Flickering lights

K

KHelectric

Member
Location
California
Occupation
Electrician
Ok.. I’m at no end on this house.
We wired this house start to finish.
No issues for 2 years. Now we get a service call for flickering lights.

Basics.
I have never been able to recreate the issue while on site. Homeowner has sent me videos of a very faint flicker in the upstairs bath sconces and downstairs bath sconces. Only happens when dishwasher and dryer(gas 120v) are on.. No other lights in the house have an issue.

I have checked every single connection at every location.
I’ve taken lights down and checked wiring in fixtures.
The bathrooms are on dedicated circuits.
I have replaced bulbs with incandescent, led, dimmable, etc..
I have both bath breakers on line 1 and dryer and dish on line 2
I had POCO check their connections at the pole. I’ve tightened and re landed every single neutral. I’ve opened each switch box and redone all the neutrals and hot connections.
I’ve switched out the breakers..
I’ve landed all on same line.
Then separated them.
I’ve moved to opposite ends of bussbar.
The can lights in the same bath on same circuit do not flicker.
Lights are NOT on a dimmer. Just a SP switch. (Which I’ve also changed out)

What do I do!? I’ve been in 20+ years and never had something like this I couldn’t fix. Also.. very strange it cannot ever be replicated while I’m on site. I only have videos to go off of.

Somebody must have something I haven’t tried…
I need to get away from this haunted place!
 
Does the customer normally run the dishwasher and dryer during a particular time of day? If so, maybe something is happening at such times on the POCO supply, and having those appliances running is just a coincidence.
 
synchro said:
Does the customer normally run the dishwasher and dryer during a particular time of day? If so, maybe something is happening at such times on the POCO supply, and having those appliances running is just a coincidence.
Click to expand...
How would you determine the problem is on poco? They’ve come out and inspected their connections and meter. And of course told the customer it’s not a utility problem and it’s their electricians fault..
 
KHelectric said:
How would you determine the problem is on poco? They’ve come out and inspected their connections and meter. And of course told the customer it’s not a utility problem and it’s their electricians fault..
Click to expand...

Does the POCO use TWACS for meter reading? I think it is becoming less popular now, but it has been associated with flickering lights.
 
Ask the utilty if they changed feeders. You could be on a different circuit from a different substaton while they are doing routine / scheduled work.

Have you checked voltage at peak times?

You can also install a power quality monitor, get a week of reads, and see what the voltage is dipping down.
 
KHelectric said:
And of course told the customer it’s not a utility problem and it’s their electricians fault..
Click to expand...
Don't trust the utility. Performed your own power quality measurements.

The POCO usually only sends a lineperson that has splices and fuses on their truck, so the only thing they can fix are terminations.

You need voltage/power measurements from when the flickering is happening, any other time is not important.
 
You say you tried incandescent bulbs. Did the customer see them (the incandescent bulbs) flicker?

Are these lights on dimmers?

Does the customer see the bulbs flicker, or only the camera? What sort of camera (stand alone, phone, something else)?
 
Putting line reactors in the right places will solve this. Focus on motor loads, like dishwasher, HVAC, and any other.
 
That is kinda slow. Maybe the washing machine or dryer maybe?

I mean, a lot of this is just going to be a shot in the dark without a power monitor.
 
Man that really sounds like cheap leds- getting effected by something on that line-
You sure you put an incandescent in and the homeowner did not change it back to led—- some customers are kinda dumb..


Invest in a power monitor like everyone said only way to find out.

Don’t trust what customers say or do is the first thing g you need to learn, just words of advice
 
Last edited:
Elect117 said:
That is kinda slow. Maybe the washing machine or dryer maybe?

I mean, a lot of this is just going to be a shot in the dark without a power monitor.
Click to expand...
But how would any of that affect? An incandescent. That’s on a separate breaker. He would have to have a voltage drop across his whole system rhythmic like that to do what he saying… and then if he had that voltage drop, he be having other issues not just two light fixtures

He’s getting his information from the homeowner he can’t re-create it. Something’s fishy.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top