dweller
New Member
This problem came up last week and I found it coming home when noticed the motion detected light in drive was dim. Porch light also dim. Came in and found fridge lights dim. Started looking about and finding receptacles not working, or barely working, and then working fine again. Appears the lights/receptacles were cycling back and forth dim to bright.
No hot water, dryer not operating. Trying to work the dryer makes lights dim.
So, spent a few days checking appliances (working or not) and made my way back to service panel. I find i have 125v and 135v on both sides of breaker for water heater and dryer, but not 220v across either sides. Same at thermostats of water heater and poles of dryer receptacle. But when the cycling (dimming) occurs one side drops to 80v. at both breaker and appliance (thermostat or poles of dryer receptacle). Also,several 20amp breakers drop to the same 80v during dimming cycle.
In checking breakers I found one for the lights that were dimming sparking and moved the wire to another free 20amp and that solved the problem with the dimming. But i still don't have 220 for water heater and dryer. Called the power company and they came and checked the voltage at meter and said it was fine, problem was in the buried cable to my home. Not their problem.
I had found that when the dimming cycle was occurring one phase of my service panel was dropped to 80v, then back to 125v, so thought it was a power company problem. But switching the wire for the lights to another free breaker cleared that up and I get 125v steady on that phase _unless_ I turn off the breaker to the water heater, then it drops to 26v on that phase. I get 135v on one side of breaker, 26v on the other. Same on the dryer breaker, 135v on one side and 26v on the other. Two of the lights/receptacle 120v breakers also drop to 26v. When I turn the breaker for the water heater back on I get 135v on all breakers (120v and both sides of water heater and dryer). But can't get 220v across either water heater or dryer breakers. So, apparently I've lost one phase.
My first question: why am i seeing 125v everywhere when the water heater breaker is turned on, but lose 125v at the main phase wire coming in when i turn the water heater is off.
Both elements of water heater have checked for continuity (13 ohms) have 125v/135v on the thermostat posts, and at the wires coming into it, but not 220 across the wires/thermostat. I can't eliminate the water heater as bad since i'm not getting full voltage on both phases according to my testing, and the power company's test of their service.
I realize i will have to call an electrician to come in, but don't want to start digging up the yard to replace the service wires coming in if the problem is actually inside with the water heater, or the service panel. I want to eliminate as much as i can to save on chasing something not causing the problem.
More details: 200amp service panel in an older mobile home, setup 3 years ago. Power meter is approx. 30 feet from home with line coming in underground. Service to home connected in weatherproof box and run additional 20 feet to back of home where service panel is installed. For that 20 feet new 4/0 200amp service wire run in conduit to service panel, so i don't think that is where a fault could be due to weather/nicks, etc. Either underground original service wires, or inside house somewhere is my outlook on this.
Any clues appreciated and will observe absolute safety procedures checking any procedures suggested. Will be glad to answer any questions to the best of my knowledge concerning voltage checks, tests etc.
But honestly, i'm starting to get stumped with this problem.
thanks in advance,
dp
No hot water, dryer not operating. Trying to work the dryer makes lights dim.
So, spent a few days checking appliances (working or not) and made my way back to service panel. I find i have 125v and 135v on both sides of breaker for water heater and dryer, but not 220v across either sides. Same at thermostats of water heater and poles of dryer receptacle. But when the cycling (dimming) occurs one side drops to 80v. at both breaker and appliance (thermostat or poles of dryer receptacle). Also,several 20amp breakers drop to the same 80v during dimming cycle.
In checking breakers I found one for the lights that were dimming sparking and moved the wire to another free 20amp and that solved the problem with the dimming. But i still don't have 220 for water heater and dryer. Called the power company and they came and checked the voltage at meter and said it was fine, problem was in the buried cable to my home. Not their problem.
I had found that when the dimming cycle was occurring one phase of my service panel was dropped to 80v, then back to 125v, so thought it was a power company problem. But switching the wire for the lights to another free breaker cleared that up and I get 125v steady on that phase _unless_ I turn off the breaker to the water heater, then it drops to 26v on that phase. I get 135v on one side of breaker, 26v on the other. Same on the dryer breaker, 135v on one side and 26v on the other. Two of the lights/receptacle 120v breakers also drop to 26v. When I turn the breaker for the water heater back on I get 135v on all breakers (120v and both sides of water heater and dryer). But can't get 220v across either water heater or dryer breakers. So, apparently I've lost one phase.
My first question: why am i seeing 125v everywhere when the water heater breaker is turned on, but lose 125v at the main phase wire coming in when i turn the water heater is off.
Both elements of water heater have checked for continuity (13 ohms) have 125v/135v on the thermostat posts, and at the wires coming into it, but not 220 across the wires/thermostat. I can't eliminate the water heater as bad since i'm not getting full voltage on both phases according to my testing, and the power company's test of their service.
I realize i will have to call an electrician to come in, but don't want to start digging up the yard to replace the service wires coming in if the problem is actually inside with the water heater, or the service panel. I want to eliminate as much as i can to save on chasing something not causing the problem.
More details: 200amp service panel in an older mobile home, setup 3 years ago. Power meter is approx. 30 feet from home with line coming in underground. Service to home connected in weatherproof box and run additional 20 feet to back of home where service panel is installed. For that 20 feet new 4/0 200amp service wire run in conduit to service panel, so i don't think that is where a fault could be due to weather/nicks, etc. Either underground original service wires, or inside house somewhere is my outlook on this.
Any clues appreciated and will observe absolute safety procedures checking any procedures suggested. Will be glad to answer any questions to the best of my knowledge concerning voltage checks, tests etc.
But honestly, i'm starting to get stumped with this problem.
thanks in advance,
dp