Electrical Unbalance

[OBONE]

Hi. I was called to a residence regarding voltage spikes within the house. The readings vary but for the most part when the fridge or other appliances come on the voltage spikes on one leg to 180 volts and the other leg drops sometimes as low as 70 volts.
When the system is "normal" readings are good at 125 volts and 247 volts . Is this a grounding issue?

 

[zbang]

Bad neutral somewhere, if you see the problem at the main then it's a utilty problem. Search the forums here for "loose neutral" and a bunch of threads will turn up.

 

[OBONE]

Thanks for your input. The street side seems to be fine it's something within the residence itself. Forgot to mention there's 5 to 6 amps on the ground wire and zero amps on the neutral.

 

[qcroanoke]

^^^^^^^ That.

 

[winnie]

Sounds to me like an open neutral where the ground goes to a common metal water pipe. Neutral current is flowing on the ground piping.

Improving the ground might help, in the sense that it would better mask the problem. The solution is to find the open neutral.

Jon

 

[Dsg319]

^^^^^^^ That.

Classic open noodle

 

[ptonsparky]

Where is that video about open Neutrals?

 

[Joethemechanic]

Where is that video about open Neutrals?

 

[don_resqcapt19]

Thanks for your input. The street side seems to be fine it's something within the residence itself. Forgot to mention there's 5 to 6 amps on the ground wire and zero amps on the neutral.

you need to do voltage checks with a large load connected first from one leg to neutral and then connected from the other leg to neutral. You should do this with all of the breakers off except the one powering the test load....something like a 1500 watt heater is a good test load.

 

[OBONE]

Sounds to me like an open neutral where the ground goes to a common metal water pipe. Neutral current is flowing on the ground piping.

Improving the ground might help, in the sense that it would better mask the problem. The solution is to find the open neutral.

Jon

Tks everyone. I checked the grounding there's no ground rod connection . Looks like it was disconnected during renovations.
I'll install a new rod , hopefully this solves the issue.

 

[roger]

A new rod(s) will not solve the issue. Ground (earth) is not part of the circuitry.

 

[OBONE]

Tks . The rods should be installed as there is no incoming town water supply, there's a well on the property for water supply.
I can see this taking some time to locate the open neutral problem.

 

[ptonsparky]

You have been given the answer.

"The solution is to find the open neutral."

 

[ptonsparky]

Tks . The rods should be installed as there is no incoming town water supply, there's a well on the property for water supply.
I can see this taking some time to locate the open neutral problem.

Maybe an hour, not counting drive time.

 

[OBONE]

You sound like you're the right person for the job. Usually I look at the work first before quoting.
See you in an hour

 

[infinity]

Tks everyone. I checked the grounding there's no ground rod connection . Looks like it was disconnected during renovations.
I'll install a new rod , hopefully this solves the issue

As Roger stated a grounding electrode has nothing to do with the issue. You said that there is 5 to 6 amps on the ground wire, what is the function of this "ground wire"?

 

[ActionDave]

Tks . The rods should be installed as there is no incoming town water supply, there's a well on the property for water supply.
I can see this taking some time to locate the open neutral problem.

Fix the neutral problem. It's worth the time to find and correct a dangerous problem with a real solution.

 

[winnie]

To have 5 A flowing on the 'ground wire', you must already have a pretty good grounding electrode.

So good, in fact, that I am suspicious that the 'ground wire' is properly identified.

An underground well case is probably a very good grounding electrode.

Jon

 

[readydave8]

open neutral, not ground problem

Hello?

 

[don_resqcapt19]

Tks everyone. I checked the grounding there's no ground rod connection . Looks like it was disconnected during renovations.
I'll install a new rod , hopefully this solves the issue.

A connection to earth will never solve any electrical problem. In some cases it may mask the problem, but it will never solve the problem.