Electrical mystery
What happens when you turn on the nuke with the t/o unplugged? not just off- unplugged? Can you disconnect the nuke and try t/o? again not off- disconnected?
How long has this been going on? Relative to newness of nuke and t/o?
Can you connect both to a different circuit? and test?
The miracle is that the circuit breaker doesn't blow immediately. Most toaster ovens pull 10-15 amps. most large microwaves pull 10-14 amps. That adds up to 20 to 29 amps. Many kitchen circuits are 20 amps; some are 15. See the problem?
Frankly, I'd be feeling the wall to see if it's getting warm, then I'd put the Fire Dept. on speed dial.
Any recommendations for electricians who are good trouble-shooters?
What do you mean by 'drops'? How are you measuring it?tjohn said:
the voltage in the whole house drops.
locowolfy said:
is this a constant problem? How long is the duration of the "drop"? Does the "drop" stop when the devices shut off? you may have a loose connection in the panel. OR maybe a sump pump is active? Like Apollo said, maybe something "ganged" on that circuit??
I vote for loose connection somewhere in the circuit (such as at breaker, neutral bus bar or any junction box or receptacle).
RealityForAll said:
locowolfy said:
is this a constant problem? How long is the duration of the "drop"? Does the "drop" stop when the devices shut off? you may have a loose connection in the panel. OR maybe a sump pump is active? Like Apollo said, maybe something "ganged" on that circuit??
I vote for loose connection somewhere in the circuit (such as at breaker, neutral bus bar or any junction box or receptacle).
Wouldn't that result in arcing or sparky in the breaker box. I haven't noticed any funny smells.
Having said that, what you say makes sense to me.
Try using coffee maker on that circuit.
Solution if unsolved by suppertime call electrician.
RealityForAll said:
locowolfy said:
is this a constant problem? How long is the duration of the "drop"? Does the "drop" stop when the devices shut off? you may have a loose connection in the panel. OR maybe a sump pump is active? Like Apollo said, maybe something "ganged" on that circuit??
I vote for loose connection somewhere in the circuit (such as at breaker, neutral bus bar or any junction box or receptacle).
I agree but if you are in the least, unsure about your ability, call a electrician. A few rec's are Jon Sileo, Brian Stromko and James honrath
An electrician can provide that answer.
First take a screw driver and make sure ever screw to a wire in you breaker box and any load centers you have are tight-snug. Be safe, I know you know how.
After the snug up, if you still have the problem consider at Ground loop or a Floating ground.
Want more, ask the google. electrical ground loops.
Then find a contractor that knows more than you do. I am here to tell you, you will not find many. The last one that I knew as passed, so I too am at a blank as to who to call.
I use to find them for electrical contractors, but, I am too old to do it any more and just do not have the time.
Good luck
Later, Da
George
In the end it had to do with some temp bugs that PSEG used on the weather head. I don't remember the sequence of events, but they had to fix something and supposedly (never told me) they were supposed to come back out to replace the temp bugs. Never did. My electrician found it and was quite annoyed.
6dave6 said:
Disclaimer, I am a carpenter not an electrician and any electrical problems should be dealt with by a licensed professional. What is the make of your panel? Federal Pacific panels have many problems and phase drop could be one of them. As was mentioned before, have you tried the appliances on different circuits? What else is on the circuits involved? What voltage are the appliances? Do neighbors have similar problems?
I agree with 6dave6, electrical issues ought to be looked at by a licensed professional. There are too many risks involved to go after this yourself. Who was your electrician if you don't mind my asking?
Mystery solved. Brian Stromko spent some time trying to figure out the voltage fluctuations and suggested that I call PSE&G to have them look at the problem. After I described the problem, they sent a line man out and he fixed the connection at the pole. There was some corrosion where the copper main wire was connected to aluminum wire and this was the problem. Been so long since the lights haven't constantly flickered that I forgot what it was like.
Whew, what a relief! But didn't you already have PSE&G come before? I guess they missed the culprit the first time.
Do you have Stromko's number? We're having a strange problem with one of our outdoor outlets that coincidentally started right after PSE&G put in the vent pipe for our high-pressure gas line connection right next to that outlet. Oddly, it will power a hand sander, but not the lawn mower, which powers up just fine around at the back outlet, so it's not the mower or the extension cord.
Try putting a powerstrip on the outlet and then connecting the mower (check the rating but should be ok). Might just be something wonky about the prongs on the extension cord and that particular outlet.
Both those tools probably pull pretty good amps so I guess I'd assume a bad connection before thinking the output was somehow compromised.
Thanks, Jackson. We'll fiddle with it some more this weekend and see if we can nail down the various scenarios, but it's just weird. My husband tried plugging into the interior outlet on that same wall in the basement through the basement window, and it was the same problem there. Something on that one circuit seems to be not quite right.
jasper said:
Thanks, Jackson. We'll fiddle with it some more this weekend and see if we can nail down the various scenarios, but it's just weird. My husband tried plugging into the interior outlet on that same wall in the basement through the basement window, and it was the same problem there. Something on that one circuit seems to be not quite right.
Eh yeah that eliminates with some certitude my speculation. I'd flip the breaker off and leave it be till a pro comes to check it out. It's probably no big deal but you won't be using it, no need to leave it live if something really funky is going on
tjohn