If you keep turning off loads/circuits, do the legs start to balance each other out?
– ThreePhaseEel
1 hour ago
Actually turning off the breakers results in little or no change. One leg is 125-126 other now is 116-117. I literally had every breaker on the one leg turned off. Should I rearrange the breakers to see if it changes? Is it an issue on one of the branches that is causing the problem. Seems more like a service line issue.
– ecco88
42 mins ago
add a comment |
Can you get a better tester that displays the actual voltage?
– ThreePhaseEel
4 hours ago
Getting one now
– ecco88
4 hours ago
If you keep turning off loads/circuits, do the legs start to balance each other out?
– ThreePhaseEel
1 hour ago
Actually turning off the breakers results in little or no change. One leg is 125-126 other now is 116-117. I literally had every breaker on the one leg turned off. Should I rearrange the breakers to see if it changes? Is it an issue on one of the branches that is causing the problem. Seems more like a service line issue.
– ecco88
42 mins ago
Can you get a better tester that displays the actual voltage?
– ThreePhaseEel
4 hours ago
Can you get a better tester that displays the actual voltage?
– ThreePhaseEel
4 hours ago
Getting one now
– ecco88
4 hours ago
Getting one now
– ecco88
4 hours ago
If you keep turning off loads/circuits, do the legs start to balance each other out?
– ThreePhaseEel
1 hour ago
If you keep turning off loads/circuits, do the legs start to balance each other out?
– ThreePhaseEel
1 hour ago
Actually turning off the breakers results in little or no change. One leg is 125-126 other now is 116-117. I literally had every breaker on the one leg turned off. Should I rearrange the breakers to see if it changes? Is it an issue on one of the branches that is causing the problem. Seems more like a service line issue.
– ecco88
42 mins ago
Actually turning off the breakers results in little or no change. One leg is 125-126 other now is 116-117. I literally had every breaker on the one leg turned off. Should I rearrange the breakers to see if it changes? Is it an issue on one of the branches that is causing the problem. Seems more like a service line issue.
– ecco88
42 mins ago
add a comment |
2 Answers
2
active
oldest
votes
I bet I'm in a race with ThreePhaseEel to post this.
Call your power company NOW and report an outage
Specifically, a lost neutral.
My company came out in less than 2 hours on a Saturday. It will be free, and most likely they'll find a problem on pole or service drop. Just the same, helps to have the front off your service panel.
As you know, American houses get 240V power, but appliances are 120V, or half. What keeps the center centered is the neutral.
If you lose neutral, then each leg becomes biddlebooble, but the two legs still add up to 240V pretty much on-the-money. That means when one is under 120V, the other is over by the same amount. And the high leg can switch. This is what makes it an emergency: the significant overvoltage can blow out appliances and start fires.
At this point it seems like a partial failure, but it's likely to become a total failure soon. My power company just fixed one of those, our neutral was flapping in the breeze, but a neighbor's hot was nearly worn through from a bad termination on the pole and years of cable swaying just wearing it down.
Also, total neutral failures will act like partial failures, because they are still able to return some neutral current via earth to the transformer's ground strap.
answered 1 hour ago
HarperHarper
67.4k344137
Thanks Harper. I went and got a digital meter to get actual readings . Are my actual readings delta (125-115) large enough to call the PoCo?- Should I call the poco and say I think there is a lose neutral? My meter is inside but maybe it is even before the meter - maybe on the drip loop outside?
– ecco88
39 mins ago
If you can load it up with additional loads, and the center point moves more but the endpoints don't sag, that's a lost neutral. The drip loop is a likely candidate, the poletop is even more likely.
– Harper
28 mins ago
add a comment |
On your main breaker, Are you checking at the connection of the service to the breaker or after the breaker? If after the breaker try turning all loads off and flip the main breaker 10+ times, this can reseat the hammers in the breaker. If measuring prior to the breaker call your utility and tell them you are having a service problem.
answered 1 hour ago
Ed BealEd Beal
31.6k12145
Tested on the lugs so before the main breaker.
– ecco88
1 hour ago
add a comment |
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2 Answers
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active
oldest
votes
2 Answers
2
active
oldest
votes
active
oldest
votes
active
oldest
votes
I bet I'm in a race with ThreePhaseEel to post this.
Call your power company NOW and report an outage
Specifically, a lost neutral.
My company came out in less than 2 hours on a Saturday. It will be free, and most likely they'll find a problem on pole or service drop. Just the same, helps to have the front off your service panel.
As you know, American houses get 240V power, but appliances are 120V, or half. What keeps the center centered is the neutral.
If you lose neutral, then each leg becomes biddlebooble, but the two legs still add up to 240V pretty much on-the-money. That means when one is under 120V, the other is over by the same amount. And the high leg can switch. This is what makes it an emergency: the significant overvoltage can blow out appliances and start fires.
At this point it seems like a partial failure, but it's likely to become a total failure soon. My power company just fixed one of those, our neutral was flapping in the breeze, but a neighbor's hot was nearly worn through from a bad termination on the pole and years of cable swaying just wearing it down.
Also, total neutral failures will act like partial failures, because they are still able to return some neutral current via earth to the transformer's ground strap.
answered 1 hour ago
HarperHarper
67.4k344137
Thanks Harper. I went and got a digital meter to get actual readings . Are my actual readings delta (125-115) large enough to call the PoCo?- Should I call the poco and say I think there is a lose neutral? My meter is inside but maybe it is even before the meter - maybe on the drip loop outside?
– ecco88
39 mins ago
If you can load it up with additional loads, and the center point moves more but the endpoints don't sag, that's a lost neutral. The drip loop is a likely candidate, the poletop is even more likely.
– Harper
28 mins ago
add a comment |
I bet I'm in a race with ThreePhaseEel to post this.
Call your power company NOW and report an outage
Specifically, a lost neutral.
My company came out in less than 2 hours on a Saturday. It will be free, and most likely they'll find a problem on pole or service drop. Just the same, helps to have the front off your service panel.
As you know, American houses get 240V power, but appliances are 120V, or half. What keeps the center centered is the neutral.
If you lose neutral, then each leg becomes biddlebooble, but the two legs still add up to 240V pretty much on-the-money. That means when one is under 120V, the other is over by the same amount. And the high leg can switch. This is what makes it an emergency: the significant overvoltage can blow out appliances and start fires.
At this point it seems like a partial failure, but it's likely to become a total failure soon. My power company just fixed one of those, our neutral was flapping in the breeze, but a neighbor's hot was nearly worn through from a bad termination on the pole and years of cable swaying just wearing it down.
Also, total neutral failures will act like partial failures, because they are still able to return some neutral current via earth to the transformer's ground strap.
answered 1 hour ago
HarperHarper
67.4k344137
Thanks Harper. I went and got a digital meter to get actual readings . Are my actual readings delta (125-115) large enough to call the PoCo?- Should I call the poco and say I think there is a lose neutral? My meter is inside but maybe it is even before the meter - maybe on the drip loop outside?
– ecco88
39 mins ago
If you can load it up with additional loads, and the center point moves more but the endpoints don't sag, that's a lost neutral. The drip loop is a likely candidate, the poletop is even more likely.
– Harper
28 mins ago
add a comment |
I bet I'm in a race with ThreePhaseEel to post this.
Call your power company NOW and report an outage
Specifically, a lost neutral.
My company came out in less than 2 hours on a Saturday. It will be free, and most likely they'll find a problem on pole or service drop. Just the same, helps to have the front off your service panel.
As you know, American houses get 240V power, but appliances are 120V, or half. What keeps the center centered is the neutral.
If you lose neutral, then each leg becomes biddlebooble, but the two legs still add up to 240V pretty much on-the-money. That means when one is under 120V, the other is over by the same amount. And the high leg can switch. This is what makes it an emergency: the significant overvoltage can blow out appliances and start fires.
At this point it seems like a partial failure, but it's likely to become a total failure soon. My power company just fixed one of those, our neutral was flapping in the breeze, but a neighbor's hot was nearly worn through from a bad termination on the pole and years of cable swaying just wearing it down.
Also, total neutral failures will act like partial failures, because they are still able to return some neutral current via earth to the transformer's ground strap.
answered 1 hour ago
HarperHarper
67.4k344137
I bet I'm in a race with ThreePhaseEel to post this.
Call your power company NOW and report an outage
Specifically, a lost neutral.
My company came out in less than 2 hours on a Saturday. It will be free, and most likely they'll find a problem on pole or service drop. Just the same, helps to have the front off your service panel.
As you know, American houses get 240V power, but appliances are 120V, or half. What keeps the center centered is the neutral.
If you lose neutral, then each leg becomes biddlebooble, but the two legs still add up to 240V pretty much on-the-money. That means when one is under 120V, the other is over by the same amount. And the high leg can switch. This is what makes it an emergency: the significant overvoltage can blow out appliances and start fires.
At this point it seems like a partial failure, but it's likely to become a total failure soon. My power company just fixed one of those, our neutral was flapping in the breeze, but a neighbor's hot was nearly worn through from a bad termination on the pole and years of cable swaying just wearing it down.
Also, total neutral failures will act like partial failures, because they are still able to return some neutral current via earth to the transformer's ground strap.
answered 1 hour ago
HarperHarper
67.4k344137
answered 1 hour ago
HarperHarper
67.4k344137
answered 1 hour ago
HarperHarper
67.4k344137
answered 1 hour ago
HarperHarper
67.4k344137
67.4k344137
Thanks Harper. I went and got a digital meter to get actual readings . Are my actual readings delta (125-115) large enough to call the PoCo?- Should I call the poco and say I think there is a lose neutral? My meter is inside but maybe it is even before the meter - maybe on the drip loop outside?
– ecco88
39 mins ago
If you can load it up with additional loads, and the center point moves more but the endpoints don't sag, that's a lost neutral. The drip loop is a likely candidate, the poletop is even more likely.
– Harper
28 mins ago
add a comment |
Thanks Harper. I went and got a digital meter to get actual readings . Are my actual readings delta (125-115) large enough to call the PoCo?- Should I call the poco and say I think there is a lose neutral? My meter is inside but maybe it is even before the meter - maybe on the drip loop outside?
– ecco88
39 mins ago
If you can load it up with additional loads, and the center point moves more but the endpoints don't sag, that's a lost neutral. The drip loop is a likely candidate, the poletop is even more likely.
– Harper
28 mins ago
Thanks Harper. I went and got a digital meter to get actual readings . Are my actual readings delta (125-115) large enough to call the PoCo?- Should I call the poco and say I think there is a lose neutral? My meter is inside but maybe it is even before the meter - maybe on the drip loop outside?
– ecco88
39 mins ago
Thanks Harper. I went and got a digital meter to get actual readings . Are my actual readings delta (125-115) large enough to call the PoCo?- Should I call the poco and say I think there is a lose neutral? My meter is inside but maybe it is even before the meter - maybe on the drip loop outside?
– ecco88
39 mins ago
If you can load it up with additional loads, and the center point moves more but the endpoints don't sag, that's a lost neutral. The drip loop is a likely candidate, the poletop is even more likely.
– Harper
28 mins ago
If you can load it up with additional loads, and the center point moves more but the endpoints don't sag, that's a lost neutral. The drip loop is a likely candidate, the poletop is even more likely.
– Harper
28 mins ago
add a comment |
On your main breaker, Are you checking at the connection of the service to the breaker or after the breaker? If after the breaker try turning all loads off and flip the main breaker 10+ times, this can reseat the hammers in the breaker. If measuring prior to the breaker call your utility and tell them you are having a service problem.
answered 1 hour ago
Ed BealEd Beal
31.6k12145
Tested on the lugs so before the main breaker.
– ecco88
1 hour ago
add a comment |
On your main breaker, Are you checking at the connection of the service to the breaker or after the breaker? If after the breaker try turning all loads off and flip the main breaker 10+ times, this can reseat the hammers in the breaker. If measuring prior to the breaker call your utility and tell them you are having a service problem.
answered 1 hour ago
Ed BealEd Beal
31.6k12145
Tested on the lugs so before the main breaker.
– ecco88
1 hour ago
add a comment |
On your main breaker, Are you checking at the connection of the service to the breaker or after the breaker? If after the breaker try turning all loads off and flip the main breaker 10+ times, this can reseat the hammers in the breaker. If measuring prior to the breaker call your utility and tell them you are having a service problem.
answered 1 hour ago
Ed BealEd Beal
31.6k12145
On your main breaker, Are you checking at the connection of the service to the breaker or after the breaker? If after the breaker try turning all loads off and flip the main breaker 10+ times, this can reseat the hammers in the breaker. If measuring prior to the breaker call your utility and tell them you are having a service problem.
answered 1 hour ago
Ed BealEd Beal
31.6k12145
answered 1 hour ago
Ed BealEd Beal
31.6k12145
answered 1 hour ago
Ed BealEd Beal
31.6k12145
answered 1 hour ago
Ed BealEd Beal
31.6k12145
31.6k12145
Tested on the lugs so before the main breaker.
– ecco88
1 hour ago
add a comment |
Tested on the lugs so before the main breaker.
– ecco88
1 hour ago
Tested on the lugs so before the main breaker.
– ecco88
1 hour ago
Tested on the lugs so before the main breaker.
– ecco88
1 hour ago
add a comment |
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Can you get a better tester that displays the actual voltage?
– ThreePhaseEel
4 hours ago
Getting one now
– ecco88
4 hours ago
If you keep turning off loads/circuits, do the legs start to balance each other out?
– ThreePhaseEel
1 hour ago
Actually turning off the breakers results in little or no change. One leg is 125-126 other now is 116-117. I literally had every breaker on the one leg turned off. Should I rearrange the breakers to see if it changes? Is it an issue on one of the branches that is causing the problem. Seems more like a service line issue.
– ecco88
42 mins ago