# Residential service;under load A phase=140V B phase=99V



## 480sparky (Sep 20, 2007)

Classic open neutral.

Keep looking at every connection and every terminal and ever splice. It's there somewhere.


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## EBFD6 (Aug 17, 2008)

Yep, definitely lost your neutral. 

Call the search party.

It'll probably be in the last place you look, usually is.


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## Toronto Sparky (Apr 12, 2009)

Corroded slice on service entrance neutral ?


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## charlie Bob (Jul 26, 2009)

Like everybody said, open neutral somewhere.
Once i had a tipical open neutral case i couldn't find the dog-gone thing for nothing. Checked everything, nothing.
Finally after 2 hours, when back outside and looked at bare neutral over head from trans., bingo!!
The neutral messenger was cut in half. Very hard to see though from the ground.
It's there somewhere.


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## RePhase277 (Feb 5, 2008)

You already said the voltage at the line side of the meter was way off (how you checked that under load, I don't know). If that is indeed the case, it's time to call the power company and let them handle it.


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## MDShunk (Jan 7, 2007)

InPhase277 said:


> You already said the voltage at the line side of the meter was way off (how you checked that under load, I don't know).....


I've often accomplished that by sticking meter probes in the end of the tap covers.


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## GEORGE D (Apr 2, 2009)

Make sure the water-line is bonded. I know its the last thing you would expect, but I bet its your problem.


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## JohnJ0906 (Jan 22, 2007)

GEORGE D said:


> Make sure the water-line is bonded. I know its the last thing you would expect, but I bet its your problem.


All that would do is cause the water line to carry the neutral load. It would not only merely cover up the real problem, but also be a serious hazard.


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## Amp1906 (Jul 14, 2008)

Check the service drop connections. Sometime they will become loose if the old and you have work done on roof. Someone may have caused this. eg..a ladder may have hit the conductors.


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## Joe Tedesco (Mar 25, 2007)

Amp1906 said:


> Check the service drop connections. Sometime they will become loose if the old and you have work done on roof. Someone may have caused this. eg..a ladder may have hit the conductors.


I would also check to see if the terminations at the service point are made with the correct types that are designed and listed for that purpose, such as AL/CU, etc. 

It is not uncommon for those splices to have been made using Romex®
connectors! 

When a grounded conductor (neutral) is lost the system voltages go crazy and lead to equipment damage. That happened here in IRAQ last year when a generator change out was not inspected properly! The work was done by people who have no electrical experience and who were not licensed electricians and didn't even speak english! 

Their Expat electrical supervisor was no where to be found. 

He was fired and sent home! 

PS: There are over 35 different languages spoken here! :blink:


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## te12co2w (Jun 3, 2007)

Joe Tedesco said:


> PS: There are over 35 different languages spoken here! :blink:


 How does anyone get anything done? I get frustrated when no one speaks English here.


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## guschash (Jul 8, 2007)

I would call the POCO have them ckeck the X-former at the pole. I had the same thing happen. What threw me off was the HO said the POCO said everything was ok at the pole. Told him call again different crew showed up, open neutral at the X-former.

gus


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## Stator (Oct 31, 2009)

JohnJ0906 said:


> All that would do is cause the water line to carry the neutral load. It would not only merely cover up the real problem, but also be a serious hazard.


Ya it would cover up the real problem, but a serious hazard.....:laughing:


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## JohnJ0906 (Jan 22, 2007)

Stator said:


> Ya it would cover up the real problem, but a serious hazard.....:laughing:


If you don't think it is a serious hazard, why don't you ask the families of plumbers who have been killed by it?


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## Stator (Oct 31, 2009)

JohnJ0906 said:


> If you don't think it is a serious hazard, why don't you ask the families of plumbers who have been killed by it?


Why are they taking the ground off in the first place?? :no:

So if the neutral is grounded properly back at the tranny your still not going to get a leathal shock? Explain...


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## JohnJ0906 (Jan 22, 2007)

GEORGE D said:


> Make sure the water-line is bonded. I know its the last thing you would expect, but I bet its your problem.





JohnJ0906 said:


> All that would do is cause the water line to carry the neutral load. It would not only merely cover up the real problem, but also be a serious hazard.





Stator said:


> Ya it would cover up the real problem, but a serious hazard.....:laughing:





JohnJ0906 said:


> If you don't think it is a serious hazard, why don't you ask the families of plumbers who have been killed by it?





Stator said:


> Why are they taking the ground off in the first place?? :no:
> 
> So if the neutral is grounded properly back at the tranny your still not going to get a leathal shock? Explain...


My posts are in response to the 1st quote above. The bond to the water, in the case of metallic water service, will provide an alternate path for the neutral current - through the pipes to a neighbors house, through their water bond and neutral, back to the transformer.


GEORGE D said:


> Make sure the water-line is bonded. I know its the last thing you would expect, but I bet its your problem.


The quote here is absolutely incorrect. The water pipe bond will only cause the true problem (open/loose service neutral) to be masked, by providing an alternative path.
If a plumber removes a water meter without jumping it 1st, and there is neutral current present, there is certainly the risk of a potentially lethal shock. He does not need to remove the ground for this to occur.
Note - many water meters here are not in the house, where there is a requirement for us to install a GEC jumper, but at the street - off customer property.


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## Toronto Sparky (Apr 12, 2009)

*My feed*

Here is the tranny feeding my house.. See a bonding ground? I don't!


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## mavajo3 (Oct 30, 2009)

loose netural just got done fixing one today on a service that had copper entrance cable and the netural in the meter socket was not tight and corroding tighted and problem fixed and now i recommend a new service


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## bobelectric (Feb 24, 2007)

guschash said:


> I would call the POCO have them ckeck the X-former at the pole. I had the same thing happen. What threw me off was the HO said the POCO said everything was ok at the pole. Told him call again different crew showed up, open neutral at the X-former.
> 
> gus


 I thought Pogo died. (Walt Kelly).


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## Grimlock (Aug 4, 2009)

If the odd voltages are in the panel then you can easily tell that it is the power companies problem. Typically they own everything from the meter back, including the meter base (even if the homeowner paid for it, doesn't mean they'll pay to replace a bad one though). You shouldn't mess with the connections at the service point either, that is the power companies responsibility to fix. Call them and tell them that your customer is using sensitive medical equipment and that their problem poses a significant risk to their health. They'll have someone out within a few hours I bet.


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