Meter Readings...

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stickboy1375

stickboy1375

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Litchfield, CT
These were the readings I got at the panel, anyone wanna take a guess at the problem?

First off, this is a 208v single phase service.

L1 + N 121 V
L2 + N 116 V
L1 + L2 208V


now for the amperages....

L1 - 15A
L2 - 35A
N - 35A

Also had 15A on the GEC connected to the city water bond.
 
stickboy1375 said:
I rounded up the numbers for some reason, :roll: these were the actual readings...

L1 13 amps
L2 38 amps
N 38 amps

GEC jumped around from 6 amps to 12 amps.

My guess is just a bad neutral on the POCO's side somewhere.
Click to expand...

Ok, I thought you already knew the answer. When the GEC jumped around, what was

happening to the L1,L2,and N readings. Something must of been bouncing around also ?
 
benaround said:
Ok, I thought you already knew the answer. When the GEC jumped around, what was

happening to the L1,L2,and N readings. Something must of been bouncing around also ?
Click to expand...


I was by myself, the GEC lands in the meter disconnect outside, and the panel is in a different room than the water supply, so it was impossibe to monitor both readings at once.

For what its worth, everything is brand new in this building, new service, new wiring, etc, etc....
 
Stick, I had a feeling that was the case, to me it seems like with such a large difference

in amperage that the voltage would be more out of line. Anyway, I'm sure you got it right.
 
stickboy1375 said:
The really weird thing to me is why is the neutral current not the difference of L1 and L2?
Click to expand...

I agree, it is the same as L2 in both of the examples. That's why in my first post I said that

L1 was basiclly a circuit using the EGC or GEC as the grounded conductor, how or why ????
 
I'd start by turning off one breaker at a time, and/or turning one on at a time.

If it's the service neutral, you won't be able to narrow it down to a single circuit.
 
If you combine the neutral and GEC current it almost sounds like the ungrounded conductors are in phase, thus making the neutral current additive, instead of the differenc...is this possible......are there any 208v loads? or just all 120v?
 
LarryFine said:
One reason is that it's a 120/208v supply, not 120/240v. Another must be related to the GEC current.
Click to expand...

I was thinking since the water supply is common with other buildings the current on the GEC is someone elses problem, I had the power company out there before I left, I had to install a fifth terminal in the meter anyhow since they installed the wrong meter, at that point with the main OFF, I still read 2 amps on the GEC. With the main back on it was 6 amps. Really, really strange.
 
SAC said:
Sorry, maybe stupid - this I'm not familiar with. How does "208v single-phase" give one 120/208V?
Click to expand...
Picture a typical 208Y/120v 3ph service. Now, run a feeder with two hots and a neutral to a sub-panel, fed from a 2-p breaker, using whichever two lines you like. Between either line and the neutral, you'd get the usual 120v. Between the two lines, you'd get 208v.

This is often done in large apartment buildings, where there's 3-phase power coming in, but each unit gets the typical 1-phase residential panel. That's the reason most major appliances are rated for both 120/240v and 120/208v (or 240v and 208v, w/out neutral.)
 
stickboy1375 said:
I was thinking since the water supply is common with other buildings the current on the GEC is someone elses problem, I had the power company out there before I left, I had to install a fifth terminal in the meter anyhow since they installed the wrong meter, at that point with the main OFF, I still read 2 amps on the GEC. With the main back on it was 6 amps. Really, really strange.
Click to expand...
That's why I suggested trying to eliminate your circuits as the cause. It now sounds like your neighbor has 2a of leakage, and you have 4a. Not real high in reality.
 
stickboy1375 said:
I rounded up the numbers for some reason, :roll: these were the actual readings...

L1 13 amps
L2 38 amps
N 38 amps

GEC jumped around from 6 amps to 12 amps.

My guess is just a bad neutral on the POCO's side somewhere.
Click to expand...


Being a 208 single phase service I don't see any issue at all. You might kill the power lift the GEC and carefully bring on loads while measuring the voltages from L to N.
 
Last edited:
LarryFine said:
Picture a typical 208Y/120v 3ph service. Now, run a feeder with two hots and a neutral to a sub-panel, fed from a 2-p breaker, using whichever two lines you like. Between either line and the neutral, you'd get the usual 120v. Between the two lines, you'd get 208v.
Click to expand...

I see - the two 120v hots are 240 out of phase, giving 208v between them, and 120v each to neutral. Thanks!
 
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