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Electrical problem

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TJ

02-04-2004 06:44:56




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My electrical service comes from the transformer overhead to my detached garage (200 amp disconnect) underground to the house (200 amp service panel) When the heat pump starts the lights dim. Our Air purifier (runs continously) will slow down. Have checked for open ground or loose connections. Any ideas?

TJ




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MarkB

02-04-2004 20:07:06




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 Re: Electrical problem in reply to TJ, 02-04-2004 06:44:56  
The correct way to troubleshoot this is with an AC voltmeter. You neeed to go all the way back to your meter and figure out where the voltage drop is occurring. If your 240V service drops more than about 10 vac when your heat pump kicks on, then you've got a problem with your service. I recommend you have an electrician do this; 240V service is nothing to be messing with.



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TJ

02-05-2004 00:12:38




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 Re: Re: Electrical problem in reply to MarkB, 02-04-2004 20:07:06  
MarkB,

That's my next step. Thanks.

TJ



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BIG WOOD

02-04-2004 16:56:25




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 Re: Electrical problem in reply to TJ, 02-04-2004 06:44:56  
you may want to have your heat pump comp. checked for overload, you may need a new comp. or it could be as simple as a starting cap.



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TJ

02-04-2004 17:10:43




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 Re: Re: Electrical problem in reply to BIG WOOD , 02-04-2004 16:56:25  
Big Wood,

Thanks for the reply. I hadn't thought about the heat pump comp.

TJ



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TJ

02-04-2004 15:57:31




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 Re: Electrical problem in reply to TJ, 02-04-2004 06:44:56  
I checked the service panel in the house. The left (hot service) wire lug appears to be pushed down. In comparaion to the right side hot service wire lug the left is definitely pushed down or tipped forward. It is ever so slightly detached in the back of the wire lug. The wire is 4/0 and it seems to have put enough pressure to cause the wire lug to pull away from the panel. Could this be the cause of the dim lights while heat pump runs? Any ideas or solutions?

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buickanddeere

02-04-2004 10:37:32




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 Re: Electrical problem in reply to TJ, 02-04-2004 06:44:56  
How far from the transformer to the heat pump compressor? A reciprocating compressor load is the toughest to start bar none. The 1st cycle or two will take 9x to 15x nameplate rated current. Then 4 to 6 times rated current until up to speed. And that takes a while. Is the furnace fan starting at the same time? Voltage drop is current times resistance. If the compressor is drawing approx 200 amps plus the other house loads. The line voltage can still momentarily drop 5% from 240v to 228v and still be in spec for the low voltage distribution conductors. Add to this the voltage drop on the transformer high voltage supply, high voltage windings and low voltage windings. And it's possible the original installation was a bit undersize for the length of the wire run. I trouble shot a situation one time when � the lights dimmed and � became brighter when just some of the 120vac loads started. Found a loose neutral in the meter base.

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tech4

02-04-2004 09:27:31




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 Re: Electrical problem in reply to TJ, 02-04-2004 06:44:56  
Is this something new or has this been happening all along? The obvious problem if this is new would be poor connections in the hot wires not ground as I am sure this is 240 volts. If this just happen also the start capacitor could be bad in the compressor motor. (had that happen on my own unit)



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John - NY

02-04-2004 07:34:25




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 Re: Electrical problem in reply to TJ, 02-04-2004 06:44:56  
We were having problems with our electric (200amp underground service that was all recently redone within 10 years)and the electric company stated that we had to have a licensed electrician come in to verify that the problem wasn't in the house wiring before they'd send out their crews. We did that and the power company came out. They found in the meter box that one of the entrance leads from the pole and transformer into the meter box was pretty loose (aluminum 4/0 conductors)and they tightened it up. The next morning the problem with dimming lights happened again. It was still dark out so we looked out at the pole and there were sparks near the transformer. The power company again came out and replaced a bunch of wires, stating that the ground wires at the transformer were bad. Problem seems to be solved now!

Hope this helps give you some ideas!

John

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Mac

02-04-2004 10:41:06




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 Re: Re: Electrical problem in reply to John - NY, 02-04-2004 07:34:25  
I worked utilities years ago, I can say that the service now is not as it was then. I called them a few weeks ago for some line work. Insulation had fallen off,(their Pole) they came by and just eyeballed it from the ground and left. I guess you have to pinpoint everything anymore before they will investigate. IMHO it seems that you are putting them out to have to do anything. I think maybe they contract out a lot of jobs. Tree trimming for sure.

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Wayne

02-04-2004 19:37:04




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 Re: Re: Re: Electrical problem in reply to Mac, 02-04-2004 10:41:06  
I know Duke here in NC contracts out almost everything. I called once about a dead oak tree with several huge limbs hanging over the lines out in front of the house. They sent a guy out but his truck was too small for the job so he left. Nine months later at the start of the next winter I called again when one of the limbs finally dropped and was laying on the line. Same guy came out again, with the same truck. He said their records showed that the job had already been done by the contractor, but it obviously wasn't. He said that they had beenn having to go behind them and do close to 40% of the jobs that supposidly had already been done. It took him all day with the little truck, but he got the job done that time himself. To top that try the guy that came out when Dad hit one leg of the feed to his house with the post hole diggers less than 6" deep. With the line still HOT the idiot poured the hole full of water and was poking around with his pocketknife, bare handed, looking for the wire. It had just burn a nice place on the cutting edge and kicked a set of diggers out at Dad, I hate to think what it would have done to his knife, his hand, and him. I guess he was just lucky. Dad called a friend at Duke when he saw this and that guy got a call to go somewhere else less that a minute later. The next guy had some sense and got the problem fixed. I guess God looks out for some fools at least.

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