Household electrical problem

[Warlock49766]

After a large storm here in Michigan I began experiencing a problem in
our barn's electrical system. Now all of the circuits were functioning
fine up until this storm hit and I have checked everything I can
possibly think of to try to repair the problem.

First,... a little description of the problem. When you turn on the
lights in the tack room the bulb does light but it's on the dim side
(60 watt bulb). Now with that light left on in the tack room,.. if I
turn the lights on in my shop which is the room right next door the
bulb in the tack room gets brighter (like a 100 watt bulb in
brightness) Both of these circuits are on different breakers in the
box. When I go to use any of the power tools in my shop there isn't
enough amps/volts to drive the motors. IE chop saw, compressor, bench
grinder. The power to the main breaker box in the barn is fed by the
main box on the utility pole where the meter is mounted. the power is
fed through a 100 amp breaker which supplies 2 seperate circuits to the
breaker box in the barn, each is 120v ( I replaced this breaker to make
sure it wasn't the problem and it made no difference in my barn
problem) Now when I check my incoming voltages at both receiving legs
in the barn breaker box I read 105 volts on the left leg and 135 volts
on the right one. I have physically disconnected all of the circuits in
the barns breaker box from all of the leg connections and tried each
one seperatly to see if there was a problem in a individual circuit.
None of the individual circuits have any change in the symptoms I have
related to earlier by doing this. I have checked the grounds and
neutrals in each circuit and can't find any problems in any of the
individual barn lines. If I leave the power on in the barn for the tack
room light & shop light so they are lit,.. the power for the lights
within the barn area (stalls and such) will function (florescent
fixtures) but if I turn off either of the other 2 lights (tack room or
shop) the barn lights will go out also and come back on if I turn the
tack light on or the shop light on depending on which one I had shut
off originally.

Now remember,... EACH of these circuits are on their own circuit
breaker and none are interconnected anywhere in the system with the
exception of the MAIN power source to all of them. Quite frankly I AM
Stumped!!

Is there ANYONE out there that could high-light me as to what the
problem could be and what could be done to fix it???

ANY suggestions would be GREATLY apperciated !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[Jerry G.]

Did you check that the ground returm is not floating?

It may be that loads in relation the entry which is in two phases, is
not seeing a proper neutral return.

Did you check that the neutrals all meet to ground where they are
suposed to?

If you are not experienced in electrical installation service, it would
be best to pay the cost for an experienced electrician.


Jerry G.

--

 

[Ralph Mowery]

After a large storm here in Michigan I began experiencing a problem in
our barn's electrical system. Now all of the circuits were functioning
fine up until this storm hit and I have checked everything I can
possibly think of to try to repair the problem.

First,... a little description of the problem. When you turn on the
lights in the tack room the bulb does light but it's on the dim side
(60 watt bulb). Now with that light left on in the tack room,.. if I
turn the lights on in my shop which is the room right next door the
bulb in the tack room gets brighter (like a 100 watt bulb in
brightness) Both of these circuits are on different breakers in the
box. When I go to use any of the power tools in my shop there isn't
enough amps/volts to drive the motors. IE chop saw, compressor, bench
grinder. The power to the main breaker box in the barn is fed by the
main box on the utility pole where the meter is mounted. the power is
fed through a 100 amp breaker which supplies 2 seperate circuits to the
breaker box in the barn, each is 120v ( I replaced this breaker to make
sure it wasn't the problem and it made no difference in my barn
problem) Now when I check my incoming voltages at both receiving legs
in the barn breaker box I read 105 volts on the left leg and 135 volts
on the right one. I have physically disconnected all of the circuits in
the barns breaker box from all of the leg connections and tried each
one seperatly to see if there was a problem in a individual circuit.
None of the individual circuits have any change in the symptoms I have
related to earlier by doing this. I have checked the grounds and
neutrals in each circuit and can't find any problems in any of the
individual barn lines. If I leave the power on in the barn for the tack
room light & shop light so they are lit,.. the power for the lights
within the barn area (stalls and such) will function (florescent
fixtures) but if I turn off either of the other 2 lights (tack room or
shop) the barn lights will go out also and come back on if I turn the
tack light on or the shop light on depending on which one I had shut
off originally.

Now remember,... EACH of these circuits are on their own circuit
breaker and none are interconnected anywhere in the system with the
exception of the MAIN power source to all of them. Quite frankly I AM
Stumped!!

Is there ANYONE out there that could high-light me as to what the
problem could be and what could be done to fix it???

ANY suggestions would be GREATLY apperciated !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

You have an open or a very bad connection on a neutral wire in the breaker
box or from there to where ever it goes til it gets back to the transformer
at the power pole. Could even be the Wiring to the pole.

 

[Warlock49766]

Jerry,... Thanks for your response and YES I did check ALL of the
Grounds and Neutrals within the box in the barn.
"A BAD Ground" was my first thought when I saw the bright /dim lighting
problem. All of the neutrals and grounds are in the proper positions in
the box,.. and the connector lug screws are tight on all the terminal
connections for the grounds, neutrals, and breakers.

Ralph,.. now I was kinda' hoping that someone was going to suggest the
power at the pole. The only other thing that I was thinking along that
line of thought was a problem in the underground supply leads from the
box on the meter pole to the mains in the box in the barn.

I think that with your suggestion I'll call the Power Company on Monday
and have them first check out their equipment. It's just too strange
for everything to be working fine all this time and then after that few
days of Cold, Snow, and Winter Storm for it to just go haywire on me.

Many thanks to the both of you for jumping to my aid as rapidly has you
had. It IS greatly appreciated!!

 

[Michael Ware]

Warlock49766 wrote:
SNIP
call the electric company, you have a problem between the barn and the pole.
sounds like a combination of a ground problem and connection problem
on the pole.

I partly agree. Call the power company, it could be a problem with a
transformer that serves your property.

 

[Jamie]

After a large storm here in Michigan I began experiencing a problem in
our barn's electrical system. Now all of the circuits were functioning
fine up until this storm hit and I have checked everything I can
possibly think of to try to repair the problem.

First,... a little description of the problem. When you turn on the
lights in the tack room the bulb does light but it's on the dim side
(60 watt bulb). Now with that light left on in the tack room,.. if I
turn the lights on in my shop which is the room right next door the
bulb in the tack room gets brighter (like a 100 watt bulb in
brightness) Both of these circuits are on different breakers in the
box. When I go to use any of the power tools in my shop there isn't
enough amps/volts to drive the motors. IE chop saw, compressor, bench
grinder. The power to the main breaker box in the barn is fed by the
main box on the utility pole where the meter is mounted. the power is
fed through a 100 amp breaker which supplies 2 seperate circuits to the
breaker box in the barn, each is 120v ( I replaced this breaker to make
sure it wasn't the problem and it made no difference in my barn
problem) Now when I check my incoming voltages at both receiving legs
in the barn breaker box I read 105 volts on the left leg and 135 volts
on the right one. I have physically disconnected all of the circuits in
the barns breaker box from all of the leg connections and tried each
one seperatly to see if there was a problem in a individual circuit.
None of the individual circuits have any change in the symptoms I have
related to earlier by doing this. I have checked the grounds and
neutrals in each circuit and can't find any problems in any of the
individual barn lines. If I leave the power on in the barn for the tack
room light & shop light so they are lit,.. the power for the lights
within the barn area (stalls and such) will function (florescent
fixtures) but if I turn off either of the other 2 lights (tack room or
shop) the barn lights will go out also and come back on if I turn the
tack light on or the shop light on depending on which one I had shut
off originally.

Now remember,... EACH of these circuits are on their own circuit
breaker and none are interconnected anywhere in the system with the
exception of the MAIN power source to all of them. Quite frankly I AM
Stumped!!

Is there ANYONE out there that could high-light me as to what the
problem could be and what could be done to fix it???

ANY suggestions would be GREATLY apperciated !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

call the electric company, you have a problem between the barn and the pole.
sounds like a combination of a ground problem and connection problem
on the pole.

 

[Warren Weber]

After a large storm here in Michigan I began experiencing a problem in
our barn's electrical system. Now all of the circuits were functioning
fine up until this storm hit and I have checked everything I can
possibly think of to try to repair the problem.

First,... a little description of the problem. When you turn on the
lights in the tack room the bulb does light but it's on the dim side
(60 watt bulb). Now with that light left on in the tack room,.. if I
turn the lights on in my shop which is the room right next door the
bulb in the tack room gets brighter (like a 100 watt bulb in
brightness) Both of these circuits are on different breakers in the
box. When I go to use any of the power tools in my shop there isn't
enough amps/volts to drive the motors. IE chop saw, compressor, bench
grinder. The power to the main breaker box in the barn is fed by the
main box on the utility pole where the meter is mounted. the power is
fed through a 100 amp breaker which supplies 2 seperate circuits to the
breaker box in the barn, each is 120v ( I replaced this breaker to make
sure it wasn't the problem and it made no difference in my barn
problem) Now when I check my incoming voltages at both receiving legs
in the barn breaker box I read 105 volts on the left leg and 135 volts
on the right one. I have physically disconnected all of the circuits in
the barns breaker box from all of the leg connections and tried each
one seperatly to see if there was a problem in a individual circuit.
None of the individual circuits have any change in the symptoms I have
related to earlier by doing this. I have checked the grounds and
neutrals in each circuit and can't find any problems in any of the
individual barn lines. If I leave the power on in the barn for the tack
room light & shop light so they are lit,.. the power for the lights
within the barn area (stalls and such) will function (florescent
fixtures) but if I turn off either of the other 2 lights (tack room or
shop) the barn lights will go out also and come back on if I turn the
tack light on or the shop light on depending on which one I had shut
off originally.

Now remember,... EACH of these circuits are on their own circuit
breaker and none are interconnected anywhere in the system with the
exception of the MAIN power source to all of them. Quite frankly I AM
Stumped!!

Is there ANYONE out there that could high-light me as to what the
problem could be and what could be done to fix it???

ANY suggestions would be GREATLY apperciated !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Had same problem. Utility company found poor connection in neutral between
pole and ahead of meter. WW

 

[Terry]

You mentioned the two voltages on Leg A and leg B, as 105 and 135 volts.
Also used the word 'household' i.e. Residential like.

What was the voltage between A and B? Somewhere around 230 volts?

If so suspect the neutral or zero voltage (middle wire) of the three
incoming service wires is open or very high resistance, somewhere between or
at the power utility transformer!

By the way someone here referred to Legs A and B, as 'Phases'.
In household installations they are rarely, if ever ................. NOT
phases.

In most normal North American (residential, small farm and other etc.)
systems, the two legs are, as it were**, the + (plus) and - (minus) ends of
a 230 volt SINGLE phase transformer supply which has its centre used as the
neutral.

The use of the word phase is not uncommon but is technically incorrect;
except perhaps in the wiring parlance/practice of the industry; where
someone might loosely say "Phase A is black wire and Phase B is red wire."
The two legs are actully the opposite ends of the SAME phase.