Troubleshooting question

[Barndog]

I am to go look at a problem saturday. HO says about 1/2 of there house is without power after a storm. I was figuring they lost a phase. the more i think about it. I believe she said they have a electric range. Now I am leaning to the fact breakers went bad during stove. POCO has been there and says nothing wrong with there lines. Any help in where to start. I was going to start at Main lugs in panel.

thanks in advance

 

[jumper]

Bad nuetral connection. Half the lights will be real bright and the others real dim. Electronics and such will get fried.

 

[masterinbama]

First thing I would do is double check the POCO and go from there. A loose neutral will act about the same as a lost leg a lot of times.

 

[Barndog]

The reason i didnt think neutral is the 1/2 of the house power is fine.

 

[Hv&Lv]

Start checking voltage at the top of the main, work down. My bet is a bad breaker since she didn't say anything about bright and dim lights. Also, could be only one single phase breaker bad or tripped that happens to serve the part of the house she lives in most. Most HO's don't know half the house (lost phase) from half the house (one breaker that serves alot)...

 

[ptonsparky]

One breaker could very well serve half the house as far as some homes are concerned. GEs can be pretty tricky to the average HO when they trip as is a Pushmatic. Without the bright/dim lighting and or smoke, I am with Hv&Lv. I've sure tightened up or changed a fuse as well while I have been maturing.

 

[Speshulk]

Start checking voltage at the top of the main, work down. My bet is a bad breaker since she didn't say anything about bright and dim lights. Also, could be only one single phase breaker bad or tripped that happens to serve the part of the house she lives in most. Most HO's don't know half the house (lost phase) from half the house (one breaker that serves alot)...

Isn't it amazing how many times "half the house" is just one circuit?

 

[Barndog]

Thank you all for your reply's. I am not going in with any preconcived ideas. So i don't over look anything just wanted to see some ideas from all of you. I will start at the top of the main and work from there.

 

[GerryB]

I had the POCO tell a HO one time everything on their end was good. It was a burnt out crimp up top that would make and break intermittently. They only checked it at the meter, plus she had told them it goes out and comes back on sometimes. I'm sure we'd all like to know what you find.

 

[Barndog]

I had the POCO tell a HO one time everything on their end was good. It was a burnt out crimp up top that would make and break intermittently. They only checked it at the meter, plus she had told them it goes out and comes back on sometimes. I'm sure we'd all like to know what you find.

I will let you know what i find out

 

[GUNNING]

1/2 ?

1/2 ?

I think he is going to find out home owner doesn't understand fractions.

 

[K8MHZ]

I think he is going to find out home owner doesn't understand fractions.

There's probably a 60/50 chance of that being true.

 

[cowboyjwc]

Isn't it amazing how many times "half the house" is just one circuit?

Or a GFI

 

[jumper]

There's probably a 60/50 chance of that being true.

 

[Barndog]

Or a GFI

There's the winner. Turned out to be a GFI.

 

[Little Bill]

There's the winner. Turned out to be a GFI.

Breaker or receptacle?

 

[Barndog]

Breaker or receptacle?

Receptacle

 

[qcroanoke]

There's the winner. Turned out to be a GFI.

Yep, found a tripped one behind a china closet once!

 

[K8MHZ]

Yep, found a tripped one behind a china closet once!

I found one outside, in a garden, covered with plants that protected two bathrooms and a couple outside receptacles.

This was at a condo and happened twice at different addresses. The second one was easier to find, but was also outside on a pedestal over grown with plants.

 

[cowboyjwc]

There's the winner. Turned out to be a GFI.

Thank you, thank you, I couldn't have done it without all the little people, who think that four receptacles is half the house.