Hot ground

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finster1

Member
Location
New Jersey
I am reading 5amps on the main waterline ground on a 240v service and I was called in because the cable guy said call an electrician. The cable for the tv was burnt and the cable guy was getting shocked. I lifted this ground wire off the main and you can see the lights flicker and a spark. I can read amperage with a clamp on but no voltage..I am thoroughly confused.There is also two meter pans on the house but only one service, the utility came and disconnected the meter and told the homeowner this was for an old program for the hot water heater which is electric...When you shut off the main the breaker for the hot water heater is backfed from this old meter but does not backfeedthe panel...I can clearly read 240v on the backfed breaker from the old meter pan after I shut off the main but it doesn't backfeed the panel anyone got any suggestions????The more load on the service the higher the watermeter ground wire reads....If I turn on additional devices it will read as high as 8 amps.Anyone got any suggestions? Ithough Ihad lost the neutral and the imbalanced load was bcause it was using the ground but, not the case...
 
LarryFine

LarryFine

Master Electrician Electric Contractor Richmond VA
Location
Henrico County, VA
Occupation
Electrical Contractor
I don't know why you say "not the case." You have described the exact textbook symptoms of a broken utility neutral connection. Somewhere between the transformer neutral lug and the house neutral bus, there is a very high-resistance connection. If it's not open completely, it's close.

If you want to be convinced, i.e., scared into immediate action, read the voltage across the disconnected water-pipe connection.

The separate water-heater feed is typical of the days when the POCO charged a different rate for heating water. That water-heater breaker is either in a separate panel, or a separate section of a split-bus panel. It has nothing to do with the open-neutral issue.
 
George Stolz

George Stolz

Moderator
Staff member
Location
Windsor, CO NEC: 2017
Occupation
Service Manager
Agreed.

Remember, the loads must still be connected to see the voltage difference caused by the open neutral.

It could be all the way out at the utility transformer.
 
quogueelectric

quogueelectric

Senior Member
Location
new york
What are the voltages?

What are the voltages?

finster1 said:
I am reading 5amps on the main waterline ground on a 240v service and I was called in because the cable guy said call an electrician. The cable for the tv was burnt and the cable guy was getting shocked. I lifted this ground wire off the main and you can see the lights flicker and a spark. I can read amperage with a clamp on but no voltage..I am thoroughly confused.There is also two meter pans on the house but only one service, the utility came and disconnected the meter and told the homeowner this was for an old program for the hot water heater which is electric...When you shut off the main the breaker for the hot water heater is backfed from this old meter but does not backfeedthe panel...I can clearly read 240v on the backfed breaker from the old meter pan after I shut off the main but it doesn't backfeed the panel anyone got any suggestions????The more load on the service the higher the watermeter ground wire reads....If I turn on additional devices it will read as high as 8 amps.Anyone got any suggestions? Ithough Ihad lost the neutral and the imbalanced load was bcause it was using the ground but, not the case...
Click to expand...
What are the voltages to ground and to neutral for both phase legs these must be checked under load??
 
jamesguy10

jamesguy10

Senior Member
Location
Amsterdam NY
Call the POCO and tell them that you have a definate loose neutral and you water pipes are hot and theres children in the house. When i call for a loose neutral they are there within 45 minutes
 
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