My house was built in the 50's copper wiring and a 100 amp panel. I have noticed lights flickering and not localized to one breaker. I have replaced 90% of the receptacles and switches, no change. I hooked up my Dmm and set to min, resulting in readings as low as 109v. While my utility was slow to respond, they ultimately replaced my service (pole to house) saying the neutral was not originally done correctly. still having the flickering issue. All of the lighting has been upgraded to leds, a few CFLs, Energy star appliances etc so the overall amperage is probably lower than ever. The breakers have not tripped, ever. As a thermographer, i understand how to use thermal imaging well and can see none of the breakers are near overload. Breakers that looked "hotter" were changed. Still have the dang flickering!!!
We are in the process of getting quotes for replacing the entire fuse panel and meter panel...
The electrician is not confident that the issue will be resolved, as he feels the same way I do. That low voltage shouldn't be an issue unless I was pulling serious amperage. And even then, still shouldn't be a problem.
Any ideas folks? Was thinking of trying to log the voltage for a few days directly off the meter... dunno..
We are in the process of getting quotes for replacing the entire fuse panel and meter panel...
The electrician is not confident that the issue will be resolved, as he feels the same way I do. That low voltage shouldn't be an issue unless I was pulling serious amperage. And even then, still shouldn't be a problem.
Any ideas folks? Was thinking of trying to log the voltage for a few days directly off the meter... dunno..
Check at another nearby location to see if their ACV is low also. Your meter could be off.
Also, try an incandescent bulb and see if the flickering continues with it.
Also, try an incandescent bulb and see if the flickering continues with it.
Voltage decreases with high demand. You share your service with other customers and the combined load could be high enough to drag the voltage down and, perhaps, unbalancing the legs of the shared transformer thus stressing the protection devices.
The utility might be prevailed upon to redistribute the load across the legs or maybe replace the transformer with a bigger one or pick a different tap to get the voltage up.
The flickering might be a different issue. It could be a breaker that is always on the brink of tripping or maybe a loose connection or broken wire.
The utility might be prevailed upon to redistribute the load across the legs or maybe replace the transformer with a bigger one or pick a different tap to get the voltage up.
The flickering might be a different issue. It could be a breaker that is always on the brink of tripping or maybe a loose connection or broken wire.
I had the same problems, even though the
a/c tested fine. It was still pulling a few more amps in start up then it should have. But this dis not show up when Duke electric came out and did some test on my two breaker panels and the main feed to my house, I have a 150 amp main breaker and a 3000sf house and a 3.5 ton a/c. Sense I have all the test gear, I had a A\C tech come out and he pulled each and ever power capacitor is out compressor
One single and a duel start / run cap
On his gear they showed that they where ok, on my audio grade meters. It showed that all of them where out of specs by 40%. I already
Had new ones, and only cost me $35 for them, yes the a/c guy said that was cheaper then what he pays. Lol
Well back to the long story. He changed them out and 95% of the lights dimming was gone. And my power bill dropped down by $60 dollars a month, my power bills are around 400 to 480 a month in the summer time. I live half way in between Orlando and Daytona Beach.
So have those checked out. Better yet, if it’s older then 10 years. Replace them anyway
If you don’t know what or where to get them
PM me and I’ll help you find what your system needs
Good luck
a/c tested fine. It was still pulling a few more amps in start up then it should have. But this dis not show up when Duke electric came out and did some test on my two breaker panels and the main feed to my house, I have a 150 amp main breaker and a 3000sf house and a 3.5 ton a/c. Sense I have all the test gear, I had a A\C tech come out and he pulled each and ever power capacitor is out compressor
One single and a duel start / run cap
On his gear they showed that they where ok, on my audio grade meters. It showed that all of them where out of specs by 40%. I already
Had new ones, and only cost me $35 for them, yes the a/c guy said that was cheaper then what he pays. Lol
Well back to the long story. He changed them out and 95% of the lights dimming was gone. And my power bill dropped down by $60 dollars a month, my power bills are around 400 to 480 a month in the summer time. I live half way in between Orlando and Daytona Beach.
So have those checked out. Better yet, if it’s older then 10 years. Replace them anyway
If you don’t know what or where to get them
PM me and I’ll help you find what your system needs
Good luck
If all circuits seem to measure the same, I would check your service instead. It would also help to check both legs and see if they match. Remember, you get 220Volts from two 120 volt sides.
I have noticed that LED bulbs can be sensitive to voltage drop. Having a light on the same power strip as a power saw can cause flickering when I start the saw.
Probably the best if get a way to monitor voltage from both legs on the panel.
Another is monitor both legs from a 220 volt outlet. Connect each meter between hot and neutral and do not actually use the appliance.
I have noticed that LED bulbs can be sensitive to voltage drop. Having a light on the same power strip as a power saw can cause flickering when I start the saw.
Probably the best if get a way to monitor voltage from both legs on the panel.
Another is monitor both legs from a 220 volt outlet. Connect each meter between hot and neutral and do not actually use the appliance.
You could probably use an ordinary oscilloscope, but unsure how to trigger it to catch a voltage sag or "disturbance".
You could setup an isolated interface using a padded down AC transformer and then record the 60Hz sine using a sound card - at the lowest sample rate - and a PC; but who's going to sift through days of such a data record?
Perhaps one of the sound card based oscilloscope programs can trigger on a missing cycle, but I wouldnt count on it...
They have professional equipment on ebay (Drantez 626), but who wants to pay a couple / few hundred for just a one time use?
This is just to see if the flicker is coming in from the outside service. I remember it was a big problem in the computer industry - is it bad enough to cause your desktop to reboot?
You could setup an isolated interface using a padded down AC transformer and then record the 60Hz sine using a sound card - at the lowest sample rate - and a PC; but who's going to sift through days of such a data record?
Perhaps one of the sound card based oscilloscope programs can trigger on a missing cycle, but I wouldnt count on it...
They have professional equipment on ebay (Drantez 626), but who wants to pay a couple / few hundred for just a one time use?
This is just to see if the flicker is coming in from the outside service. I remember it was a big problem in the computer industry - is it bad enough to cause your desktop to reboot?
Many replies, Thank you all.
Flickering issue happens when the house has no big loads (no CAC and Furnace is off, that's not to say it doesn't happen when one or the other is on)
I understand the loose connection issue, and is why I changed many outlets and switches. Figured if I had them out, to check might as well.
Loose connection or broken wire scares me, god knows who has done what and where in the last 60 years...
Computers dont reboot Mostly laptops on. However, the UPS my server is on clicks away like mad at times... I had to disable the alarm...
I have a Sure-test circuit analyzer,
SureTest(R) Circuit Analyzer | IDEAL Electrical
Before any retrofit job I would verify the Vd to be sure all outlets were in spec... Dense pack cellulose sure does a great job in preventing heat from dissipating from bad splice/connections... 90% of the receptacles in my house say "Call an electrician". Even the ones replaced, and even the ones a few feet from the panel. While I have a basic understanding what the tester is telling me, I don't understand fully how the tester comes to its conclusions or works.
May be its the smoking gun.. I almost think may be as a quick test I should get the meter pulled, pull all of the breakers, and de-ox the crap out of the bus bar.... (no main breaker in my panel 😱 Its a split bus panel, so 4-5 "service breakers are always in action, than one 2 pole 40 or 60 amp breaker shuts down electric to the lighting and outlet breakers) I just cant understand how a receptacle 4 feet from the panel could read excessive voltage drop.
As far as the meter being faulty, the low voltage readings are captured when the flickering is at its worst. Not believing what I'm seeing, or even seeing twice at the same time is an all too common affliction, one which I hope never to suffer from lolol....
Flickering issue happens when the house has no big loads (no CAC and Furnace is off, that's not to say it doesn't happen when one or the other is on)
I understand the loose connection issue, and is why I changed many outlets and switches. Figured if I had them out, to check might as well.
Loose connection or broken wire scares me, god knows who has done what and where in the last 60 years...
Computers dont reboot Mostly laptops on. However, the UPS my server is on clicks away like mad at times... I had to disable the alarm...
I have a Sure-test circuit analyzer,
SureTest(R) Circuit Analyzer | IDEAL Electrical
Before any retrofit job I would verify the Vd to be sure all outlets were in spec... Dense pack cellulose sure does a great job in preventing heat from dissipating from bad splice/connections... 90% of the receptacles in my house say "Call an electrician". Even the ones replaced, and even the ones a few feet from the panel. While I have a basic understanding what the tester is telling me, I don't understand fully how the tester comes to its conclusions or works.
May be its the smoking gun.. I almost think may be as a quick test I should get the meter pulled, pull all of the breakers, and de-ox the crap out of the bus bar.... (no main breaker in my panel 😱 Its a split bus panel, so 4-5 "service breakers are always in action, than one 2 pole 40 or 60 amp breaker shuts down electric to the lighting and outlet breakers) I just cant understand how a receptacle 4 feet from the panel could read excessive voltage drop.
As far as the meter being faulty, the low voltage readings are captured when the flickering is at its worst. Not believing what I'm seeing, or even seeing twice at the same time is an all too common affliction, one which I hope never to suffer from lolol....
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A loose, corroded, or even open neutral can be at fault. One side of your 240 rises and the other falls, 240V loads are unaffected. And it could be anywhere between the neutral bus in the panel all the way back to the transformer on the pole. It can also affect the neighbors house, simultaneously, if it is at the pole. Getting someone to do anything about it is like getting a bill passed thru Congress with a 50/50 split along party lines.