Re: [MBZ] OT: flickering house lights
I thought all aluminum house wiring had to have spring compression fittings to deal with this issue. My father investigated a few house fires back in the 50's when aluminum wiring was first used, and code here in Indiana was changed to require spring loaded connections to deal with the extrusion problem. He wired everything here with solid copper. Needless to say, we have zero electrical issues. ___ http://www.okiebenz.com To search list archives http://www.okiebenz.com/archive/ To Unsubscribe or change delivery options go to: http://mail.okiebenz.com/mailman/listinfo/mercedes_okiebenz.com
Re: [MBZ] OT: flickering house lights
https://www.amazon.com/Noalox-Anti-oxidant-Compound-Oz-Bottle/dp/B0019KHHRE Rick ___ http://www.okiebenz.com To search list archives http://www.okiebenz.com/archive/ To Unsubscribe or change delivery options go to: http://mail.okiebenz.com/mailman/listinfo/mercedes_okiebenz.com
Re: [MBZ] OT: flickering house lights
> G wrote: > Out of a present inventory of 42 houses ... 30 of them have had > low voltage at the service entrance. Of those 30 only 2 were > not aluminum main cable from power company. > > The aluminum entry cables, with use, heat up more than copper. > With each heat, the aluminum embeds due to expansion, further > into the clamp screws. When it is unloaded [AC cycles off, for > example] it cools and retracts from the clamp screw, leaving a > slight air gap. Unless it's covered it grease. There is special grease just for aluminum electrical connections, but my standby of wheel bearing grease works rather well and is sure better than nothing. Using grease does not prevent this problem, it just drastically decreases the speed that a problem will occur. I have seen similar even with copper - which I also grease. *smiles* > The first indication this has happened is usually found with a > meter at a wall socket, for 110 or by checking each leg of a 220 > plug. > > I have found, on some houses, as low as 85 volts at a 110 wall > socket. It's so common from my experience, I've now made it part > of any "pre-buy inspection". The voltage drop caused by a high resistance connection will be dependent on the current draw. Meaning - if there is nothing using electricity in the house, even a really bad connection will read full voltage. The voltage drop will _increase_ as the draw goes up. Ideal would be a known and repeatable load of, say 50 A. Then the amount of voltage drop will directly relate to the state of the connections. ___ http://www.okiebenz.com To search list archives http://www.okiebenz.com/archive/ To Unsubscribe or change delivery options go to: http://mail.okiebenz.com/mailman/listinfo/mercedes_okiebenz.com
Re: [MBZ] OT: flickering house lights
I have had this issue on a number of houses. In each case, the issue was at the utility service entrance. To date, here is what happened. Out of a present inventory of 42 houses [I buy houses and make them rentals] 30 of them have had low voltage at the service entrance. Of those 30 only 2 were not aluminum main cable from power company. The aluminum entry cables, with use, heat up more than copper. With each heat, the aluminum embeds due to expansion, further into the clamp screws. When it is unloaded [AC cycles off, for example] it cools and retracts from the clamp screw, leaving a slight air gap. Aluminum corrodes quickly, so the air gap allows corrosion at the contact point, which degrades the connection. which sets up arcing when the connection is loaded again [AC kicks back on]. Over time, the combination of expansion, contraction, corrosion, and arcing cause a loss of good solid connection and a degradation of available voltage at the end plug. Electrical Rule #1: Clean, Bright, Tight. The first indication this has happened is usually found with a meter at a wall socket, for 110 or by checking each leg of a 220 plug. I have found, on some houses, as low as 85 volts at a 110 wall socket. It's so common from my experience, I've now made it part of any "pre-buy inspection". >From your description of the issues. It suggests you are having this same issue... The fix is simple, CALL THE UTILITY to check the main feed connections... then CALL A CERTIFIED ELECTRICIAN to check all the other connections... Early, self induced cremation does not a good Mercedes owner make. On Sun, Sep 30, 2018 at 6:33 AM ROGER HALE via Mercedes < mercedes@okiebenz.com> wrote: > Mitch, > >Thank you for finally taking the prudent and safe approach. The > utility should NOT charge you as they are obligated, just as the gas and > water, to insure that they are providing safe service to your house (and > even inside in case of the gas utility). If they can't find fault outside, > then have an electrician standing by to check inside as it might be > something that will require coordination between the utility and an > electrician to fix. This will save time and mainly it will "keep you safe > from harm". I've been nipped by 220v before so I have a strong and healthy > respect for electricity. > > Good luck and best wishes, > > Roger > > Roger Hale > Dinnerware Classics, Inc. > Monroe, Ga. > 770-267-0850 > www.dinnerwareclassics.com > ___ > http://www.okiebenz.com > > To search list archives http://www.okiebenz.com/archive/ > > To Unsubscribe or change delivery options go to: > http://mail.okiebenz.com/mailman/listinfo/mercedes_okiebenz.com > > ___ http://www.okiebenz.com To search list archives http://www.okiebenz.com/archive/ To Unsubscribe or change delivery options go to: http://mail.okiebenz.com/mailman/listinfo/mercedes_okiebenz.com
Re: [MBZ] OT: flickering house lights
Mitch, Thank you for finally taking the prudent and safe approach. The utility should NOT charge you as they are obligated, just as the gas and water, to insure that they are providing safe service to your house (and even inside in case of the gas utility). If they can't find fault outside, then have an electrician standing by to check inside as it might be something that will require coordination between the utility and an electrician to fix. This will save time and mainly it will "keep you safe from harm". I've been nipped by 220v before so I have a strong and healthy respect for electricity. Good luck and best wishes, Roger Roger Hale Dinnerware Classics, Inc. Monroe, Ga. 770-267-0850 www.dinnerwareclassics.com ___ http://www.okiebenz.com To search list archives http://www.okiebenz.com/archive/ To Unsubscribe or change delivery options go to: http://mail.okiebenz.com/mailman/listinfo/mercedes_okiebenz.com
Re: [MBZ] OT: flickering house lights
I was trying to switch off all the breakers on the the bad leg, and found that I had flickering lights on two adjacent breakers, meaning it was both legs. Then while I was scratching my head wondering about that, the power went out totally. I have no idea why LED lights on some circuits were flickering and identical LEDs were not flickering on other circuits. The barrel that holds the fuse upstream of the transformer was burned out. He put a temporary jumper on it, and a two man crew will come out and replace the barrel tomorrow. Should have just called them Friday morning. Mitch ___ http://www.okiebenz.com To search list archives http://www.okiebenz.com/archive/ To Unsubscribe or change delivery options go to: http://mail.okiebenz.com/mailman/listinfo/mercedes_okiebenz.com
Re: [MBZ] OT: flickering house lights
When I upgraded my service for the new addition the utility came and ran new buried lines (aluminum) from the pole to the meter box. 300A. I did all the other wiring from the meter box (which I had to put in). They pulled up the old buried lines and said it was getting to where it would need replacing anyway. It was probably put in when the house was built in 78 or 79 so 35 years or so. That was not particularly comforting. --R Sent from iPhone > On Sep 30, 2018, at 7:06 AM, Mitch Haley via Mercedes > wrote: > > It's happening again this AM. > Going to shut off all the 240v and the bad half of the 120v and call the > utility. > > ___ > http://www.okiebenz.com > > To search list archives http://www.okiebenz.com/archive/ > > To Unsubscribe or change delivery options go to: > http://mail.okiebenz.com/mailman/listinfo/mercedes_okiebenz.com > ___ http://www.okiebenz.com To search list archives http://www.okiebenz.com/archive/ To Unsubscribe or change delivery options go to: http://mail.okiebenz.com/mailman/listinfo/mercedes_okiebenz.com
Re: [MBZ] OT: flickering house lights
It's happening again this AM. Going to shut off all the 240v and the bad half of the 120v and call the utility. ___ http://www.okiebenz.com To search list archives http://www.okiebenz.com/archive/ To Unsubscribe or change delivery options go to: http://mail.okiebenz.com/mailman/listinfo/mercedes_okiebenz.com
Re: [MBZ] OT: flickering house lights
Reasons why I didn't call the utility yesterday: 1. They might blow me off. I guess that's not really a reason, at worst I wasted a phone call. 2. They might come out, say no problems found, hand me a bill for the service call, and leave. 3. They might find the problem is in my wiring, red-tag it and disconnect me at the transformer, hand me a bill for the diagnosis, and leave it that way until I present them with the permit and work order from having it fixed by an electrician. NOT what I'd want to happen on a Friday. Anyway, from the things I've figured out it isn't, if it's mine it's probably not where I can access it without pulling the meter off, and if it's theirs it's probably on top of a pole. Still haven't seen a single flicker today. I'm tempted to have them turn the power off at the transformer Monday, buy some 3/0 copper, and replace my 100A aluminum utility drop with 200A copper. I'd be rid of the potentially hazardous aluminum, and have the option of upgrading to a bigger load center in the future. I'd be my luck that I'd have a 100A or 125 meter box though. I don't think there's an amp rating marked on the outside of it. Mitch. > On September 29, 2018 at 10:13 AM Dan Penoff via Mercedes > wrote: > > > > We had a similar situation in the house we built here where we were getting > flickering on one phase for a couple of days. I reported it but the utility > blew me off. I even had a capture from my Fluke and the transfer switch on > my generator that I gave them that showed the voltage drops. They were short > enough that the ATS was ignoring them. ___ http://www.okiebenz.com To search list archives http://www.okiebenz.com/archive/ To Unsubscribe or change delivery options go to: http://mail.okiebenz.com/mailman/listinfo/mercedes_okiebenz.com
Re: [MBZ] OT: flickering house lights
That would not give me a feeling of confidence relative to the electrical system in my house… If there are high resistance connections in the system, they can be “seen” by someone using a FLIR camera. I would seriously consider speaking with your utility company, if only to go on record regarding the problem. This is not something they want to deal with, either, at least not after the fact, as it’s their liability to the weatherhead or main breaker, I believe. We had a similar situation in the house we built here where we were getting flickering on one phase for a couple of days. I reported it but the utility blew me off. I even had a capture from my Fluke and the transfer switch on my generator that I gave them that showed the voltage drops. They were short enough that the ATS was ignoring them. About a week later the pad mounted transformer a couple of lots down that fed most of our cul de sac dropped a phase at 2:00 am. They were out to replace it within the hour, took them about two hours to do the job. Since we had the whole house generator we never noticed it, other than hearing the generator go off. One of the neighbors called it in, since we were unaffected. Another instance where I got the, “Hey, did your power go out this morning?” question from my neighbors. Since the generator was an 1800 rpm gas set in a sound attenuated enclosure, they didn’t even hear it…. just sounded like an AC unit. -D > On Sep 29, 2018, at 9:40 AM, Mitch Haley via Mercedes > wrote: > > >> On September 29, 2018 at 9:23 AM MG via Mercedes >> wrote: >> >> >> Possibly. Or the sudden load caused a little >> bridging spark weld that may give way with a >> larger load or the larger load could produce >> an even better bridge that will last a bit >> but cause heat wherever that weak connection >> is when subjected to higher amps? > > I was just thinking that this morning. > The flicker might have been an arc fault, and it might have partly arc welded > itself when I turned the heat pump on. > I didn't mess with the water heater like I thought of, but it has to have > turned on at least once since last morning. > > And now, there's absolutely no flicker, as if the water heater welded the > problem back together. > > ___ > http://www.okiebenz.com > > To search list archives http://www.okiebenz.com/archive/ > > To Unsubscribe or change delivery options go to: > http://mail.okiebenz.com/mailman/listinfo/mercedes_okiebenz.com > > ___ http://www.okiebenz.com To search list archives http://www.okiebenz.com/archive/ To Unsubscribe or change delivery options go to: http://mail.okiebenz.com/mailman/listinfo/mercedes_okiebenz.com
Re: [MBZ] OT: flickering house lights
> On September 29, 2018 at 9:23 AM MG via Mercedes > wrote: > > > Possibly. Or the sudden load caused a little > bridging spark weld that may give way with a > larger load or the larger load could produce > an even better bridge that will last a bit > but cause heat wherever that weak connection > is when subjected to higher amps? I was just thinking that this morning. The flicker might have been an arc fault, and it might have partly arc welded itself when I turned the heat pump on. I didn't mess with the water heater like I thought of, but it has to have turned on at least once since last morning. And now, there's absolutely no flicker, as if the water heater welded the problem back together. ___ http://www.okiebenz.com To search list archives http://www.okiebenz.com/archive/ To Unsubscribe or change delivery options go to: http://mail.okiebenz.com/mailman/listinfo/mercedes_okiebenz.com
Re: [MBZ] OT: flickering house lights
Possibly. Or the sudden load caused a little bridging spark weld that may give way with a larger load or the larger load could produce an even better bridge that will last a bit but cause heat wherever that weak connection is when subjected to higher amps? MG Who knows that electricity is weird $-it. Mitch Haley via Mercedes wrote: So I turn on the heat pump an hour ago, put a 6A 240v load on the system, see if I can get it to do more than barely flicker. And...the flicker went away. Weak contact gets stronger with a little heat? If so, it should fail hard the first time we get a killing frost. Mitch ___ http://www.okiebenz.com To search list archives http://www.okiebenz.com/archive/ To Unsubscribe or change delivery options go to: http://mail.okiebenz.com/mailman/listinfo/mercedes_okiebenz.com ___ http://www.okiebenz.com To search list archives http://www.okiebenz.com/archive/ To Unsubscribe or change delivery options go to: http://mail.okiebenz.com/mailman/listinfo/mercedes_okiebenz.com
Re: [MBZ] OT: flickering house lights
> Craig wrote: > On Fri, 28 Sep 2018 13:17:04 -0500 fmiser via Mercedes > wrote: > > > Because it's only some of them, I would guess it cannot be > > further "upstream" than your service panel where the 220 > > "splits" into two phases. It could be one side of the main > > breaker, or be one circuit. If you can prove it is happening > > in sync on more than one lighting circuit, it almost _has_ to > > be the main breaker. > > If you follow the wiring from the power transformer on the pole, > there are connections from the transformer to the drop line, > connections from the drop line to the line going to the meter, > connections from the meter to the main breaker, and connections > from the main breaker to the circuit breaker distribution bars. Ah. The detail I slipped was the pole transformer is center-tapped and the tap is both neutral and safety ground. At the service panel the neutral is again grounded and the two polarities of power should be balanced. So, yes - any 120 V load will effect that half of the service - but should not effect the other. Mitch - do some of the lights get bright when the others get dim? That would indicate a bad neutral connection - if the two sets of lights are on opposite polarities. > On each phase, all of these connections are in series. Just by > looking at the output (a flickering light somewhere), one cannot > tell which of the series connections is at fault. True. I was mistakenly thinking of a non center-tapped transformer. If a 120 VAC load causes flicker only on that pole, it probably will be on that side's hot connections. If it causes other lights to get bright it is probably be the neutral connections. > It would be interesting to see if the flickering shows up on > other branch circuits connected to the same pole of the main > circuit breaker. That would show if it is all of the serial > connections mentioned above or an individual breaker. Yup. And if a 240 VAC load makes it act different than a 120 VAC load.. ___ http://www.okiebenz.com To search list archives http://www.okiebenz.com/archive/ To Unsubscribe or change delivery options go to: http://mail.okiebenz.com/mailman/listinfo/mercedes_okiebenz.com
Re: [MBZ] OT: flickering house lights
And if all the affected circuits are on one leg of the 240, it can indeed be from the transformer to the breaker box. fmiser via Mercedes wrote: Probably not the utility feed or it would be all the lights. Because it's only some of them, I would guess it cannot be further "upstream" than your service panel where the 220 "splits" into two phases. It could be one side of the main breaker, or be one circuit. If you can prove it is happening in sync on more than one lighting circuit, it almost _has_ to be the main breaker. ___ http://www.okiebenz.com To search list archives http://www.okiebenz.com/archive/ To Unsubscribe or change delivery options go to: http://mail.okiebenz.com/mailman/listinfo/mercedes_okiebenz.com
Re: [MBZ] OT: flickering house lights
Rick, I hate to recommend the obvious, but have the power company come and confirm their wiring before you tear up your electrical panel. Years ago, I lived in a subdivision with underground utilities. In grading the lot next door, the developer pierced the line into my house. I lost one of the phases which took out half of my circuits and damaged my furnace. The developer paid for the furnace repair and the power company came and replaced the underground line. Since you've said you have old wiring on the pole into your house, I'd suggest you get the power company to look. After all, they don't want a problem that could damage your house either. Or, do the "manly" thing and call an electrician. I know that wouldn't sit well with all the testosterone on this list, but it's the prudent and safer thing to do. Good luck and best wishes, Roger Roger Hale Dinnerware Classics, Inc. Monroe, Ga. 770-267-0850 www.dinnerwareclassics.com ___ http://www.okiebenz.com To search list archives http://www.okiebenz.com/archive/ To Unsubscribe or change delivery options go to: http://mail.okiebenz.com/mailman/listinfo/mercedes_okiebenz.com
Re: [MBZ] OT: flickering house lights
On Fri, 28 Sep 2018 16:53:39 -0400 (EDT) Mitch Haley via Mercedes wrote: > I'm thinking of taking a nice hot bath with the water heater disconnect > pulled, then turning the water heater back on and seeing what a 20A > continuous load does to it. Maybe dry a load of laundry while the water > heater is recovering. That's one way to do it. When we lived in Los Alamos, I demonstrated the voltage drop our house experienced by turning on the electric oven and turning on the faucet to the demand hot water heater. > Shedding all sensitive electronic loads first, of course. Very good idea! Craig ___ http://www.okiebenz.com To search list archives http://www.okiebenz.com/archive/ To Unsubscribe or change delivery options go to: http://mail.okiebenz.com/mailman/listinfo/mercedes_okiebenz.com
Re: [MBZ] OT: flickering house lights
It's a solid half of my house. I haven't bothered to trace the individual circuits, but it seems highly likely it's one of my two hot leads. Suspect connections include the ones a couple feet away from the transformer, the ones at the pole between the transformer and the house, the ones at the roof of my house, the ones on both sides of the meter, the ones at my main breaker, and the ones inside my main breaker(don't think it's the breaker, there's no warmth there and flipping the breaker doesn't fix it). I yanked at the ones where the triplex meets the drop at the edge of my roof while my neighbor watched a flickering light, ruled those out. Yanked on the wires going into the breaker, ruled those out. Oh, thought of another one, the meter socket itself where the meter plugs in. It looks like it's going to be found in the meter box or upstream of it, might as well call the utility as soon as it's happening in a consistent fashion so I don't get "can't reproduce problem". I'm thinking of taking a nice hot bath with the water heater disconnect pulled, then turning the water heater back on and seeing what a 20A continuous load does to it. Maybe dry a load of laundry while the water heater is recovering. Shedding all sensitive electronic loads first, of course. ___ http://www.okiebenz.com To search list archives http://www.okiebenz.com/archive/ To Unsubscribe or change delivery options go to: http://mail.okiebenz.com/mailman/listinfo/mercedes_okiebenz.com
Re: [MBZ] OT: flickering house lights
Two phases and a neutral. Forgot the pictures. Rick ___ http://www.okiebenz.com To search list archives http://www.okiebenz.com/archive/ To Unsubscribe or change delivery options go to: http://mail.okiebenz.com/mailman/listinfo/mercedes_okiebenz.com
Re: [MBZ] OT: flickering house lights
Philip sex: >Because it's only some of them, I would guess it >cannot be further >"upstream" than your service panel where the >220 "splits" into two phases. Huh? I have two distinct 120v phases from the transformer at the pole coming in to feed the main panel in my basement. See the attached pictures. Rick Who needs to complain again about the wiring cover my kid broke with the mower. ___ http://www.okiebenz.com To search list archives http://www.okiebenz.com/archive/ To Unsubscribe or change delivery options go to: http://mail.okiebenz.com/mailman/listinfo/mercedes_okiebenz.com
Re: [MBZ] OT: flickering house lights
On Fri, 28 Sep 2018 13:17:04 -0500 fmiser via Mercedes wrote: > Because it's only some of them, I would guess it cannot be further > "upstream" than your service panel where the 220 "splits" into two > phases. It could be one side of the main breaker, or be one > circuit. If you can prove it is happening in sync on more than > one lighting circuit, it almost _has_ to be the main breaker. If you follow the wiring from the power transformer on the pole, there are connections from the transformer to the drop line, connections from the drop line to the line going to the meter, connections from the meter to the main breaker, and connections from the main breaker to the circuit breaker distribution bars. On each phase, all of these connections are in series. Just by looking at the output (a flickering light somewhere), one cannot tell which of the series connections is at fault. It would be interesting to see if the flickering shows up on other branch circuits connected to the same pole of the main circuit breaker. That would show if it is all of the serial connections mentioned above or an individual breaker. That is, of course, if the flickering can be reproduced (the last word from Mitch is that the flickering went away). Using a can of freeze spray might be a good way to isolate the fault. Craig ___ http://www.okiebenz.com To search list archives http://www.okiebenz.com/archive/ To Unsubscribe or change delivery options go to: http://mail.okiebenz.com/mailman/listinfo/mercedes_okiebenz.com
Re: [MBZ] OT: flickering house lights
> Mitch wrote: > Get up this am and half the lights were flickering, > ...then you go to a room that isn't affected and you can see the > difference. > Time to replace the main breaker? Something wrong with the utility feed? Probably not the utility feed or it would be all the lights. Because it's only some of them, I would guess it cannot be further "upstream" than your service panel where the 220 "splits" into two phases. It could be one side of the main breaker, or be one circuit. If you can prove it is happening in sync on more than one lighting circuit, it almost _has_ to be the main breaker. ___ http://www.okiebenz.com To search list archives http://www.okiebenz.com/archive/ To Unsubscribe or change delivery options go to: http://mail.okiebenz.com/mailman/listinfo/mercedes_okiebenz.com
Re: [MBZ] OT: flickering house lights
Mitch sez: >So I turn on the heat pump an hour ago, put a 6A >240v load on the system, see >if I can get it to do >more than barely flicker. >And...the flicker went away. >Weak contact gets stronger with a little heat? Possibly. The load tester the utility guy brought out probably pulled over 50A. Probably closer to 100A. Rick ___ http://www.okiebenz.com To search list archives http://www.okiebenz.com/archive/ To Unsubscribe or change delivery options go to: http://mail.okiebenz.com/mailman/listinfo/mercedes_okiebenz.com
Re: [MBZ] OT: flickering house lights
So I turn on the heat pump an hour ago, put a 6A 240v load on the system, see if I can get it to do more than barely flicker. And...the flicker went away. Weak contact gets stronger with a little heat? If so, it should fail hard the first time we get a killing frost. Mitch ___ http://www.okiebenz.com To search list archives http://www.okiebenz.com/archive/ To Unsubscribe or change delivery options go to: http://mail.okiebenz.com/mailman/listinfo/mercedes_okiebenz.com
Re: [MBZ] OT: flickering house lights
Yeah, have you had rain lately? --FT On 9/28/18 10:05 AM, Rick Knoble via Mercedes wrote: I had the same problem several years ago. It was intermittent (gotta love those), so it was hard to find. I checked voltage at the breakers, and found odd voltage (116 vs. 119) on all the breakers on one particular leg. I checked the incoming feed, same thing. Called the power company, and by the time they got there, the problem had abated. They looked at me like I was an idiot, and went on their way. Several months later it finally died, and was still dead when the utility guys came out. They had a VERY large resistor to load test the lines, and sure enough, one of the incoming legs was bad. It ended up being a poorly sealed splice at the transformer, which allowed water in the aluminum conductor. The water pooled in the wire at the base of the pole where it turned towards the house (underground service) and corroded the wire in two. I suspect you have a similar issue. Check the voltage with a good meter and look for a variance in voltage (perhaps one volt or less). If you can't isolate it to one breaker, have the utility do a load test. Rick ___ http://www.okiebenz.com To search list archives http://www.okiebenz.com/archive/ To Unsubscribe or change delivery options go to: http://mail.okiebenz.com/mailman/listinfo/mercedes_okiebenz.com -- --FT ___ http://www.okiebenz.com To search list archives http://www.okiebenz.com/archive/ To Unsubscribe or change delivery options go to: http://mail.okiebenz.com/mailman/listinfo/mercedes_okiebenz.com
Re: [MBZ] OT: flickering house lights
I had the same problem several years ago. It was intermittent (gotta love those), so it was hard to find. I checked voltage at the breakers, and found odd voltage (116 vs. 119) on all the breakers on one particular leg. I checked the incoming feed, same thing. Called the power company, and by the time they got there, the problem had abated. They looked at me like I was an idiot, and went on their way. Several months later it finally died, and was still dead when the utility guys came out. They had a VERY large resistor to load test the lines, and sure enough, one of the incoming legs was bad. It ended up being a poorly sealed splice at the transformer, which allowed water in the aluminum conductor. The water pooled in the wire at the base of the pole where it turned towards the house (underground service) and corroded the wire in two. I suspect you have a similar issue. Check the voltage with a good meter and look for a variance in voltage (perhaps one volt or less). If you can't isolate it to one breaker, have the utility do a load test. Rick ___ http://www.okiebenz.com To search list archives http://www.okiebenz.com/archive/ To Unsubscribe or change delivery options go to: http://mail.okiebenz.com/mailman/listinfo/mercedes_okiebenz.com
Re: [MBZ] OT: flickering house lights
I just realized, if the feed from the meter to my load center is aluminum, the drop from the roof to the meter probably is too. So I have potentially corroded connections from the triplex to the drop, from the the drop to the meter, from the meter to the feed, from the feed to the main breaker (I don't think it's the last one, tugging on the feed wires at the breaker doesn't change anything). Mitch. ___ http://www.okiebenz.com To search list archives http://www.okiebenz.com/archive/ To Unsubscribe or change delivery options go to: http://mail.okiebenz.com/mailman/listinfo/mercedes_okiebenz.com
Re: [MBZ] OT: flickering house lights
> On September 28, 2018 at 9:37 AM Craig via Mercedes > wrote: > Cycling all the breakers showed one of them to be the problem. If it's a breaker it has to be the main. But I don't think it is. It's coming and going now, not steady. I think it just subsided for a bit when I was in the garage playing with breakers. It happens in the garage with only the garage and main breakers on and the only power drain is a 14W LED light in the garage. I'm leaning towards the drop from the transformer about 200' from my house, or the pine tree that's growing through it that a utility worker said he'd have trimmed two years ago. It's breezy this AM, but I don't recall it being windy at 7am when I first noticed it. I've got a neighbor coming over in a while, I'll have him watch the garage light while I poke the tri-plex with a fiberglass pole. ___ http://www.okiebenz.com To search list archives http://www.okiebenz.com/archive/ To Unsubscribe or change delivery options go to: http://mail.okiebenz.com/mailman/listinfo/mercedes_okiebenz.com
Re: [MBZ] OT: flickering house lights
On Fri, 28 Sep 2018 08:37:10 -0400 (EDT) Mitch Haley via Mercedes wrote: > I cycled all the breakers and it seemed to go away, walked the dog and > when we got home it was happening again. Time to replace the main > breaker? Something wrong with the utility feed? Cycling all the breakers showed one of them to be the problem. Now, cycle one at a time, observing the offending light after each resetting to see if that particular breaker was the problem. End with the main breaker. Craig ___ http://www.okiebenz.com To search list archives http://www.okiebenz.com/archive/ To Unsubscribe or change delivery options go to: http://mail.okiebenz.com/mailman/listinfo/mercedes_okiebenz.com
Re: [MBZ] OT: flickering house lights
When we lived in Gloucester, the power company was using aluminium lugs which failed in the salt laden air, causing flickering of the lights. The repair tech said that the old bronze lugs never failed, company cheap-out? Who knew? Fred. On Fri, Sep 28, 2018 at 9:20 AM Buggered Benzmail via Mercedes < mercedes@okiebenz.com> wrote: > I had that happen when I installed a new temporary panel and Main > disconnect when I was building my addition. Used new equipment that worked > fine for some period of weeks then the same thing started happening one > night. Went out to check the main shutoff that fed the temp panel for the > construction and the main panel in the house and could see blue light > flashing from inside the disconnect box. Next morning the power company > guys came over and shut off power at the pole so we could look at the > disconnect. Turns out the lugs to the breaker were not tight from the > factory so after awhile they loosened up enough to where they were not > making good contact and the electrons were arcing across the intermittent > bad connections thus causing the flickering. > > Shut off your main disconnect and go into your panel and make sure all > those connections are good and clean and tight in there (do you have > aluminum wiring? That can oxidize and Al oxide is a poor conductor). > > If that doesn’t fix it then you might need the feed shut off to do the > same in the main disconnect. Then if that doesn’t work it is probably a bad > main breaker or something on that one leg feeding the circuits showing the > problems. > > --R > Sent from iPhone > > > On Sep 28, 2018, at 8:37 AM, Mitch Haley via Mercedes < > mercedes@okiebenz.com> wrote: > > > > Get up this am and half the lights were flickering, as if there was a > very brief and regularly repeating voltage drop every 1/2 second or so. > It's something you notice, then you aren't sure it's really happening, then > you go to a room that isn't affected and you can see the difference. > > > > I cycled all the breakers and it seemed to go away, walked the dog and > when we got home it was happening again. > > Time to replace the main breaker? > > Something wrong with the utility feed? > > > > Mitch. > > > > ___ > > http://www.okiebenz.com > > > > To search list archives http://www.okiebenz.com/archive/ > > > > To Unsubscribe or change delivery options go to: > > http://mail.okiebenz.com/mailman/listinfo/mercedes_okiebenz.com > > > > ___ > http://www.okiebenz.com > > To search list archives http://www.okiebenz.com/archive/ > > To Unsubscribe or change delivery options go to: > http://mail.okiebenz.com/mailman/listinfo/mercedes_okiebenz.com > > -- Fred Moir Lynn MA Diesel preferred ___ http://www.okiebenz.com To search list archives http://www.okiebenz.com/archive/ To Unsubscribe or change delivery options go to: http://mail.okiebenz.com/mailman/listinfo/mercedes_okiebenz.com
Re: [MBZ] OT: flickering house lights
My house was built in the late 1970s and while the wiring is copper, the main feed from the meter to the box is aluminum. Not much money saved there, as the meter is directly behind the box so the wires are only about a foot long. Mitch. ___ http://www.okiebenz.com To search list archives http://www.okiebenz.com/archive/ To Unsubscribe or change delivery options go to: http://mail.okiebenz.com/mailman/listinfo/mercedes_okiebenz.com
Re: [MBZ] OT: flickering house lights
I had that happen when I installed a new temporary panel and Main disconnect when I was building my addition. Used new equipment that worked fine for some period of weeks then the same thing started happening one night. Went out to check the main shutoff that fed the temp panel for the construction and the main panel in the house and could see blue light flashing from inside the disconnect box. Next morning the power company guys came over and shut off power at the pole so we could look at the disconnect. Turns out the lugs to the breaker were not tight from the factory so after awhile they loosened up enough to where they were not making good contact and the electrons were arcing across the intermittent bad connections thus causing the flickering. Shut off your main disconnect and go into your panel and make sure all those connections are good and clean and tight in there (do you have aluminum wiring? That can oxidize and Al oxide is a poor conductor). If that doesn’t fix it then you might need the feed shut off to do the same in the main disconnect. Then if that doesn’t work it is probably a bad main breaker or something on that one leg feeding the circuits showing the problems. --R Sent from iPhone > On Sep 28, 2018, at 8:37 AM, Mitch Haley via Mercedes > wrote: > > Get up this am and half the lights were flickering, as if there was a very > brief and regularly repeating voltage drop every 1/2 second or so. It's > something you notice, then you aren't sure it's really happening, then you go > to a room that isn't affected and you can see the difference. > > I cycled all the breakers and it seemed to go away, walked the dog and when > we got home it was happening again. > Time to replace the main breaker? > Something wrong with the utility feed? > > Mitch. > > ___ > http://www.okiebenz.com > > To search list archives http://www.okiebenz.com/archive/ > > To Unsubscribe or change delivery options go to: > http://mail.okiebenz.com/mailman/listinfo/mercedes_okiebenz.com > ___ http://www.okiebenz.com To search list archives http://www.okiebenz.com/archive/ To Unsubscribe or change delivery options go to: http://mail.okiebenz.com/mailman/listinfo/mercedes_okiebenz.com
Re: [MBZ] OT: flickering house lights
Poltergeists. Time to call a priest. -D > On Sep 28, 2018, at 8:37 AM, Mitch Haley via Mercedes > wrote: > > Get up this am and half the lights were flickering, as if there was a very > brief and regularly repeating voltage drop every 1/2 second or so. It's > something you notice, then you aren't sure it's really happening, then you go > to a room that isn't affected and you can see the difference. > > I cycled all the breakers and it seemed to go away, walked the dog and when > we got home it was happening again. > Time to replace the main breaker? > Something wrong with the utility feed? > > Mitch. > > ___ > http://www.okiebenz.com > > To search list archives http://www.okiebenz.com/archive/ > > To Unsubscribe or change delivery options go to: > http://mail.okiebenz.com/mailman/listinfo/mercedes_okiebenz.com > > ___ http://www.okiebenz.com To search list archives http://www.okiebenz.com/archive/ To Unsubscribe or change delivery options go to: http://mail.okiebenz.com/mailman/listinfo/mercedes_okiebenz.com
[MBZ] OT: flickering house lights
Get up this am and half the lights were flickering, as if there was a very brief and regularly repeating voltage drop every 1/2 second or so. It's something you notice, then you aren't sure it's really happening, then you go to a room that isn't affected and you can see the difference. I cycled all the breakers and it seemed to go away, walked the dog and when we got home it was happening again. Time to replace the main breaker? Something wrong with the utility feed? Mitch. ___ http://www.okiebenz.com To search list archives http://www.okiebenz.com/archive/ To Unsubscribe or change delivery options go to: http://mail.okiebenz.com/mailman/listinfo/mercedes_okiebenz.com
