100 amp main update

First off thanks for all the concerns. So far 2 resets in 3 or 4 months does have me knowing something is not right,but hardly enough to panic I'd think?
So far I pulled the panel cover off,checked tightness off ALL connections. Main was not loose but several other small circuits were VERY loose. Hooked amprobe over one leg and with dryer,stove,and water heater going plus lights etc. didn't get quite up to 60 amps. Voltage checked without loads 248 across both breaker terminals and 122 from each half to neutral. Now as I type this I bet I should of tested it with the loads going too.
Next trip to town going to pick up a spare breaker. Will change it out next time it trips or next power outage whichever comes first.

Not recomending this, but l've done it in past with them live, just very carefully. course now on the farm i'd just go out to the pole where it comes in and turn it off there. Rocko. (Waiting to here from someone out there to call me a friging idiot. like I said NOT recomending this)

Loose connections is a common problem, especially on aluminum conductors. The problem is cold flow where the conductor actually creeps out from under the locking screw over time. If the connections are not rated for aluminum wire it can be a big issue.

Thanks for the updates, as you give us more info it can help us help you.

Okay it looks like your voltage levels are up to par,,,,,,,,the amperage load doesnt sound to be anywhere near the problem,,,,,,,,,I take you at your word about the connections and that some were loose, tighten up the loose ones of course.

Based on what you say for no more then the cost Id consider a new main breaker then see what happens,,,,,,,,,,If the problem persists look for an intermittent short or a connection problem in a major load appliance (assuming all is okay in the panel????)........

Were still back to my square one,,,,,,,perhaps a bad breaker,,,,,,,,,,perhaps a loose connection,,,,,,perhaps a problem in an appliance,,,,,,,,,perhaps a water heater element thats shorting,,,,,,,

John T

Not fully understanding what your problem is, I am guessing your main is tripping. Is main breaker warm at all. If so, probably bad inside. Have replaced lots of main breakers in the last 5 or so years. Junk is the problem. How frequent were the trips, and what breakers, or just main? Please write all your experiences so some one can help. Hard to see through the computer. Dave

Do you mean open and close the primary fuse holder?

He might mean the on-off switch on the transformer. Most in my area have them. But you need a long pole to reach and technically - since the transformer is power-company property - only they are supposed to be fooling with it.

Much easier to just yank the meter out to cut power to the panel.

in our area there is a breaker on the last power company pole, installed by the power company, mounted at about chest height,acually just after the meter that when switch off turn off power to my complete farm, all lines after that are mine and my responsability, it is also the switch that i throw if we have a power failure and i want to fire up my generator so as to not fry some line man trying to repair lines. Rocko.

That is NOT the switch you pull so you can fire up the generator and back feed with a male-male cord set. Illegal for a reason.
Even worse if you are plugging into a three prong welder receptacle instead of a four prong clothes dryer or electric range receptacle.
Start reading the National Electrical Code. It was written by people who actually know about electricity.

Buick and deer. There is also another breaker a the genorator that is thrown when starting the genorator. this genorator was installed and totally hard wired into the farm when i bought it. and for your info i had a Fortis lineman here doing repair work and ask him to look it over as i was concerned about power running back from my genorator onto the system when running and he advisided that i switch off both this breaker and the one at the genorator and since it could well be his life on the line i think i will take his advise over yours. Thank you for your imput and no dissrespect but what makes you so self rightous and knolagible? Rocko.

Doesn't anyone have those 2 way switches rhat are required around here. The power to the farm either comes from the power company or the generator. It is wired so the 2 cannot connect to each other.

Buickanddeere.

There is also another breaker a the generator that is thrown when starting the generator. this generator was installed and totally hard wired into the farm when I bought it. and for your info I had a Fortis lineman here doing repair work and ask him to look it over. As I was concerned about power running back from my generator onto the system when running and he advised that I switch off both this breaker and the one at the generator and since it could well be his life on the line i think I will take his advise over yours. Thank you for your input and no disrespect but what makes you so self righteous and knowledgeable?

Rocko.

Unless the generator and utility transformer breaker are mechanically and/or electrically interlocked. Your setup is technically wrong, illegal, breaks the NEC code and is dangerous to man and machine.

So just what exactly are your qualifications? Asking Bubba the lineman for a quick look? I was watching the "Dirty Jobs" episode where they are replacing a broken pole in Wyoming.
Raised some eyebrows when one of the line man said " the lower neutral wire just carries unused power back to the generating station......................"

My electrical qualifications and real world in the field experience far far exceed yours, don't worry about that. 35 years of full and part time school with continuous updates. 309A Interprovincial trade ticket. And several pages just list the individual qualifications in Nuclear instrument, electronic, control and power both low and high voltage. Fire Fighter Captain in a nuc plant for 10 years too. Want to know something else. There is still more to learn after all this time and experience.
I also use spell check to correct most of my grammar and spelling mistakes.

Teddy52food. You have that 100% correct.

Help me out on this one. The big problem with shutting of the breaker at the pole is what? Not trying to be smart, just trying to learn. When I get my genny hooked up, it'll be done right, but...if the breaker at the pole is off and the main at the panel is of and one would say backfeed a breaker in the panel is the problem that no where in any of this is the neutral from the house panel to the pole "broken"? This would allow for a bad appliance in the house to accidentally feed the neutral, correct? Do the "correct" genny switches switch the 2 legs AND the neutral? Once again, just trying to learn.
AaronSEIA

And with all that, you forgot your a$$hole license.
Some of your electrical advice is wrong to.

Thank You. Best compliment I have heard from you in a long time.

I suppose if you feel threatened and have no facts to back yourself up. You can go with the emotional name calling.
b.t.w it's "too" not "to".

People like you do not threaten me at all. I laugh and feel sorry for people like you.I have read many of your posts and laugh at the lack of wisdom or knowledge. That is all you have on me is a misspelled word? lol. A job in a nuclear power plant? With your so called intelligence, that is all you could achieve in life? Yeah you use spell check so that makes you a better person than others.

And you became so bitter and bent out of shape because the NEC has rightfully demanded that "break before make" transfer switches be used? And that the ground system should not carry neutral current?

even if i were to take all you listed as your qualifications as gospell mr spell check and i dont, but lets just say i conceed that you are some what knowledgable on electrical matters. still leaves my second question, what makes you so self rightous. far as i can see only difference between yourself and god is that god doesnt think he is buickanddeere. rocko.

Sorry if you feel intimidated in an area you are less familiar with. I work with folk that are way smarter,educated and better looking than myself. And I don't find them irritating.Rather they are people to learn from.
So how is one supposed to sit by and do nothing when somebody is going to eventually injure, maim or kill themselves or innocent bystanders? Do you have no conscience?
Do find school crossing guards to be self righteous too?
Don't think it's a little frustrating to know what is correct and have somebody too proud to admit they could be wrong?
There are people here who still can't see what is wrong with running two wires out to a three prong duplex receptacle. And connecting the white insulated wire to both the silver and green lugs. Doesn't matter how you try to explain it to them. Bubba thinks he knows better than the NEC and 100's of thousands of engineers and trades people.
As for gen transfer switches? Any idea why it was made law to use break before make transfer switches/breakers/contactors?
Or when some well meaning individual who has the best intentions for mankind. Can't get the idea through his head there are 3 or 4 laws of thermodynamics in his way.
So yes after a few attempts to assist somebody and they just won't/can't accept the obvious. Then yes, it's no problem to come to the conclusion they are stupid.
Judging by the pictures of wrecks,injury and death reports of people who should know better. There is no shortage of stupid.
And yes every single person, myself included can look back in life and know they did something stupid.

No I did not, where is that stated in any of my posts?