160v-l-n

[Mike01]

How would you get 160V L-N on a receptacle? Came across this today, and cannot figure out how you would get this type of reading (Fluke Digital Meter)

 

[qcroanoke]

How would you get 160V L-N on a receptacle? Came across this today, and cannot figure out how you would get this type of reading (Fluke Digital Meter)

Sounds like you have a loose neutral somewhere. Are you having problems with the circuit?

 

[Mike01]

How?

How?

No problems it just came up and I was asked what could cause this and my first thought was a lose neutral but how would that boost the voltage by 40volts? It only occurs at this one location.

 

[don_resqcapt19]

No problems it just came up and I was asked what could cause this and my first thought was a lose neutral but how would that boost the voltage by 40volts? It only occurs at this one location.

This can happen on a multiwire circuit with an open or poor neutral. The circuit becomes a series circuit and acts as a voltage divider. In this case the other part of the circuit would only show about 80 volts. It doesn't really boost the voltage...only divides it and the total of the two should be 240 on a 120/240 volt single phase system.

 

[Mike01]

Ok

Ok

So chances this is a MWBC with a shared neutral intresting, maybe I will attempt to sketch and post this and you can let me know if It looks correct?

 

[iwire]

I agree with the others, look for a open or loose neutral and it can be any where from the utility transformer all the way to the branch circuit.

My first stop would be the panel supplying this circuit and check the voltages at the panel.

 

[Mike01]

Thanks

Thanks

Thanks for the advice from everyone, altough I will not be verifying the voltages personally I now have somewhere to indicate (to the contractor) where to start looking.