Washer is dimming lights

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splinetto

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Missouri
At my sisters house her lights dim and flicker when she runs the washer..it is a dedicated ckt...I switched out the outlet, moved the homerun to a diff breaker, tightened the grounds and "neutrals" and plugged the washer into a diff ckt. Of course none worked....She said that this a newer washer and the old one did the same......So cant blame that...Could it be a bad ground connection, needs a new breaker, main breaker??, or maybe a loose connection at the utitity or meter can?? Thanks for the help
 
Possibly a neutral or energized conductor issue or what is referred to as flicker.

POSTED PREVIOUSLY....

Light flicker (dimming and restoration of light to near pre-flicker 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.
 
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Also when I checked voltage when the motor was on it was 129V... Also it is very noticable and the washer is 5 ft from the panel so VD would cause it
 
The same thing happens when my heat pump comes on. I checked everything I could check and found no problems. I have a 200 amp service panel. It has done this since it was installed and still does it today. There is nothing that I know of to prevent it. The inrush current of the scroll compressor is high enough to momentarily dim the lighting. (seconds only). It has no effect on TV or other electronics as they are designed to ride through this voltage drop. I just learned to live with it. Now that 90% of all lamps in the house are CFL, or standard flourescent it is not as noticeable.
 
All you can do is tighten all the connection throughout the panel and the meter to make sure everything is tight. If the podco transformer is far from the house and at the maximum for distance then this may also attribute to the problem. I bet the a/c causes the flicker also.

When you moved the washer breaker did you have it on a different phase or the same phase. I don't think this will make a difference but I would at least try it.
 
splinetto said:
Also when I checked voltage when the motor was on it was 129V... Also it is very noticable and the washer is 5 ft from the panel so VD would cause it
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That seems a little high. What is the voltage on that circuit when everything is turned off -- 115, 120, 125? Voltage should not increase from the SYSTEM no load value, but the level of decrease depends on the voltage drop in the hot and neutral wires. Voltage going up to 129V sounds like a failing neutral to me, especially if the voltage has dipped 5 volts or more on the other service leg at the same time.

The problem could be at the meter, service mast, or POCO transformer (or the big neutral in the panel, but I'm assuming you've already checked that one). If you can verify a voltage increase under load (compared to the no load voltage -- all circuits in the panel turned off), I'd be calling your utility company.
 
suemarkp said:
That seems a little high. What is the voltage on that circuit when everything is turned off -- 115, 120, 125? Voltage should not increase from the SYSTEM no load value, but the level of decrease depends on the voltage drop in the hot and neutral wires. Voltage going up to 129V sounds like a failing neutral to me, especially if the voltage has dipped 5 volts or more on the other service leg at the same time.
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Both phases were 121V to ground and with load it went to 129V.........If I call the utility Im sure that they would maybe come out and check the meter but if that isnt it...I would bet they would not replace any wire or a transformer,,,What is the best course of action....It is bad enough that it would drive me crazy..
 
Dennis Alwon said:
When you moved the washer breaker did you have it on a different phase or the same phase. I don't think this will make a difference but I would at least try it.
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Not at all I was hoping it was the breaker and I tried the breaker above it and it was on a diff phase
 
splinetto said:
Both phases were 121V to ground and with load it went to 129V.........If I call the utility Im sure that they would maybe come out and check the meter but if that isnt it...I would bet they would not replace any wire or a transformer,,,What is the best course of action....It is bad enough that it would drive me crazy..
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You could measure at the meter and see if you get the same symptoms (voltage rise on one leg, sag on the other). If you show them that, I would hope they would fix it. If the meter is fine but at the main panel you're messed up, then check the neutral at the meter LOAD side and the input to the main panel -- neutral could be damaged or loose. Is it SE cable with a dissolved or damaged braided neutral?
 
splinetto said:
Both phases were 121V to ground and with load it went to 129V.........
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That's not really adding up, for me. Did both legs go to 129, or just the one? If just the one went to 129, what did the other do? I'm not sure how both can go up, but the open/loose neutral situation certainly can make one go up and the other go down.
 
mdshunk said:
but the open/loose neutral situation certainly can make one go up and the other go down.
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I totally agree, if it is a neutral problem, if one leg test higher voltage to neutral, the other should test lower to neutral, than the nominal voltage .
 
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