Pre troubleshooting call ..

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ritelec

ritelec

Senior Member
Location
Jersey
Hello. Received a call.
Will check it out Saturday.

Owner mentioned four outdoor post lights (by his pool) are dim.

He didn't mention any other issues in or around his house.

Just thinking and wondering before I go and open things up.

Would a lost neutral grounding out cause this dimming.

I think I've heard of a bad breaker not letting out the right voltage if this is true but never experienced one

Could be a house neutral issue ?

Still thinking. ..

All is wired up at lights and hot is grounding and not tripping ??

Any thoughts appreciated.

Thank you
 
ritelec said:
Owner mentioned four outdoor post lights (by his pool) are dim.
Click to expand...


I would want to know that type of lights (lamps) he is talking about. Could be a voltage problem or just lamps going bad.

Go and check the voltage at the post and you will know one thing for sure.
 
ritelec said:
Owner mentioned four outdoor post lights (by his pool) are dim.

Any thoughts appreciated.

Thank you
Click to expand...

key word is "pool". first thing i'd do, assuming the posts
are metal.... measure voltage if any between post and
pool water. stick one probe in the water. post is wood?
go to the frame of the fixture.

then, take a wet sponge, put it on the concrete, and
check voltage between the sponge and the pole.

then check for voltage between the pole, and anything
you can reach, all with the power on, and lights glowing dimly.
then check between that wet sponge on the ground, and
the pool water.

no more than two volts anywhere, measured with a good voltmeter?
yay. now you can troubleshoot. i've seen all sorts of weird chit
with pool wiring, including one leg of 240 pump circuit used to light
pool niche fixture, with the neutral being "derived" from the pool
steel bonding wire.

assume that all pool wiring you work on was installed by a sociopathic
third world peasant, who used to pull the feathers off his pet parakeet.

case in point on a house in costa mesa, kids were swimming in the pool,
and noticed a tingling as they swam near the deep end, where the light
fixture was located at... so they kept swimming back and forth, closer
and closer, playing "chicken" with the tingling sensation.

at least that is what the survivor told first responders.
 
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Look for dug up spots and ask have you done anything new?
I would look to see if new plants have been added or dead plants replaced.
And don't believe them when they tell you nothing has changed.......
 
ritelec said:
Hello. Received a call.
Will check it out Saturday.

Owner mentioned four outdoor post lights (by his pool) are dim.

He didn't mention any other issues in or around his house.

Just thinking and wondering before I go and open things up.

Would a lost neutral grounding out cause this dimming.

I think I've heard of a bad breaker not letting out the right voltage if this is true but never experienced one

Could be a house neutral issue ?

Still thinking. ..

All is wired up at lights and hot is grounding and not tripping ??

Any thoughts appreciated.

Thank you
Click to expand...
Any resistance in either circuit conductor will cause a voltage drop. Usually a failing connection burns itself out or becomes an intermittent problem. Lost neutral of a multiwire branch circuit is also a possibility, this will mean some other load (on other line/phase of the MWBC) is seeing higher then normal voltage - maybe they haven't discovered that yet. If that other load has burned up - chances are it is an open circuit at that point and the lights in question won't light at all when that happens.

Do make sure there is no dimmer associated with these lights, even if you asked they don't always know and you may find one.
 
Thank you for the responses.

One of the posts had cut into the uf wire at the base??? plain sharp round post?.no base or concrete, just stuck in a hole, laying on top of (cutting into) the wire.....

previous home owner did the work?? shallow uf, spliced wires taped in the dirt??. rx up the posts??????.


Lucked out, found it quick?.. swapped a broken switch, trouble shooting removing 2 of the poles, the repair and replanting them?. 45min TT there, 2 hrs there, TT 45min back..

gave the owner a cheap bill, they questioned it???started how bout cash, but you were only here for 2 hours?...??.knocked money off?... people.

lights are on????????..


Thanks again
 
ritelec said:
Thank you for the responses.

One of the posts had cut into the uf wire at the base??? plain sharp round post?.no base or concrete, just stuck in a hole, laying on top of (cutting into) the wire.....

previous home owner did the work?? shallow uf, spliced wires taped in the dirt??. rx up the posts??????.


Lucked out, found it quick?.. swapped a broken switch, trouble shooting removing 2 of the poles, the repair and replanting them?. 45min TT there, 2 hrs there, TT 45min back..

gave the owner a cheap bill, they questioned it???started how bout cash, but you were only here for 2 hours?...??.knocked money off?... people.

lights are on????????..


Thanks again
Click to expand...

Hey Mr Homeowner you called me to fix your problem & I showed up at your house, fixed the problem now you question my price ? Fix it your self then Mr Cheepskate
 
John120/240 said:
Hey Mr Homeowner you called me to fix your problem & I showed up at your house, fixed the problem now you question my price ? Fix it your self then Mr Cheepskate
Click to expand...
Ever seen the show "Extreme Cheapskates"? I think it is on either Discovery, TLC or other similar network. That is what people on that show do try to get everything as cheap as possible, get it free and they are really happy.
 
ritelec said:
Thank you for the responses.

One of the posts had cut into the uf wire at the base??? plain sharp round post?.no base or concrete, just stuck in a hole, laying on top of (cutting into) the wire.....

previous home owner did the work?? shallow uf, spliced wires taped in the dirt??. rx up the posts??????.


Lucked out, found it quick?.. swapped a broken switch, trouble shooting removing 2 of the poles, the repair and replanting them?. 45min TT there, 2 hrs there, TT 45min back..

gave the owner a cheap bill, they questioned it???started how bout cash, but you were only here for 2 hours?...??.knocked money off?... people.

lights are on????????..


Thanks again
Click to expand...

Never drop your charges otherwise you?ll get argued with on the next job, word gets around that ?you?re a push over.?
 
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