Weirdness

[George Stolz]

Today I found a loose neutral in a panel in a job trailer, which nuked everything in the trailer. Everything was on one circuit: the computer, monitor, fax, printer, copier, two phones, a few fluorescents, a microwave... No joke.

Well, that was the neutral that was left loose.

The computer/monitor/printer were on a surge arrester, which did it's duty. Stunk up the office doing it.

My question is, why the over/under-voltage problem on a regular branch circuit? It behaved like a MWBC with a lost neutral. I figured it out enough to fix it, but not to fully understand it.

 

[mc5w]

Re: Weirdness

It could be that your branch circuit was not as 2-wire as advertised. Here in Ohio some electricians are still doing haywire circuits where they will tap only the hot wire on the first floor, run 2-wire with groung romex throught the first floor 3-way switch, go up the stairs, go through the second floor 3-way, pick up a neutral on the second floor, then go to the ceiling light. They think that it is more cost effective to wire 3-way switches this way than to do it by the book using 3-wire with ground romex.

 

[allenwayne]

Re: Weirdness

George could be that they were wired sharing a neutral with another circuit which created a 240v line to line load as that circuit searched for a return path and the electronic equiptment was it. in the process.
I am not from or have not done any work in OHIO but if I am not mistaken I read here that there are areas there that don`t require an EC license at all

 

[tshea]

Re: Weirdness

Is this a manufacturered job trailer or someone's homemade backyard special office on wheels?
I've seen job trailers with 1 receptacle circuit, 1 A/C circuit and 1 heater circuit, all 120V on 1 side of a 60Amp panel. Tag says 120V only. (I did not wire it, I only saw it)
This was a manufactured trailer!

 

[George Stolz]

Re: Weirdness

I didn't have time to check too much. The panel looked like a afterthought, the whole place is in pretty bad shape.