One of the mechanical people at work told me he was having trouble with his air conditioner. He says that each time his condenser comes on every light in his house dims considerably. I havent went out to his house yet, all I can say is that the unit is a 4 ton installed a year ago and has been doing this from the start. Can anyone suggest where to look for a problem? Have you seen this happen before? Thank You, Robert Burns Linde Gas.
power surges
- Thread starter rburns001
- Start date
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charlie
Senior Member
- Location
- Indianapolis
Re: power surges
Bennie, Bennie, Bennie, I don't believe you told him to notify both the utility and the utility commission.
Please give the utility a chance before logging a complaint with the commission.
The following is from the IPL training modules for our engineers.
All voltage complaints are to be referred to the service dispatcher for immediate action. Upon receipt of the complaint, he will dispatch a trouble man to the site to look for loose connections, open neutrals, etc. and to check the customers voltage with his meter. In addition to checking for the cause of the problem, the customer sees an immediate response from the Indianapolis Power & Light Company. If there appears to be a voltage problem and the cause can not be found, a voltage test request will be written to the load and voltage persons.
After the voltage test has been performed and if the voltage is below our standards, the test will be sent to the appropriate Team for evaluation and correction
The general policy for a voltage complaint has always been to bring a customer's voltage as close as possible to the nominal voltage, within economic limits. The reason for this is that the customer has probably put up with the problem for some time before complaining and the correction should make a marked difference in his service.
I assume (I hate that word) other electric utilites have similar processes.
Bennie, Bennie, Bennie, I don't believe you told him to notify both the utility and the utility commission.
Please give the utility a chance before logging a complaint with the commission. The following is from the IPL training modules for our engineers.
All voltage complaints are to be referred to the service dispatcher for immediate action. Upon receipt of the complaint, he will dispatch a trouble man to the site to look for loose connections, open neutrals, etc. and to check the customers voltage with his meter. In addition to checking for the cause of the problem, the customer sees an immediate response from the Indianapolis Power & Light Company. If there appears to be a voltage problem and the cause can not be found, a voltage test request will be written to the load and voltage persons.
After the voltage test has been performed and if the voltage is below our standards, the test will be sent to the appropriate Team for evaluation and correction
The general policy for a voltage complaint has always been to bring a customer's voltage as close as possible to the nominal voltage, within economic limits. The reason for this is that the customer has probably put up with the problem for some time before complaining and the correction should make a marked difference in his service.
I assume (I hate that word) other electric utilites have similar processes.
Re: power surges
Charlie: I apologize to you and the other ethical persons in the utility community.
We, in this area, unfortunately, have been subjected to Enron and the fallout. The employees of the company are very good, the management is trying to get back to a credible concern with a limited budget.
Charlie: I apologize to you and the other ethical persons in the utility community.
We, in this area, unfortunately, have been subjected to Enron and the fallout. The employees of the company are very good, the management is trying to get back to a credible concern with a limited budget.
charlie
Senior Member
- Location
- Indianapolis
Re: power surges
Bennie, I don't know what I need to do to let people know when I am picking on them with tongue in cheek. No apology is necessary; I was just trying to give you a bit of a jostle. If an apology is necessary, it should come from me. I gotta learn how these Instant Graemlins work.
Bennie, I don't know what I need to do to let people know when I am picking on them with tongue in cheek. No apology is necessary; I was just trying to give you a bit of a jostle.
If an apology is necessary, it should come from me. I gotta learn how these Instant Graemlins work. 
Re: power surges
Robert, there are a few things that can cause the lights to dim when a large load switches on.
First thing I would do is notify the electric utility and have them check the service. If the service lateral is long, what you are seeing is a voltage drop encountered over the long service conductors. Or there could be loose connections in the service. Either way the best place to start is the utility.
If that comes up with nothing then there is some more steps to take on the premises wiring such as loose connections, unersize wires, etc.
If it is every light in the house dimming I suspect it is a service problem.
Robert, there are a few things that can cause the lights to dim when a large load switches on.
First thing I would do is notify the electric utility and have them check the service. If the service lateral is long, what you are seeing is a voltage drop encountered over the long service conductors. Or there could be loose connections in the service. Either way the best place to start is the utility.
If that comes up with nothing then there is some more steps to take on the premises wiring such as loose connections, unersize wires, etc.
If it is every light in the house dimming I suspect it is a service problem.
Re: power surges
Charlie: I've been active on these forums for over five years. I've been run off of three
The level of experience, knowledge, and interest, is the highest I have seen on this forum, or any forum.
My message to the 5000 plus members is...Jump in on some of the discussions.
Charlie: I've been active on these forums for over five years. I've been run off of three
The level of experience, knowledge, and interest, is the highest I have seen on this forum, or any forum.
My message to the 5000 plus members is...Jump in on some of the discussions.
charlie
Senior Member
- Location
- Indianapolis
Re: power surges
Bennie, I agree with your observation and the encouragement to jump in. With the relative anonymity and vastly different opinions and experience, everyone can't help but learn. The thing I can't understand is why you would be asked to leave a forum unless the participants don't want to think and hear an opposing viewpoint.
Bennie, I agree with your observation and the encouragement to jump in. With the relative anonymity and vastly different opinions and experience, everyone can't help but learn. The thing I can't understand is why you would be asked to leave a forum unless the participants don't want to think and hear an opposing viewpoint.
- Location
- Bremerton, Washington
- Occupation
- Master Electrician
Re: power surges
Bennie thanks for the complement.
There are some forum users who I watch for posts from, as I know they knowledgeable. You are one of those.
Bennie thanks for the complement.
There are some forum users who I watch for posts from, as I know they knowledgeable. You are one of those.
- Location
- Bremerton, Washington
- Occupation
- Master Electrician
Re: power surges
Keep in mind your eye is very sensitive to light flicker from voltage sags.
To start with, check the voltage with no load, voltage with AC running and if you have a good enough voltmeter, with Min/Max try to get a min when it starts.
Keep in mind your eye is very sensitive to light flicker from voltage sags.
To start with, check the voltage with no load, voltage with AC running and if you have a good enough voltmeter, with Min/Max try to get a min when it starts.
Re: power surges
Thank You each for a very prompt reply. The man having these problems is getting his power from HL&P, or whatever they are called today. I did not think of calling them. I will go out and get more details on his service, such as his load before and after compressor start and look at his grounding. The most common problems I find when asked to visit a person's home is thier grounding. It is either coming up because of loose soil or insufficient grounding altogether. Again,Thank You. I enjoy this forum a great deal. Robert Burns
Thank You each for a very prompt reply. The man having these problems is getting his power from HL&P, or whatever they are called today. I did not think of calling them. I will go out and get more details on his service, such as his load before and after compressor start and look at his grounding. The most common problems I find when asked to visit a person's home is thier grounding. It is either coming up because of loose soil or insufficient grounding altogether. Again,Thank You. I enjoy this forum a great deal. Robert Burns
Re: power surges
Dereck makes a good statement.
Grounding, or lack of grounding, has nothing to do with the proper operation of any circuit.
The above statement got me kicked off of the other forums. The grounding guru's, and code book thumpers, think that without grounding, armageddon is imminent.
Dereck makes a good statement.
Grounding, or lack of grounding, has nothing to do with the proper operation of any circuit.
The above statement got me kicked off of the other forums. The grounding guru's, and code book thumpers, think that without grounding, armageddon is imminent.
bphgravity
Senior Member
- Location
- Florida
Re: power surges
WATCH IT BENNIE!!!
The Grounding Gods are rumbling! They are afraid that everyone will figure out that they are not real and will no longer be feared by the mortal electrician!!!
WATCH IT BENNIE!!!
The Grounding Gods are rumbling! They are afraid that everyone will figure out that they are not real and will no longer be feared by the mortal electrician!!!
luke warmwater
Senior Member
Re: power surges
Could you imagine all of the airplanes flying around with draglines to ground them for all of their sensitive electronics??
Could you imagine all of the airplanes flying around with draglines to ground them for all of their sensitive electronics??
jtb
Senior Member
- Location
- Pennsylvania
Re: power surges
How'd ya pound the ground rod?
How'd ya pound the ground rod?
Re: power surges
Very gently :roll:
Seriously...I can now understand where Don is coming from on his opinion of bonding and grounding. I am leaning towards separation of grounding for fault purposes compared to grounding for transient events.
I don't completely agree that the term bonding should be used in the context of equipment bonding conductor, instead of equipment grounding conductor.
I would approve of fault safety conductor.
A fault is a failure. The meaning would be failure safety conductor(paraphrased).
Comments invited.
Very gently :roll:
Seriously...I can now understand where Don is coming from on his opinion of bonding and grounding. I am leaning towards separation of grounding for fault purposes compared to grounding for transient events.
I don't completely agree that the term bonding should be used in the context of equipment bonding conductor, instead of equipment grounding conductor.
I would approve of fault safety conductor.
A fault is a failure. The meaning would be failure safety conductor(paraphrased).
Comments invited.
Re: power surges
I do not mean for this topic to keep going. For one thing I have learned a great deal on this forum about more important things, and, this is my first time to ask a question. Usually I would find my answer when I am reading a similar topic. I do want to close with an assurance that my understanding isnt as low as it seems. I think I use the wrong wording. I have corrected problems in several mobile home parks by pulling up the ground rod, that was cut in half and sometimes in thirds, and driving a 10' to allow connection above ground to tie into the neutral. I have also found that many of the older houses have what seems to be a large gage tie wire going into the ground connected to a metal strap to the service. Most all of the small problems have to do with a good neutral.
The man with the voltage problem also sends his thanks. I showed him your replies and he said his service voltage is 112 volts each leg and he is going to get the HL&P guys out. I have never had good luck with getting them to come out, but I wish him luck. Also, thanks for the opportunity to learn so much through this forum, from all of us who do not contribute but who deffinitely benefit. Robert Burns
I do not mean for this topic to keep going. For one thing I have learned a great deal on this forum about more important things, and, this is my first time to ask a question. Usually I would find my answer when I am reading a similar topic. I do want to close with an assurance that my understanding isnt as low as it seems. I think I use the wrong wording. I have corrected problems in several mobile home parks by pulling up the ground rod, that was cut in half and sometimes in thirds, and driving a 10' to allow connection above ground to tie into the neutral. I have also found that many of the older houses have what seems to be a large gage tie wire going into the ground connected to a metal strap to the service. Most all of the small problems have to do with a good neutral.
The man with the voltage problem also sends his thanks. I showed him your replies and he said his service voltage is 112 volts each leg and he is going to get the HL&P guys out. I have never had good luck with getting them to come out, but I wish him luck. Also, thanks for the opportunity to learn so much through this forum, from all of us who do not contribute but who deffinitely benefit. Robert Burns
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