electrical problem
- Thread starter cnevels
- Start date
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hurk27
Senior Member
- Location
- Portage, Indiana NEC: 2008
Re: electrical problem
What does the voltage do on the other leg? If It rises to a higher voltage you have a lost neutral condition and it NEED'S IMEDEIT REPARE. A lost neutral can cause a house fire It will damage equipment on that high leg. if the voltage does not go up then it probably is a bad connection in the meter, at the weather head (if over head) or at the transformer. but if it is an underground laterals then it could be a bad spot in the wire to the meter. I would call the POCO to be sure.
What does the voltage do on the other leg? If It rises to a higher voltage you have a lost neutral condition and it NEED'S IMEDEIT REPARE. A lost neutral can cause a house fire It will damage equipment on that high leg. if the voltage does not go up then it probably is a bad connection in the meter, at the weather head (if over head) or at the transformer. but if it is an underground laterals then it could be a bad spot in the wire to the meter. I would call the POCO to be sure.
bill addiss
Senior Member
Re: electrical problem
Bill
I second the motion.
Bill
goldstar
Senior Member
- Location
- New Jersey
- Occupation
- Electrical Contractor
Re: electrical problem
Funny you should mention this. Just yesterday I had a service call where these same conditions were present. It seems that whoever added a sub panel to this residence (and didn't have it inspected) installed the tap wires under the same lugs as the SE cable. Little did they realize that the neutral of the SE cable fell out from the lug. Long story short.....the TV, stereo, and microwave were toasted !!!!!!!!
jimwalker
Senior Member
- Location
- TAMPA FLORIDA
Re: electrical problem
Sound very much like open neutral.See if you have 240 between phases.If so its open.Worst case i seen of open neutral was recently on service call (lights flashing).Checking service panel first i found out of balance phases.Walked outside to peak at service.There under a huge oak tree branch was the drop stretched so tight it should have broke.Extra close look and there it was, the bare neutral had rubbed back and forth till it broke.Easy cure ,turn all breakers off real fast.Call on cell to TECO (POCO)we have a 911.Customer suffered lots of dammage.Electronics fry and so do motors.Told her to call her insurance company.
[ January 17, 2004, 10:17 AM: Message edited by: jimwalker ]
Sound very much like open neutral.See if you have 240 between phases.If so its open.Worst case i seen of open neutral was recently on service call (lights flashing).Checking service panel first i found out of balance phases.Walked outside to peak at service.There under a huge oak tree branch was the drop stretched so tight it should have broke.Extra close look and there it was, the bare neutral had rubbed back and forth till it broke.Easy cure ,turn all breakers off real fast.Call on cell to TECO (POCO)we have a 911.Customer suffered lots of dammage.Electronics fry and so do motors.Told her to call her insurance company.
[ January 17, 2004, 10:17 AM: Message edited by: jimwalker ]
jimwalker
Senior Member
- Location
- TAMPA FLORIDA
Re: electrical problem
Hope not too much damage.If so homeowners should pay.
Hope not too much damage.If so homeowners should pay.
jimwalker
Senior Member
- Location
- TAMPA FLORIDA
Re: electrical problem
Homeowners insurance covers losses from things like lightning,fires,flood,broken water pipes that flood homes.If they have damage they should collect.Very lucky not to have a fire from this.
Have seen insurance companies even pay for upgrading to code.
Now let me ask why you think they shouldn't pay ?
[ January 18, 2004, 06:28 PM: Message edited by: jimwalker ]
Homeowners insurance covers losses from things like lightning,fires,flood,broken water pipes that flood homes.If they have damage they should collect.Very lucky not to have a fire from this.
Have seen insurance companies even pay for upgrading to code.
Now let me ask why you think they shouldn't pay ?
[ January 18, 2004, 06:28 PM: Message edited by: jimwalker ]
jimwalker
Senior Member
- Location
- TAMPA FLORIDA
Re: electrical problem
Roger,it would be faster to collect on his own insurance.Now his insurance co. very well might turn around and go after the poco.Keep in mind that poco probably won't offer to pay without a lawyer involved.
He hasn't said what if any damage, but would be rare if he escaped any.
Roger,it would be faster to collect on his own insurance.Now his insurance co. very well might turn around and go after the poco.Keep in mind that poco probably won't offer to pay without a lawyer involved.
He hasn't said what if any damage, but would be rare if he escaped any.
Re: electrical problem
Jim I don't agree that the POCO will not pay.
I know of a case not far from my house (people I know) of a lost neutral on the POCO side of the service.
The POCO (or their insurance company) payed a reasonable replacement value (not 100% but the homeowners insurance company wouldn't have either) for all the lost appliances and electronics.
This did not drag out for a long period of time.
BTW, I know not all POCO's or circumstances are the same.
Roger
[ January 18, 2004, 07:41 PM: Message edited by: roger ]
Jim I don't agree that the POCO will not pay.
I know of a case not far from my house (people I know) of a lost neutral on the POCO side of the service.
The POCO (or their insurance company) payed a reasonable replacement value (not 100% but the homeowners insurance company wouldn't have either) for all the lost appliances and electronics.
This did not drag out for a long period of time.
BTW, I know not all POCO's or circumstances are the same.
Roger
[ January 18, 2004, 07:41 PM: Message edited by: roger ]
hurk27
Senior Member
- Location
- Portage, Indiana NEC: 2008
Re: electrical problem
Roger not to fuel a fire but around here the POCO plays heck to get them to pay for any thing with out a law suit. just this last spring we had a surge cause by a HV line coming down on a MV live this caused a 950 volt X 14.8 sec.s surge in a lot of homes that were connected to "C" phase my chart recorder caught the whole thing. after handing copies to home owners to give to there lawyers they are still battling it in court. there was a lot of damage but for the most part the home owners just turned it in to there insurance. and let them go after the POCO. I was on that phase but I run isolated from the POCO and the only thing it did was trip my 200 amp main. because of the TVSS system.Two years earlyer, We even had the POCO reconnect the transformer end of the drop (after a tree fell) with out checking the house end (neutral still apart) and burned up all the customers electronics. Again they refused to pay until I told him he should go after them. He won but they had a battle in court. as they tryed to say it was an act of god. I asked his lawyer to ask them if there line man was god. as he was the one who made the mistake.
[ January 18, 2004, 10:14 PM: Message edited by: hurk27 ]
Roger not to fuel a fire but around here the POCO plays heck to get them to pay for any thing with out a law suit. just this last spring we had a surge cause by a HV line coming down on a MV live this caused a 950 volt X 14.8 sec.s surge in a lot of homes that were connected to "C" phase my chart recorder caught the whole thing. after handing copies to home owners to give to there lawyers they are still battling it in court. there was a lot of damage but for the most part the home owners just turned it in to there insurance. and let them go after the POCO. I was on that phase but I run isolated from the POCO and the only thing it did was trip my 200 amp main. because of the TVSS system.Two years earlyer, We even had the POCO reconnect the transformer end of the drop (after a tree fell) with out checking the house end (neutral still apart) and burned up all the customers electronics. Again they refused to pay until I told him he should go after them. He won but they had a battle in court. as they tryed to say it was an act of god. I asked his lawyer to ask them if there line man was god. as he was the one who made the mistake.
[ January 18, 2004, 10:14 PM: Message edited by: hurk27 ]
karl riley
Senior Member
Re: electrical problem
Not only the high voltage leg can do damage. My vacuum cleaner motor burned out on the low voltage leg in a rented shop before the POCO rushed out and wire-brushed the neutral at the pole transformer. They came out as soon as I called.
I forgot to ask them to pay for the vacuum cleaner.
Karl
Not only the high voltage leg can do damage. My vacuum cleaner motor burned out on the low voltage leg in a rented shop before the POCO rushed out and wire-brushed the neutral at the pole transformer. They came out as soon as I called.
I forgot to ask them to pay for the vacuum cleaner.
Karl
hurk27
Senior Member
- Location
- Portage, Indiana NEC: 2008
Re: electrical problem
Yep thats why all my long extention cords on my truck are at least a #10. I have seen to many drills and saws and air compressors burn up the same way. Under voltage can be bad too.
I see carpenters all the time with thoses 100' 16awg cords trying to run a worm drive saw. and changing blades every 10 cuts.
Yep thats why all my long extention cords on my truck are at least a #10. I have seen to many drills and saws and air compressors burn up the same way. Under voltage can be bad too.
I see carpenters all the time with thoses 100' 16awg cords trying to run a worm drive saw. and changing blades every 10 cuts.
bill addiss
Senior Member
Re: electrical problem
I know of at least 1 instance where the POCO paid for new Appliances. It's good to have documentation to support your case.
Last year I had an instance where a utility pole was leaning and the tension on the drop had pulled the service mast away from a house and pried the hub up off the meterpan on one side. It was probably like this for years. Anyway, the entrance of water over time had corroded connections inside the meter enclosure and the Panelboard below in the basement.
Long Story short, detailed pictures were taken of everything and the POCO reimbursed the homeowner for the full cost of a Service replacement, inside and out.
Bill
I know of at least 1 instance where the POCO paid for new Appliances. It's good to have documentation to support your case.
Last year I had an instance where a utility pole was leaning and the tension on the drop had pulled the service mast away from a house and pried the hub up off the meterpan on one side. It was probably like this for years. Anyway, the entrance of water over time had corroded connections inside the meter enclosure and the Panelboard below in the basement.
Long Story short, detailed pictures were taken of everything and the POCO reimbursed the homeowner for the full cost of a Service replacement, inside and out.
Bill
pierre
Senior Member
- Location
- Westchester County, New York
Re: electrical problem
Three years ago we had an incident where Con Edison had so much work they hired private companies to do some linework. A private company was performing some work and had a high voltage line cross with 120/240 distribution system to 300 homes. There was 40,000 volts sent to the homes and much damage, including some small fires. 30 electrical contractors including 100 men worked around the clock for three days to megger and repair each dwelling.
I heard that it cost Con Edison more than $1,250,000 to settle with the ECs and the homeowners over a nine month period.
They paid for the owners to stay in local motels as it was quite cold.
Pierre
Three years ago we had an incident where Con Edison had so much work they hired private companies to do some linework. A private company was performing some work and had a high voltage line cross with 120/240 distribution system to 300 homes. There was 40,000 volts sent to the homes and much damage, including some small fires. 30 electrical contractors including 100 men worked around the clock for three days to megger and repair each dwelling.
I heard that it cost Con Edison more than $1,250,000 to settle with the ECs and the homeowners over a nine month period.
They paid for the owners to stay in local motels as it was quite cold.
Pierre
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