280 Volt Service!?

[davedottcom]

Got a call... lights dimming, stuff blowing up... yada yada yada

Sounds like an open neutral, I'll be right there.

Took voltage readings directly on the nice clean aluminium poco service conductors on the LINE side of meter without removing the meter.
(underground service by the way)

I took Voltage readings in every way possible with all kinds of different readings fluctuating just like any other open neutral I've seen... but the one I don't understand was a reading of 280 Volts across L1 - L2.
That only lasted a few minutes then it dipped down to 56 across the same 2 points.

Power Co says it's not their connections or transformer, the problem is in the customer's equipment!

I am 99% sure it's the transformer unless somehow, someway it's possible for a voltage of 280 Volts to be produced on the line side of the meter due to something on the customer's side.

Any comments or theories?

Thanks as always!

 

[nakulak]

unfortunately, the only way for you to prove its poco is to 1) turn off customer's main and 2) put a recording device on there. Could very well be something nearby and not customer, but if poco isn't doing anything how are you going to convince them (and give the customer something they can take to court if they need to replace their appliances)?

 

[davedottcom]

They already lost (1) refrig, (1) pressure washer, etc...

The poco installed something on the meter base today to monitor it!?

I've never seen them do that, so I'm going there again tomorrow to check it out.

 

[davedottcom]

I went to see this "Monitoring Device" today. It looked just like one of those meter-surge units to me!

Anyway, the voltage in the panel was normal when I was there...
I called the poco guy for an update on how the 280 Volts was coming from the customer's side!?!?...

no call back yet...

 

[mxslick]

Make a LOT of noise with the poco

Make a LOT of noise with the poco

You'll get a call back from the customer soon when EVERYTHING in the house gets blown up..I have seen this a few times before..you MUST get a higher-up in the poco on the case and get them to replace the transformer, it has an intermittent fault with the primary and/or secondary windings that will eventually blow up.

 

[480sparky]

Are you sure it wasn't 280 mV?

If one leg is dead, I could see that happening.

It's real easy to look at a digital meter and see 280 and naturally assume you have 280 volts, when it's really not.

 

[mxslick]

Are you sure it wasn't 280 mV?

If one leg is dead, I could see that happening.

It's real easy to look at a digital meter and see 280 and naturally assume you have 280 volts, when it's really not.

Could be, but since stuff has already blown up, I think it was indeed 280 volts. See my previous post.. :grin:

 

[davedottcom]

Are you sure it wasn't 280 mV?

If one leg is dead, I could see that happening.

It's real easy to look at a digital meter and see 280 and naturally assume you have 280 volts, when it's really not.

No sir, I'm sure.

I had my volt meter directly on poco's aluminum conductors:
279.4 Volts & utility meter was spinning

Then it dropped to 56 volts & the utility meter stopped spinning

I forgot to mention that before.

 

[StephenSDH]

If I was that customer I would keep the main off until the utility replaces the transformer.

 

[davedottcom]

still No call backs from FPL.

I called FPL last night to find out if or when they were going to inspect the transformer.

At First they said they were sending out a crew... then 3 hours later when I had to call again, they said they weren't going to look at the transformer until the voltage monitor was on for a few more days!

I said, it's your call but the list of items you will have to reimburse her for is getting bigger everyday!

Unbelievable.

I do know one way to get action quickly that has worked in the past.

Simply tell them this is obviously racial discrimination and ask for their names for the report. (It doesn't matter what race anyone is by the way, that's what makes it funny!) No kidding, this works. I fought with AT&T for months about my phone line not working right. They thought I was trying to increase my internet speed and kept blowing me off. I told them I was filing a racial discrimination report and they had a guy here the next morning! He replaced the old interface box & the problem was solved.

 

[Security101]

I do know one way to get action quickly that has worked in the past.

Call them and tell them there's black smoke billowing from the transformer - that will work too... :roll:

Jim

 

[davedottcom]

Call them and tell them there's black smoke billowing from the transformer - that will work too... :roll:

Jim

I would... if there was!

 

[Umlaut]

Raising false alarms can't possibly be the right solution, can it?

 

[mxslick]

Call them and tell them there's black smoke billowing from the transformer - that will work too... :roll:

Jim

A well-placed bullet hole can expedite that event. :grin:

Raising false alarms can't possibly be the right solution, can it?

I don't think the voltage readings the OP has found make for a false alarm. Some POCO's (and FPL is one of them) have a very bad reputation for handling problems that don't involve smoke or explosions. (Then again, they have a very famous substation that has burned badly..TWICE. The video is a staple on Youtube.)

 

[Umlaut]

Is "FPL" for "Florida Power and Light"?

While I agree that it's most likely a transformer problem, I can't find a post where Dave says he's observed these readings with the customer disconnected.

 

[mxslick]

Is "FPL" for "Florida Power and Light"?

While I agree that it's most likely a transformer problem, I can't find a post where Dave says he's observed these readings with the customer disconnected.

Yep, FPL is Florida Power and Light.

What difference would it make if the customer is connected/disconnected?

 

[davedottcom]

Is "FPL" for "Florida Power and Light"?

While I agree that it's most likely a transformer problem, I can't find a post where Dave says he's observed these readings with the customer disconnected.

That is correct, the 280 volts was read with the full load of the house on.
I couldn't think of any reason to continue. I immediately called FPL. As far as I know it would be impossible for any customer's equipment to create more voltage... and no, there isn't any generator or Solar PV system!

 

[Sierrasparky]

That is correct, the 280 volts was read with the full load of the house on.
I couldn't think of any reason to continue. I immediately called FPL. As far as I know it would be impossible for any customer's equipment to create more voltage... and no, there isn't any generator or Solar PV system!

Sounds like you have some crazy POCO there. What I would do is fax over a complaint to the POCO's service office stating the entire situation. Back it up with a certified letter. I would not put up with that at all. The fact that the tech installed some recorder when there is obviously some issue means the have some rediculous policy in place.
They need to be put in their place.

 

[Umlaut]

Depending on how you're measuring (RMS? Peak-mean?) and power factor, and the connected equipment, I think it's possible that you see higher peaks. A generator is just a motor that's being driven rather than driving. It's conceivable that faulty HVAC or refrigeration equipment is driving potential back into the mains.

I believe the most likely cause is something from the power company, particularly because there's enough current to damage other appliances. But I don't think enough diagnostic work has been done to conclusively eliminate other causes.