Need some ideas….

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Dsg319

Senior Member
Location
West Virginia
Occupation
Wv Master “lectrician”
Scenario…..120/240vac single phase 200amp service. Only customer off of transformer.

Got a call lights blinking and turning off when charger plugged in. Got there andwas talking to the electrical inspector and we both figured typical bad service neutral.

Took some readings on incoming service conductors balanced voltages with around 6amperes line 1 and 5amperes line 2. And unbalanced current on neutral as should be. Plugged a 900w load on line 1and it’s remained 120volts and line 2completely 0volts.

But checked with a ticker on the incoming overhead service drop and still had power on line 1 and line 2. So losing it somewhere between the meter and service disco/main panel which is the same.

Even when load was removed it remained at 0volts line side of the service breaker. Took approximately 10minutes after removing-load for line 2 to come back.

Neutral was intact visually and took jumper wire from servicedisconnect to ground wire on pole which is bonded to neutral and got around 29ohm. With a little bit of that being my extended meter lead(500ft number 12).

Only other thing I noticed in the panel was a high resistance neutral to EGC bond(4ohms).

Didn’t have any correct size Main bonding jumper wire on so stuck a #12 in there and came down to maybe 3ohms. That’s needs fixed correctly I know.
 
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Hv&Lv

Senior Member
Location
-
Occupation
Engineer/Technician
Meter could be bad. Especially if it’s a disconnect meter.
We have them occasionally
 

Dsg319

Senior Member
Location
West Virginia
Occupation
Wv Master “lectrician”
They are suppose to come. Hopefully get to hear back from the company we was working for to see what it actually was.

And it was an old meter base with a newer smart meter installed no disco in meter socket.
 

Hv&Lv

Senior Member
Location
-
Occupation
Engineer/Technician
They are suppose to come. Hopefully get to hear back from the company we was working for to see what it actually was.

And it was an old meter base with a newer smart meter installed no disco in meter socket.
Some of the newer smart meters have disconnects built in them. It saves us from visiting to cut the power off. We can do it remotely.
 

Fred B

Senior Member
Location
Upstate, NY
Occupation
Electrician
The lugs can be burnt loose from the mounts. You do not want an energized poco lug bouncing between neutral and or another phase when it's a foot or two from your face.
Makes sense, safety issue, wasn't sure if that was where you were going, thanks. That is likely why POCO puts on face shield on pulling potentially damaged meter.
 

Little Bill

Moderator
Staff member
Location
Tennessee NEC:2017
Occupation
Semi-Retired Electrician
That's the reason our POCOs told us as to why we (electricians) can't pull meters. Apparently someone pulled one and both lugs came loose and the guy was standing there with the meter in his hand and hot lugs still attached to the meter or at least dangling.
 

Hv&Lv

Senior Member
Location
-
Occupation
Engineer/Technician
That's the reason our POCOs told us as to why we (electricians) can't pull meters. Apparently someone pulled one and both lugs came loose and the guy was standing there with the meter in his hand and hot lugs still attached to the meter or at least dangling.
Our meter tech changes them so often they rarely have time to seize..
 

Hv&Lv

Senior Member
Location
-
Occupation
Engineer/Technician
They wouldn't necessarily have to seize, the lug connection could be weaker than the jaws due to corrosion.
Generally it’s the heating of the lugs that melts the plastic, or in the old bases chars the Bakelite that holds the clips in that lets loose.
Had that happen several times.
 
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