# Lights Flicker



## kgb62 (Oct 23, 2011)

Have a customer who is having issues with lights dimming when other equipment kicks on. It happens when A/C, heater, even a vacuum are turned on. He has 119v at the panel on each leg so I don't think it is a low voltage problem. I tightened every wire in the panel including the main. Pulled the meter socket and tightened lugs. He had the utility come out to the house and they actually ran a new ariel to the house. Nothing has improved. Any suggestions?


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## McClary’s Electrical (Feb 21, 2009)

kgb62 said:


> Have a customer who is having issues with lights dimming when other equipment kicks on. It happens when A/C, heater, even a vacuum are turned on. He has 119v at the panel on each leg so I don't think it is a low voltage problem. I tightened every wire in the panel including the main. Pulled the meter socket and tightened lugs. He had the utility come out to the house and they actually ran a new ariel to the house. Nothing has improved. Any suggestions?


 
How many houses and how big on what size xfmr?


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## RIVETER (Sep 26, 2009)

kgb62 said:


> Have a customer who is having issues with lights dimming when other equipment kicks on. It happens when A/C, heater, even a vacuum are turned on. He has 119v at the panel on each leg so I don't think it is a low voltage problem. I tightened every wire in the panel including the main. Pulled the meter socket and tightened lugs. He had the utility come out to the house and they actually ran a new ariel to the house. Nothing has improved. Any suggestions?


If all connections are tight it can only be the service that the utility is supplying.


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## McClary’s Electrical (Feb 21, 2009)

RIVETER said:


> If all connections are tight it can only be the service that the utility is supplying.


 
I've seen bad contacts inside the main breaker cause it, and also bad bussing behind the main cause it. The old Crouse hinds/ Murray stab in mains were famous for it.


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## wildleg (Apr 12, 2009)

are you measuring 240 at the main ?


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## MattMc (May 30, 2011)

If all breakers and connections, in panel and the meter, maybe the service is too small? I don't know how big a house or service you are dealing with, but when something kicks on an the inrush causes a flicker there could be too high of a draw on the service.


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## T Healy (Aug 27, 2011)

Maybe just a little PM. If your panel is good and the power connections are tight then check for loose wiring. Connections made in the outside disconnect and compressor at a/c. Wiring in recepts where a motor is used, and the equipment itself.


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## electricmanscott (Feb 11, 2010)

All the lights? How dim?


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## kgb62 (Oct 23, 2011)

electricmanscott said:


> All the lights? How dim?


Every light in the house which makes me think its the service. 200 amp main which should be plenty for a 2400 sq ft house. They dim a lot.


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## Big John (May 23, 2010)

Hard to tell if what you're seeing is the normal flicker from a big voltage drop, or a result of a poor connection.

How long does the dimming last?


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## wildleg (Apr 12, 2009)

if you have 240 at the main, you got a problem (might be the utility, might be the main neutral). if you only have 120 at the main, you lost a leg.


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## kgb62 (Oct 23, 2011)

Big John said:


> Hard to tell if what you're seeing is the normal flicker from a big voltage drop, or a result of a poor connection.
> 
> How long does the dimming last?


Sorry, I have 124v on one leg and 126v on the other 250 accross both legs. Dimming lasts about 2 to 3 seconds.


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## Magnettica (Jan 23, 2007)

kgb62 said:


> Sorry, I have 124v on one leg and 126v on the other 250 accross both legs. Dimming lasts about 2 to 3 seconds.


Then it's likely on the power company's end. 

Have you checked connections out at the meter?


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## Bulldog1 (Oct 21, 2011)

It's a really common complaint from many of our customers here. Poco is bad about running too many houses off one transformer.


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## Shockdoc (Mar 4, 2010)

I had that in PA where the POCO fed two houses from one 10 kva xformer. The scumbags actually charged her to upgrade their x former and pull in a larger drop.


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## sfeyelectric (Dec 31, 2010)

Had one recently where customer was losing one leg of service, ended up being POCO connection and they ended up having to rewire the whole street!


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## cultch (Aug 2, 2011)

Are the lights on their own branch circuits? or are they sharing circuits w/ power?


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## kgb62 (Oct 23, 2011)

cultch said:


> Are the lights on their own branch circuits? or are they sharing circuits w/ power?


I ran new lighting circuits in the addition which are lighting only. Existing are shared with power circuits. Every light in the house dims though. Its not a specific circuit.


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## Big John (May 23, 2010)

About how far is the service drop, and did you ever get a transformer size?

The voltages of 124 and 126, were those actually captured during a dimming event with a true RMS meter? 

Without being there, I'm still guessing overloaded transformer.

-John


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