Exploding lightbulbs

[76nemo]

I tend to be a cheap skate and would accomplish the same thing with a load and my existing meter (as you referred to earlier).

I am interested what in particular you found most uselful about that tool (Ideal)?

I hope someone would find an interest. It's the Ideal 61-165, and the 61-183 test cord to go along with it.

http://www.tequipment.net/Ideal61-165.asp

I agree with Brian that nothing beats a megger attitude. I LOVE MINE. This is for online/hot checks. No pulling out boxes, diconnecting conductors, etc. The only thing I do not like about the tester is the fact I overlooked it, and hesitated to buy it for so long
Plug, unplug, go. Cilp, unclip, go. It is limited to just 120-240V applications, but still? I tend not to brag too much on equipment. We all have different likes, features, etc., but I have to give this guy two thumbs up.
Check it out.

 

[joe ryff]

If you have a high quality FLUKE 189 or 289, what does the ideal meter provide that you can't get with the FLUKE, a 12 Amp load, a little time and a calculator.

What exactly did you discover using this product?

 

[joe ryff]

What did you use the IDEAL for (exactly) and what did you find? Seems like a lot of money if you already have a good meter (better than the IDEAL), a 12 amp load, a little time and a calculator. I wonder if it would pay off for you, or is it just a nice to have?

 

[brother]

I hope someone would find an interest. It's the Ideal 61-165, and the 61-183 test cord to go along with it.

http://www.tequipment.net/Ideal61-165.asp

I agree with Brian that nothing beats a megger attitude. I LOVE MINE. This is for online/hot checks. No pulling out boxes, diconnecting conductors, etc. The only thing I do not like about the tester is the fact I overlooked it, and hesitated to buy it for so long
Plug, unplug, go. Cilp, unclip, go. It is limited to just 120-240V applications, but still? I tend not to brag too much on equipment. We all have different likes, features, etc., but I have to give this guy two thumbs up.
Check it out.

I was told there were NO REAL afci testers. lol Even the 'test button' on the breaker itself was not really any good.

 

[JohnJ0906]

I was told there were NO REAL afci testers. lol Even the 'test button' on the breaker itself was not really any good.

My understanding is that there is no such thing as an AFCI tester. The only test recognized by the manufacterers is the test button.

Why is the test button "no good"?


http://www.snapdrive.net/files/507790/afcitester.pdf

edit to add link

 

[GilbeSpark]

76Nemo, what exactly does this the Ideal 61-165 do for you? I even just read the instruction manual and I don't see how I'd ever use this tool. I've got a plug in tester and a volt meter and a megger. Is it really worth the $300?

 

[76nemo]

Rsm

Rsm

Well, for one a couple of buddies told me this was an RMS? kind of tester, and for whatever reason, this kind of tester is best, or alot better than a "regular" type tester. Whatever "regular" means? It also has a frequency mode to measure how much power something draws. That is neat 'cause now I know what appliances to not use as often. We all have to watch our budgets!!!

 

[iwire]

Meters that are not 'True RMS' are only accurate with 60 cycle circuits.

True RMS meters can provide accurate voltage readings over a wide range of frequencies.

This may or may not be important depending on what your doing.

My Fluke T-5 (not true RMS) showed 454 volts from a gen-set but when I used my Fluke 87 (True RMS) the voltage showed a little over 480.

 

[wptski]

Meters that are not 'True RMS' are only accurate with 60 cycle circuits.

That not true! Non-RMS meters/testers might not be accurate if the sinewave is distorted. It has nothing to do with the frequency.

 

[76nemo]

True because if frequency equals power, than power in the UK and other countries use less. They use 50Hz. Guess they must have less of an overall service. Must be nice!

 

[ELA]

All meters have limitations based on a lot of different parameters.
You must be sure to check all the meters specifications to be sure it will be accurate for the measurement being taken.

All meters will only be accurate within a limited frequency range.

In the case of RMS meters one thing that is important is what range of "crest factor" the meter will work over.

Here is an explanation of that:

http://cp.literature.agilent.com/litweb/pdf/5988-5513EN.pdf

Thats one reason I like the oscilloscope ... a picture tells the tale best

 

[wptski]

ELA:

Without looking at your at your link which I will later, I know that a CF of 1.414 is a perfect sinewave.

I know that one time I was using a T5-600 on the power supply of a electronic air cleaner and expected to read 120VAC on something and got somewhat less. Grabbed my Fluke 189 and read 120VAC.

I captured it with a scope and actually it was that distored at all! It had more like a sawtooth type waveform.

 

[Energy-Miser]

True because if frequency equals power, than power in the UK and other countries use less. They use 50Hz. Guess they must have less of an overall service. Must be nice!

Frequency does not equal power. You can use just as much power at 50 Hertz as you would on 60 Hertz. The RMS remains the same as long as the peak value is the same. It will make a difference however when running sychronous motors on the two different frequencies. e/m

 

[Energy-Miser]

Sounds like a Neutral Problem. Have the Power company check the connections on their end first, it is no cost the customer, have them check the meter lugs, and neutral and if necessary the P.O.A. and connec @ the xfmr. If ok be there while they are and check the neut heading into the panel.

A few postings have mentioned possibility of loose neutral on the utilities end. It seems an unlikely source of the problem to me for this reason: if the neutral coming from the utility were loose, then one leg would run at a higher voltage than the other, making for all branches on that leg to run at this higher voltage. However the OP has said that the problem is confined only to this one branch (the one with the dishwasher and recessed lights). e/m

 

[Energy-Miser]

As long as we are on the subject of light bulbs, I've noticed thare are two types of incandescent halagens on the market. One is thin glass maybe like a normal bulb. The other is significantly heavier glass. Anyone know why the difference?

carl

I believe the thinner bulbed ones are meant for indoor use, while the heavier ones are for outdoors. e/m

 

[Energy-Miser]

That's why I said it is in the panel or upstream from the panel.

If it were upstream from the panel, it would cause over-voltage in the entire A or B phase, causing all branch circuits on that phase to run higher. The OP I believe has said that the problem is confined to a single BC. e/m

 

[nakulak]

Frequency does not equal power. You can use just as much power at 50 Hertz as you would on 60 Hertz. The RMS remains the same as long as the peak value is the same. It will make a difference however when running sychronous motors on the two different frequencies. e/m

here's a nice link that does a great job explaining rms
http://www.ultracad.com/articles/rms.pdf

 

[brian john]

True RMS meters are required for multimeters and clamp-ons. I tried to locate a distorted voltage sine wave but only was able to locate this snapshot...Posted previously...

 

[jjhoward]

Jglogston;
FWIW, I had a customer with a light bulb that exploded in her hanging fixture over her kitchen table.

Candlelabra type base, 1 of the 3 in the fixture exploded.

The next day the dimmer that I had installed no longer worked.

I am assuming that the bulb failed and while it was exploding it consumed more power that that 600 watt rated dimmer could deliver.

Why did the bulb blow up?? I don't know, but I wish I could have seen it.

They were adamant that the thing blew up and they all got glass in their food!

But you have multiple bulbs bursting and a diswasher problem?

Sounds like the voltage being delivered to these things is way off.

 

[brian john]

Joe:

Reread the explanations, the # 1 cause: Lost or open neutral in a MWBC or at the panel or upstream from there. While exploding light bulbs hopefully are rare, damaged equipment is not.