Need Ideas

Status
Not open for further replies.
Do all of the lights flicker in unison? If so, and on more than one circuit, then the individual circuits and/or devices have no part in the issue.
 
LarryFine said:
Do all of the lights flicker in unison? If so, and on more than one circuit, then the individual circuits and/or devices have no part in the issue.
Click to expand...


Larry, thanks for the insight, unfortunately, they do NOT flicker in unison.
 
maybe a neighbor?

maybe a neighbor?

once a friend of mine had poco knock on his door to ask him if his was using any hid lighting because the neighbor had some flickering or something weird.i cant remember exactly.
 
as mentioned previously, you need to find out if it is really "flickering" or if it could be a "brown out" customers tend to call everything they notice "flickering"..... what size wire is ran through the house? 14 gauge is notorious for dimming lights when heavy loads like vaccum cleaners are turned on, especially if lights and recepts are not on seperate circuits.
 
All you "15-amperes" read this

All you "15-amperes" read this

ultramegabob said:
as mentioned previously, you need to find out if it is really "flickering" or if it could be a "brown out" customers tend to call everything they notice "flickering"..... what size wire is ran through the house? 14 gauge is notorious for dimming lights when heavy loads like vaccum cleaners are turned on, especially if lights and recepts are not on seperate circuits.
Click to expand...
See? It is not just a myth.
 
Rewire said:
Probably the problem is with the POCO which they will never admit.
Click to expand...

We had a problem on a new house and finally after the 4th troubleman from poco came out he found the problem and actually admitted it was theirs.
 
laser printer

laser printer

Yes, mine drew pulses of current.
 
Yes, we did check the meter connections as well. Actually here we had to have the Utility Company check them when they did their inspection.
Click to expand...

I fell this the wrong approach, you have relied on someone that may or may not know what they are doing to possible resolve an issue you were called to investigate. You have done yourself and your customer a disservice.

Light flicker (dimming and restoration of light to near preflicker level) of lights from motor inrush) is a byproduct of several factors and generally is difficult to over come.

AC motor loads (in particular compressors) but all motor loads have inrush currents. These inrush currents result in voltage drop in the branch circuit, panel bus, service laterals, utility transformer and possibility the utility HV feeders.

Flicker is in addition user dependent; some people are more susceptible to flicker. For some reason flicker seems to bother women more that men (based upon personal experience).

A Voltage Drop (VD) as little as 3 volts on a nominal 120 VAC system is noticeable (by me), 2.5% VD.

We have had cases were the VD was all a byproduct of primarily single phase 120 VAC loads, in these cases we were able to put the lighting on L1 and all the motor loads on L2, the HVAC compressors were something the homeowner had to live with. This minimizes the flicker.


To test for this VD and resulting flicker to determine the source of the inrush, use a min max amp clamp and min max multimeter at the main service watch the lights(it may take two workers) and correlate to the meters.
 
Last edited:
brian john said:
Flicker is in addition user dependent; some people are more susceptible to flicker. For some reason flicker seems to bother women more that men (based upon personal experience).
Click to expand...
Unless, of course, it affects the TV picture, especially during Super Bowl.
 
Consider pharmaceutical methods, mask symptoms while forcing medicines, without repairing the cause.

1) Swap some of the light bulbs with compact flourescents. See if electronic ballasts compensate for some power fluctuations without flicker.

2) If culprit appliance is found, move its location to a smaller circuit, or swap hardwire with smallest cord & plug permitted by code, or add extension (if properly listed as compliant). Any impedance choke may reduce some appliance transients or inrush, if the cable insulation can handle the extra heat without melting or bursting into flames.
 
Last edited:
flicker

flicker

Lots of good ideas thrown-around here for light-flicker.

Most of the time, I would know when it started ( a year ago ) and HO would be able to say something more than "I don't know", in regard to what's on or not on, at the time it occurs.

Last one was a washing-machine spin cycle; motor was malfunctioning. (pre-96 dryer ???)

I feed my squirrels. Gotta have some friends.
 
No need for that

No need for that

brian john said:
I fell this the wrong approach, you have relied on someone that may or may not know what they are doing to possible resolve an issue you were called to investigate. You have done yourself and your customer a disservice.
Click to expand...

Brian, while you may feel that because I asked a question you have the right to judge me, but perhaps you should get all the information before making that judgement. I was not called to the site to make the investigation - I was asked over the phone by a residential GC to help him out on his own home. The "we" in my message was the GC answering my questions I asked him over the phone. So, while the rest of your message was meaningful, the quote above should have been left out.
 
You MUSt check the main breaker/buss connection. To do this you obviously need to pull it out.

The last 3 "flicker" service calls I have had were due to faulted connections at the breaker/bus.

It looks good from the front.....until you pull it out.

DSC01520.jpg


DSC01521.jpg
 
I have seen more failures of this style of main breaker than all others combined, and it's always the 'B' phase, just like this one.
Click to expand...

The first question I ask over the phone is "Is the main breaker red?"

And you might be right about the "B" phase.

DSC01459.jpg
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Top