Need an electrian's help

[budepps3760]

I have an old 220v welder that did not work today when I tried to use it. Would not even turn on. I measured the voltage at the plug and got a reading of 120 volts on one leg and 55 volts on the other leg for a total of 175 volts in the plug. I am guessing there was not enough voltage to allow the welder to operate. What would cause one leg to be so low in voltage and what would be the solution?

 

[woody]

bad connection go to the breaker and measure. turn the power off and clean contacts, wire and lug and try again. According what you measure there you will go to the buss or welder, and don't forget the neutral, good luck

 

[Al Mac]

Check to see if you have 220 v at the breaker (fuse if it's a fuse panel).
In any case keep just going back through the power supply till you have 220v and your problem (breaker/fuse, connections) will be between that point and the next junction to the welder.

Al

 

[LD1]

1. Verify 220v at the main
2. U hook wires from breaker, verify 220v
3. Reconnect wires and verify at plug. If not, take cover off plug.

If you don't have 220-240 at the main, the problem is further upstream. If this is a sub panel, check the main supply. If this is a main panel, you either have an issue at the meter, transformer, or with the power company.

 

[chim]

It sounds like you have a problem with the neutral rather than a "hot" - perhaps a poor ground connection / poor bond between the neutral and ground. From hot to hot you should be able to measure 230V now. The connections to the ground rod and where the neutral and hot are bonded together should be cleaned, coated with anti oxidizing paste and tightened. Best de-energize before trying that because it's a real opportunity to get shocked or worse.

I'd also bet that if you have some lights fed from the same panel that depending on the type, they either vary in brightness or don't work.

 

[Xfaxman]

When it happened to us, it was a nick through the insulation on one leg of the underground direct bury aluminum cable. The wire oxidized to nothingness.:thumbdown:

 

[budepps3760]

How in the world did you run that down?

 

[budepps3760]

My father has a phase shifter on the same circuit. It had a bad start capacitor in it and I replaced it however when I tried to start it it started smoking and I had to run and shut it off at the panel. Maybe that has something to do with it also.

 

[Xfaxman]

When it happened to us, it was a nick through the insulation on one leg of the underground direct bury aluminum cable. The wire oxidized to nothingness.:thumbdown:

How in the world did you run that down?

It was good leaving the house, bad at the barn. Borrowed an underground cable fault locator from an electrician friend. It pinpointed where to dig.

 

[445A]

It sounds like you have a problem with the neutral rather than a "hot" - perhaps a poor ground connection / poor bond between the neutral and ground. From hot to hot you should be able to measure 230V now. The connections to the ground rod and where the neutral and hot are bonded together should be cleaned, coated with anti oxidizing paste and tightened. Best de-energize before trying that because it's a real opportunity to get shocked or worse.

I'm with chim. This exact same thing happened to me, and it was where the neutral and ground tied together, at the main panel.

 

[grsthegreat]

I see this all the time with underground buried cable it has always been a damaged leg on wire run between both buildings. The 55v reading is a transisnt voltage. If uou disconnect all wires on garage/shop panel you will find no voltage on one wire.

There are companies that will locate broken line for you. Look in yellow pages for utility locator companies.

 

[budepps3760]

Just got back from the farm. I had the same low reading on one of the 2 buried wires coming into the building so that appears to be my problem. I will be having my 85 acres clear cut starting in a few months and so once they have finished tearing up the ground I will just run 2 new lines and bury them deep. The run from the power pole is only about 15 yards in distance. Those lines are at least 30 years old and so I can't really complain. Thanks for everyone's help with this.

 

[Xfaxman]

Glad you found the problem. :thumbsup:

 

[budepps3760]

Concerning the replacement wire. My tractor shed was once my father's commercial cabinet shop and I still have his 3 phase machines which I plan on using to build my cabinets in our house we are building next year on the farm. With that being said what gauge wire should I go back with and should it be stranded or solid? I will only need to run 2 pieces about 15 yards underground and its a straight shot up to the master panel. Looking at it Saturday it looks like maybe a 6 or 8 gauge stranded currently.

 

[crazyal]

What size breaker do you have in the main panel. That along with distance the wire will run will determine what size wire you will need. If you use copper it will be a smaller gauge than aluminum but cost more. I always put wire in conduit when it's going in the ground. Just cheap insurance against it getting damaged. Just make sure not to damage the insulation when sliding it into the conduit.

 

[buickanddeere]

bad connection go to the breaker and measure. turn the power off and clean contacts, wire and lug and try again. According what you measure there you will go to the buss or welder, and don't forget the neutral, good luck

Neutral ? What neutral with a welder ?