VOLTAGE, What's yours?

[Industrial Toys]

I noticed recently that lights are not as bright and today the Microwave just sounded weak.

Voltage here 115 Volts. That's lower than it has been in past. It has been VERY cold so maybe that has something to do with it. The utility has messed around transformers that I guess auto adjust for varying loads. When they failed, we could have voltage in the 90s. Everything just seems to run so much better when it's at the high end.

 

[CobyRupert]

115V should be ok.

Do neighbors have a lot of electric heat?

 

[Industrial Toys]

Probably not. Just ME!

 

[CobyRupert]

Do you own an infrared thermometer? Do you have aluminum conductors as you service lateral into your panel main?

115V is great, but if you did have voltage drop (and your neighbors don't), you may want panel cover taken off and check temperature of terminations under min/max load conditions.

A bad/loose connection will be hot.
(Obviously don't touch or tighten live conductors.)

I once investigated a fire where the aluminum conductors at the mains had got so hot they melted and started a house fire. Most likely bad/loose connections caused by repeated thermal expansion/contractions. (That get worse as they get worse.)

 

[Industrial Toys]

Yeah, they are aluminum. Into the Garage from the pole a couple hundred feet and then aluminum (200 amp service) another couple hundred feet to the house, put in in 72/3.

I checked the connections a couple of years ago. Some did stand to be tightened a bit. I do have a thermometer.

I have an ASCO 200 amp transfer switch too. It probably wouldn't be a bad idea to check all the connections with the thermometer, having some heat on and these cold temperatures, something amiss should show up readily.

 

[RNeumann]

The allowable voltage range from the utility is fairly large. The other “unfortunate” part is it’s measured that the meter. So your house could be much lower- depending on load and loss.

https://www.pge.com/includes/docs/p...ergystatus/powerquality/voltage_tolerance.pdf

 

[reb]

Is that voltage measurement with a load or without? Poor connections will cause a voltage drop when a load is applied.

 

[wagne223]

I only know because I am working on an addition to my house and have been doing electrical work.

With typical house loads on, voltage at the main breaker is 260v give or take 5.

So on the 110 circuits I see around 130v

 

[Industrial Toys]

Thanks. I may well have an issue. Ambiant temperature and that of cabinets is -16c. Most connections are around 1-3c, but one is at 30 something! And that terminal is discolored. It is a copper conductor leaving the main disconnect and going to the transfer switch. I tightened it, and checked temperature a few minutes later, and it's still higher. Will try again, in case it was still hot from before.

 

[MossRoad]

VOTAGE, What's yours?

220, 221, whatever it takes.

 

[wagne223]

Thanks. I may well have an issue. Ambiant temperature and that of cabinets is -16c. Most connections are around 1-3c, but one is at 30 something! And that terminal is discolored. It is a copper conductor leaving the main disconnect and going to the transfer switch. I tightened it, and checked temperature a few minutes later, and it's still higher. Will try again, in case it was still hot from before.

If the connection is discolored, there MAY already be impurities there from arcing.

If tightening does not help, you may need to separate, clean, and cut back to clean copper.

This happens to me occasionally on my RV hookup.

Also, what is the voltage on your other phase(aka leg)? Is it also 115, or is it higher?

 

[Industrial Toys]

It's a 2/0 conductor or thererabouts and there is not much wiggle room. I will go out later and check it again.

 

[Aquamoose]

At this point, I’d make my first move to call a licensed electrician to have him look at it!

 

[CobyRupert]

At this point, I’d make my first move to call a licensed electrician to have him look at it!

Licensed electrician?
Pffffttt!!

 

[Industrial Toys]

I checked it again. About 13c, others still at 1c or so. I tightened it pretty good, afraid I would bust the fitting (not the first time, I have done that). The allen set screw is pretty rusty looking but the fitting and copper conductor looks fine. I was also wondering about the fuse holder, which could be making that heat, but it doesn't look discolored.

 

[CobyRupert]

You should be able to measure voltages when you have a good load to see if there much drop across the connection(s) in question.
...but the abnormal temp IS suspicious.

 

[Industrial Toys]

That is a good idea. I bought myself a FLUKE megger a while ago with a great high resolution volt meter.

 

[Industrial Toys]

Well, it's a bit weird. No voltage drop or resistance from disconnect, through transfer switch to splitter. No issue from the centre of that copper conductor to the lug it's on. But the set scew is quite rusted and I can't get any readings off of it. I wonder if just the resistance of that screw playing it's little part in the connection is heating up. Wish I had a Flir!

Having said that, one connection in the splitter is a bit warm too, but nothing visible. Connections are all VERY tight, and I dare not mess with them, without having a wrench to hold the lug.

I should have grabbed my clamp meter to see just what kind of amps I am sucking.

 

[jaxs]

115 V shouldn't cause a problem but you received a lot of good advice to make sure you are getting all voltage that's coming to meter. I can only repeat what someone already said about making sure system is pulling AS MUCH LOAD AS POSSIBLE while looking for voltage drop. If anything,cold air should boost voltage/conductor carrying capacity.

 

[buckeyefarmer]

VOTAGE, What's yours?

220, 221, whatever it takes.

Classic