AndrewT
New member
- Location
- California
I'm diagnosing a difficult issue. In this older house most lines on separate circuits share a common ground. I caught one issue where two circuits shared a common ground using the same phase. This was the disposal/dishwasher AND all outlets in the kitchen. One can easily imagine that 20 amps could be drawn from the receptacles and then in addition from the dishwasher and the disposal sending 40 amps down the shared neutral (12 gauge). I made the correction so they are now on separate phases.
A few weeks later the disposal was not running (or starting) AND all equipment plugged into outlets got damaged. (Blown coffee maker and toaster oven with electronics). CFI receptacle drove those outlets. Amazon's Alexa plugged directly into CFI was ok.
CFI could also have been damaged since it exhibited strange behavior afterwards. I replaced it. Everything is working again. (other than the 2 damaged appliances).
Neutral is grounded at breaker box.
Ideas: High current of a stuck disposal shifted neutral voltage and created over-volt condition at receptacles drawing very little current?
Neutral at receptacles runs through GFI receptacles first.. could that float it? Could a faulty GFI create such a condition that would lead to an over-volt?
Short of running a second neutral what is the best way to correct future issues?
Could this still just be a faulty Disposal or am I making a serious error in my wiring?
A few weeks later the disposal was not running (or starting) AND all equipment plugged into outlets got damaged. (Blown coffee maker and toaster oven with electronics). CFI receptacle drove those outlets. Amazon's Alexa plugged directly into CFI was ok.
CFI could also have been damaged since it exhibited strange behavior afterwards. I replaced it. Everything is working again. (other than the 2 damaged appliances).
Neutral is grounded at breaker box.
Ideas: High current of a stuck disposal shifted neutral voltage and created over-volt condition at receptacles drawing very little current?
Neutral at receptacles runs through GFI receptacles first.. could that float it? Could a faulty GFI create such a condition that would lead to an over-volt?
Short of running a second neutral what is the best way to correct future issues?
Could this still just be a faulty Disposal or am I making a serious error in my wiring?
