Dimming lights
#1
Flickering lights
PROBLEM: When any motor runs on the household circuits, the lights dim.
OBSERVATIONS: When I turn on the table saw (12.5 amp motor on a 20 amp circuit) the fluorescent lights go out and then restart after the motor is running. Operating the microwave dims the house lights. When the electric furnace starts, the lights dim. When the washing machine starts, the lights dim.
SITUATION: My household electrical service is a 200 amp panel in the basement. The main panel is full mostly with ½ inch circuit breakers that serve the house needs and also a small wood shop in the converted basement. The main panel has 26 each ½ inch circuit breakers (15 amp and 20 amp) plus two-inch, double circuit breakers of 25 amp (water heater), 30 amp (clothes dryer), 40 amp (range), 50 amp (air conditioner).
I wanted to add a 220 volt circuit to the wood shop to better accommodate the equipment motors. To accomplish this, I decided to add a sub panel next to the main panel (2 inches away) because the main panel was running out of space for the additional circuit breakers. I moved the other shop circuits (lights, vacuum, 110 volt outlets) to the sub panel but I have yet to add the 220 volt circuit. Right now, there are no additional loads placed on the main panel.
To make room for the new 60 amp, two-inch, double circuit breaker to serve the sub panel, I changed two of the 220 volt, two-inch, double circuit breakers (40 amp (range) and 50 amp (air conditioner) to the thinner one-inch circuit breakers.
During this work, I noticed that one of the household circuit breakers had two black wires attached to it. I added an additional circuit breaker to the main panel and attached the second wire to this newly added circuit breaker.
To physically connect the sub panel to the main panel, I used a ¾ inch EMT with the appropriate connectors. To electrically connect the two panels together, I used a red and a black #6 stranded wire attached to the 60 amp circuit breaker in the main panel. These wires terminate at the two main connectors in the sub panel. I connected a white # 6 wire to the neutral strip in the sub panel and terminated it at the neutral/equipment ground strip in the main panel. Finally, I connected a #6 bare wire to the equipment ground strip in the sub panel and terminated it at the neutral/equipment ground strip in the main panel. I did not install the grounding screw in the neutral strip in the sub panel.
As of this point, I have added no additional circuits to the electrical service as it existed before I made the changes. The planned 220 volt circuit has not yet been connected. Everything is the same except I moved some circuits from the main panel to a newly installed sub panel.
QUESTION: What is causing the lights to dim whenever a motor starts and what needs to be done to rectify this situation?
OBSERVATIONS: When I turn on the table saw (12.5 amp motor on a 20 amp circuit) the fluorescent lights go out and then restart after the motor is running. Operating the microwave dims the house lights. When the electric furnace starts, the lights dim. When the washing machine starts, the lights dim.
SITUATION: My household electrical service is a 200 amp panel in the basement. The main panel is full mostly with ½ inch circuit breakers that serve the house needs and also a small wood shop in the converted basement. The main panel has 26 each ½ inch circuit breakers (15 amp and 20 amp) plus two-inch, double circuit breakers of 25 amp (water heater), 30 amp (clothes dryer), 40 amp (range), 50 amp (air conditioner).
I wanted to add a 220 volt circuit to the wood shop to better accommodate the equipment motors. To accomplish this, I decided to add a sub panel next to the main panel (2 inches away) because the main panel was running out of space for the additional circuit breakers. I moved the other shop circuits (lights, vacuum, 110 volt outlets) to the sub panel but I have yet to add the 220 volt circuit. Right now, there are no additional loads placed on the main panel.
To make room for the new 60 amp, two-inch, double circuit breaker to serve the sub panel, I changed two of the 220 volt, two-inch, double circuit breakers (40 amp (range) and 50 amp (air conditioner) to the thinner one-inch circuit breakers.
During this work, I noticed that one of the household circuit breakers had two black wires attached to it. I added an additional circuit breaker to the main panel and attached the second wire to this newly added circuit breaker.
To physically connect the sub panel to the main panel, I used a ¾ inch EMT with the appropriate connectors. To electrically connect the two panels together, I used a red and a black #6 stranded wire attached to the 60 amp circuit breaker in the main panel. These wires terminate at the two main connectors in the sub panel. I connected a white # 6 wire to the neutral strip in the sub panel and terminated it at the neutral/equipment ground strip in the main panel. Finally, I connected a #6 bare wire to the equipment ground strip in the sub panel and terminated it at the neutral/equipment ground strip in the main panel. I did not install the grounding screw in the neutral strip in the sub panel.
As of this point, I have added no additional circuits to the electrical service as it existed before I made the changes. The planned 220 volt circuit has not yet been connected. Everything is the same except I moved some circuits from the main panel to a newly installed sub panel.
QUESTION: What is causing the lights to dim whenever a motor starts and what needs to be done to rectify this situation?
Last edited by Pete Hadley; 11-13-05 at 04:28 PM. Reason: More descriptive title
#2
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Generally you don't want any light circuits connected with motors.
Each time the motor starts the lights will dim.
Induction motors can pull 3 to 6 times over their rated running amps when starting.
That creates a larger voltage drop as they start.
To help avoid that you run the motors on a dedicated line, or use larger wire.
The longer the run the more resistance in the wire. that resistance will limit the current motors need to start.
Your description sounds, maybe like a loose line any where from the pole to your main panel.
I would check the voltage across the main breakers 220 volts, and to the neutral line 120 volts.
With a heavy load running on one line then the other line. then without the load.
---------------------------------
Did this problem show up before or after you added the sub panel ?
How old is the house ?
Each time the motor starts the lights will dim.
Induction motors can pull 3 to 6 times over their rated running amps when starting.
That creates a larger voltage drop as they start.
To help avoid that you run the motors on a dedicated line, or use larger wire.
The longer the run the more resistance in the wire. that resistance will limit the current motors need to start.
Your description sounds, maybe like a loose line any where from the pole to your main panel.
I would check the voltage across the main breakers 220 volts, and to the neutral line 120 volts.
With a heavy load running on one line then the other line. then without the load.
---------------------------------
Did this problem show up before or after you added the sub panel ?
How old is the house ?
#3
Generally you don't want any light circuits connected with motors. THE SHOP OUTLETS THAT PROVIDE ELECTRICITY TO THE MOTORS ARE ON SEPARATE CIRCUITS FROM THE LIGHTS. THE TOP HALF OF A DUPLEX OUTLET (THAT PROVIDES POWER TO THE TOOLS) IS ON ONE 20 AMP CIRCUIT AND THE BOTTOM HALF OF THE DUPLEX OUTLET IS ON A SEPARATE 20 AMP CIRCUIT. THE SHOP LIGHTING IS ON A DIFFERENT 15 AMP CIRCUIT.
Each time the motor starts the lights will dim. BEFORE I INSTALLED THE SUBPANEL, THIS PROBLEM DID NOT EXIST. I NOTICED THIS MORNING THAT THE COFFEE POT CYCLING ON AND OFF CAUSED THE HOUSE LIGHTS TO DIM. THESE LIGHTS (OFFICE CIRCUIT) ARE ON A DIFFERENT CIRCUIT FROM THE COFFEE POT (KITCHEN CIRCUIT).
Induction motors can pull 3 to 6 times over their rated running amps when starting. THE FIRST INDICATION SOMETHING WAS NOT RIGHT WAS WHEN I STARTED THE POWER SANDER AND THE FLORESCENT LIGHT WENT OUT. THEN, AS THE MOTOR REACHED OPERATING RPM, THE LIGHT RESTARTED. THEY ARE ON DIFFERENT CIRCUIT BREAKERS. HOWEVER, THEY ARE BOTH BEING FED THROUGH THE SAME 60 AMP CIRCUIT BREAKER IN THE MAIN PANEL THAT FEEDS THE SUBPANEL.
That creates a larger voltage drop as they start.
To help avoid that you run the motors on a dedicated line, or use larger wire.
The longer the run the more resistance in the wire. that resistance will limit the current motors need to start. CURRENTLY, EACH OF THE 20 AMP EQUIPMENT CIRCUITS ARE BEING FED WITH AWG #12 WIRE AND THE LONGEST RUN IS ABOUT 30 FEET. THE RUN FROM THE SUBPANEL TO THE POWER SANDER IS ABOUT 10 FEET.
Your description sounds, maybe like a loose line any where from the pole to your main panel. WHEN I FINISHED THE INSTALLATION YESTERDAY, I CHECKED ALL OF THE CONNECTIONS IN THE MAIN PANEL AND SUB PANEL FOR TIGHTNESS.
I would check the voltage across the main breakers 220 volts, and to the neutral line 120 volts. THE VOLTAGE BETWEEN THE BLACK AND RED WIRES FROM THE 60 AMP CIRCUIT BREAKER IN THE MAIN PANEL READS 247 VOLTS. THE READING BETWEEN THE BLACK AND WHITE WIRES AND THE RED AND WHITE WIRES READS ABOUT 122-126 VOLTS. (USING A DIGITAL VOLT METER).
With a heavy load running on one line then the other line. then without the load.
---------------------------------
Did this problem show up before or after you added the sub panel ? THE PROBLEM SHOWED UP AFTER INSTALLING THE SUBPANEL. BEFORE INSTALLING THE SUBPANEL, THE SAME CIRCUITS WERE ALL CONTAINED IN THE MAIN PANEL. I JUST MOVED THE SHOP CIRCUITS FROM THE MAIN PANEL TO THE SUBPANEL.
How old is the house ? THE HOUSE WAS BUILT IN 1975 BUT (FROM AN INSPECTION TAG ON THE MAIN PANEL DOOR) THE MAIN PANEL SEEMS TO HAVE BEEN UPGRADED IN 1996 WHEN SOME ADDITIONS WERE ADDED TO THE STRUCTURE.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR INTEREST.
Each time the motor starts the lights will dim. BEFORE I INSTALLED THE SUBPANEL, THIS PROBLEM DID NOT EXIST. I NOTICED THIS MORNING THAT THE COFFEE POT CYCLING ON AND OFF CAUSED THE HOUSE LIGHTS TO DIM. THESE LIGHTS (OFFICE CIRCUIT) ARE ON A DIFFERENT CIRCUIT FROM THE COFFEE POT (KITCHEN CIRCUIT).
Induction motors can pull 3 to 6 times over their rated running amps when starting. THE FIRST INDICATION SOMETHING WAS NOT RIGHT WAS WHEN I STARTED THE POWER SANDER AND THE FLORESCENT LIGHT WENT OUT. THEN, AS THE MOTOR REACHED OPERATING RPM, THE LIGHT RESTARTED. THEY ARE ON DIFFERENT CIRCUIT BREAKERS. HOWEVER, THEY ARE BOTH BEING FED THROUGH THE SAME 60 AMP CIRCUIT BREAKER IN THE MAIN PANEL THAT FEEDS THE SUBPANEL.
That creates a larger voltage drop as they start.
To help avoid that you run the motors on a dedicated line, or use larger wire.
The longer the run the more resistance in the wire. that resistance will limit the current motors need to start. CURRENTLY, EACH OF THE 20 AMP EQUIPMENT CIRCUITS ARE BEING FED WITH AWG #12 WIRE AND THE LONGEST RUN IS ABOUT 30 FEET. THE RUN FROM THE SUBPANEL TO THE POWER SANDER IS ABOUT 10 FEET.
Your description sounds, maybe like a loose line any where from the pole to your main panel. WHEN I FINISHED THE INSTALLATION YESTERDAY, I CHECKED ALL OF THE CONNECTIONS IN THE MAIN PANEL AND SUB PANEL FOR TIGHTNESS.
I would check the voltage across the main breakers 220 volts, and to the neutral line 120 volts. THE VOLTAGE BETWEEN THE BLACK AND RED WIRES FROM THE 60 AMP CIRCUIT BREAKER IN THE MAIN PANEL READS 247 VOLTS. THE READING BETWEEN THE BLACK AND WHITE WIRES AND THE RED AND WHITE WIRES READS ABOUT 122-126 VOLTS. (USING A DIGITAL VOLT METER).
With a heavy load running on one line then the other line. then without the load.
---------------------------------
Did this problem show up before or after you added the sub panel ? THE PROBLEM SHOWED UP AFTER INSTALLING THE SUBPANEL. BEFORE INSTALLING THE SUBPANEL, THE SAME CIRCUITS WERE ALL CONTAINED IN THE MAIN PANEL. I JUST MOVED THE SHOP CIRCUITS FROM THE MAIN PANEL TO THE SUBPANEL.
How old is the house ? THE HOUSE WAS BUILT IN 1975 BUT (FROM AN INSPECTION TAG ON THE MAIN PANEL DOOR) THE MAIN PANEL SEEMS TO HAVE BEEN UPGRADED IN 1996 WHEN SOME ADDITIONS WERE ADDED TO THE STRUCTURE.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR INTEREST.
#4
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Your lights will _always_ dim when a new load is applied. This _must_ happen because there is always some voltage drop in the components supplying electrical power to your house (the transformer, the connections, the wire, etc.) The _amount_ of dimming is diagnostic of how much resistance there is, and if you have noticed a sudden _increase_ in the amount of dimming, then this can indicate a serious problem.
When a motor on one circuit causes lights to dim on a second circuit, this means that the shared feeder upstream has the problem.
The problem could be a damaged conductor, an undersized conductor, a bad termination, a bad breaker, or a bad splice somewhere in the shared circuit. Since you describe a coffee pot causing your lights to dim in your main house, this may indicate a bad connection in the feed to your main panel.
Did you replace each full width double pole breaker with a single twin 'skinny' breaker? Or did you take out two double pole breakers and put in a double two pole skinny breaker? The latter is the size of a full width double pole breaker, but has 2 double pole breakers.
In other words, did you replace something that looks like this:
http://www.doityourself.com/store/6855142.htm
With something that looks like this:
http://www.doityourself.com/store/6858740.htm
Or with something that looks like two of the second type put together?
-Jon
When a motor on one circuit causes lights to dim on a second circuit, this means that the shared feeder upstream has the problem.
The problem could be a damaged conductor, an undersized conductor, a bad termination, a bad breaker, or a bad splice somewhere in the shared circuit. Since you describe a coffee pot causing your lights to dim in your main house, this may indicate a bad connection in the feed to your main panel.
To make room for the new 60 amp, two-inch, double circuit breaker to serve the sub panel, I changed two of the 220 volt, two-inch, double circuit breakers (40 amp (range) and 50 amp (air conditioner) to the thinner one-inch circuit breakers.
In other words, did you replace something that looks like this:
http://www.doityourself.com/store/6855142.htm
With something that looks like this:
http://www.doityourself.com/store/6858740.htm
Or with something that looks like two of the second type put together?
-Jon
#5
Your lights will _always_ dim when a new load is applied. This _must_ happen because there is always some voltage drop in the components supplying electrical power to your house (the transformer, the connections, the wire, etc.) The _amount_ of dimming is diagnostic of how much resistance there is, and if you have noticed a sudden _increase_ in the amount of dimming, then this can indicate a serious problem. I NOTICED A SUDDEN INCREASE IN THE AMOUNT OF DIMMING AFTER I COMPLETED THE WIRING OF THE SUBPANEL. WHEN I TURNED ON A POWER SANDER (20 AMP CIRCUIT IN THE SUB PANEL) AND THE OVERHEAD FLORESCENT LIGHT (15 AMP CIRCUIT IN THE SUBPANEL) WENT OUT, THEN RESTARTED. THE POWER SANDER DRAWS 12.6 AMPS. AN HOUR AGO, I AGAIN STARTED THE POWER SANDER AGAIN, BUT THE LIGHT DID NOT GO COMPLETELY OUT AS BEFORE. THERE WAS SOME CHANGE IN INTENSITY, HOWEVER.
When a motor on one circuit causes lights to dim on a second circuit, this means that the shared feeder upstream has the problem.
The problem could be a damaged conductor, an undersized conductor, a bad termination, I CHECKED ALL THE CONNECTIONS IN THE SUBPANEL AND THE MAIN PANEL TO TIGHTNESS. a bad breaker I SNAPPED OFF THE TWO REPLACEMENT BREAKERS WITH NO CHANGE IN RESULTS, or a bad splice somewhere in the shared circuit. Since you describe a coffee pot causing your lights to dim in your main house, this may indicate a bad connection in the feed to your main panel.
Quote:
To make room for the new 60 amp, two-inch, double circuit breaker to serve the sub panel, I changed two of the 220 volt, two-inch, double circuit breakers (40 amp (range) and 50 amp (air conditioner) to the thinner one-inch circuit breakers.
Did you replace each full width double pole breaker with a single twin 'skinny' breaker? Or did you take out two double pole breakers and put in a double two pole skinny breaker? The latter is the size of a full width double pole breaker, but has 2 double pole breakers. I REMOVED ONE DOUBLE POLE, FULL SIZE, 50 AMP BREAKER AND REPLACED IT WITH ONE DOUBLE POLE, HALF SIZE, 50 AMP BREAKER. THEN I REMOVED ONE DOUBLE POLE, FULL SIZE, 40 AMP BREAKER AND REPLACED IT WITH ONE DOUBLE POLE, HALF SIZE, 40 AMP BREAKER. AFTER THE PROBLE OCCURRED, I SNAPPED OFF BOTH BREAKERS BUT THE PROBLEM REMAINS.
PRESENTLY, I AM IN MY OFFICE ON A SEPARATE CIRCUIT FROM THE LAUNDRY ROOM (I CAN HEAR THE WASHING MACHINE RUNNING.). WHEN THE WASHING MACHINE MOTOR STARTS THE LIGHTS GO BRIGHTER, THEN, IT APPEARS, THEY RETURN TO SAME INTENSITY AS BEFORE. IT SEEMED THAT WHEN THE WASH CYCLE WAS COMPLETE AND THE MOTOR STOPPED, THE LIGHTS JUST BECAME SLIGHTLY DIMMER. THANK YOU.
When a motor on one circuit causes lights to dim on a second circuit, this means that the shared feeder upstream has the problem.
The problem could be a damaged conductor, an undersized conductor, a bad termination, I CHECKED ALL THE CONNECTIONS IN THE SUBPANEL AND THE MAIN PANEL TO TIGHTNESS. a bad breaker I SNAPPED OFF THE TWO REPLACEMENT BREAKERS WITH NO CHANGE IN RESULTS, or a bad splice somewhere in the shared circuit. Since you describe a coffee pot causing your lights to dim in your main house, this may indicate a bad connection in the feed to your main panel.
Quote:
To make room for the new 60 amp, two-inch, double circuit breaker to serve the sub panel, I changed two of the 220 volt, two-inch, double circuit breakers (40 amp (range) and 50 amp (air conditioner) to the thinner one-inch circuit breakers.
Did you replace each full width double pole breaker with a single twin 'skinny' breaker? Or did you take out two double pole breakers and put in a double two pole skinny breaker? The latter is the size of a full width double pole breaker, but has 2 double pole breakers. I REMOVED ONE DOUBLE POLE, FULL SIZE, 50 AMP BREAKER AND REPLACED IT WITH ONE DOUBLE POLE, HALF SIZE, 50 AMP BREAKER. THEN I REMOVED ONE DOUBLE POLE, FULL SIZE, 40 AMP BREAKER AND REPLACED IT WITH ONE DOUBLE POLE, HALF SIZE, 40 AMP BREAKER. AFTER THE PROBLE OCCURRED, I SNAPPED OFF BOTH BREAKERS BUT THE PROBLEM REMAINS.
PRESENTLY, I AM IN MY OFFICE ON A SEPARATE CIRCUIT FROM THE LAUNDRY ROOM (I CAN HEAR THE WASHING MACHINE RUNNING.). WHEN THE WASHING MACHINE MOTOR STARTS THE LIGHTS GO BRIGHTER, THEN, IT APPEARS, THEY RETURN TO SAME INTENSITY AS BEFORE. IT SEEMED THAT WHEN THE WASH CYCLE WAS COMPLETE AND THE MOTOR STOPPED, THE LIGHTS JUST BECAME SLIGHTLY DIMMER. THANK YOU.
#6
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I believe that you have several separate problems.
The lights getting brighter on one circuit when a motor starts is a _classic_ symptom of a loose neutral connection. This should be checked and dealt with immediately. While you say you checked the connections in your panel, be aware checking the main power feed connections into the panel is _not_ a DIY project. These connections are _unfused_, and cannot be turned off without turning off the outside transformer or pulling the meter. Getting these connections checked is a job for the power company or an electrician.
Get the main power feed connections checked immediately. The way power is delivered to your house, you have 240V divided by the neutral. If the neutral totally disconnects, then you can have situations where you get more than 200V across loads designed for 120V. This breaks expensive things quickly. It sounds like the problem is currently minor, but you should catch it before it gets worse.
The lights dimming with the use of the coffee pot is another indication of a main power problem.
On the breakers for the AC and range: It sounds to me like you replaced 240V double pole breakers with 'twin' single pole breakers. In general these won't supply 240V, although there are some brands that can be used to get 240V, so I am not certain of this assessment. If you could, please supply the model number for your breaker panel and the breakers that you installed.
On the issue of all of these problems happening when you wired in the sub-panel, it is possible that you disturbed the main connections to the main panel, possibly by bumping into the cables if they were already loose for some reason.
-Jon
The lights getting brighter on one circuit when a motor starts is a _classic_ symptom of a loose neutral connection. This should be checked and dealt with immediately. While you say you checked the connections in your panel, be aware checking the main power feed connections into the panel is _not_ a DIY project. These connections are _unfused_, and cannot be turned off without turning off the outside transformer or pulling the meter. Getting these connections checked is a job for the power company or an electrician.
Get the main power feed connections checked immediately. The way power is delivered to your house, you have 240V divided by the neutral. If the neutral totally disconnects, then you can have situations where you get more than 200V across loads designed for 120V. This breaks expensive things quickly. It sounds like the problem is currently minor, but you should catch it before it gets worse.
The lights dimming with the use of the coffee pot is another indication of a main power problem.
On the breakers for the AC and range: It sounds to me like you replaced 240V double pole breakers with 'twin' single pole breakers. In general these won't supply 240V, although there are some brands that can be used to get 240V, so I am not certain of this assessment. If you could, please supply the model number for your breaker panel and the breakers that you installed.
On the issue of all of these problems happening when you wired in the sub-panel, it is possible that you disturbed the main connections to the main panel, possibly by bumping into the cables if they were already loose for some reason.
-Jon
#7
On the breakers for the AC and range: It sounds to me like you replaced 240V double pole breakers with 'twin' single pole breakers. In general these won't supply 240V, although there are some brands that can be used to get 240V, so I am not certain of this assessment. If you could, please supply the model number for your breaker panel and the breakers that you installed.
THE MANUFACTURER OF THE PANEL IS GENERAL ELECTRIC. THE CATALOG NUMBER OF THE PANEL IS TM2020C. THE REPLACEMENT BREAKERS ARE TYPE THQP. THIS TYPE IS LISTED ON THE PANEL DOOR AS BEING APPROVED FOR USE IN THIS PANEL.
THE MANUFACTURER OF THE PANEL IS GENERAL ELECTRIC. THE CATALOG NUMBER OF THE PANEL IS TM2020C. THE REPLACEMENT BREAKERS ARE TYPE THQP. THIS TYPE IS LISTED ON THE PANEL DOOR AS BEING APPROVED FOR USE IN THIS PANEL.
#8
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I'm sorry. I cannot find reasonable specification sheets for those breakers. I see them in catalogs, but can't get the detail that I was trying to figure out.
I believe that you do have the proper breakers, and that the GE panels are essentially unique in that they let you use a skinny two pole breaker to feed 240V loads. With most other panels, if you use a skinny breaker, you end up with two breakers on the _same_ bus, and thus would not correctly supply a 240V load.
I believe that in your panel, the paired 'skinny' breaker can fit in two possible locations; either 'aligned' with the full width breaker removed, or aligned _between_ two full width breaker slots. Unfortunately I am only guessing here, but I believe that you need to have the new two pole breaker _between_ the full width breaker slots (if you think in terms of the two pole breaker that you were replacing, I believe that the _centers_ of these two breakers need to line up.
Working from this guess, I believe that you did not correctly wire the AC and range.
However the above is only ancillary to your dimming problem. The dimming problem is the one that you need to focus upon.
As I said above, you need to get you main service conductors checked for bad connections.
-Jon
I believe that you do have the proper breakers, and that the GE panels are essentially unique in that they let you use a skinny two pole breaker to feed 240V loads. With most other panels, if you use a skinny breaker, you end up with two breakers on the _same_ bus, and thus would not correctly supply a 240V load.
I believe that in your panel, the paired 'skinny' breaker can fit in two possible locations; either 'aligned' with the full width breaker removed, or aligned _between_ two full width breaker slots. Unfortunately I am only guessing here, but I believe that you need to have the new two pole breaker _between_ the full width breaker slots (if you think in terms of the two pole breaker that you were replacing, I believe that the _centers_ of these two breakers need to line up.
Working from this guess, I believe that you did not correctly wire the AC and range.
However the above is only ancillary to your dimming problem. The dimming problem is the one that you need to focus upon.
As I said above, you need to get you main service conductors checked for bad connections.
-Jon
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Originally Posted by Pete Hadley
PRESENTLY, I AM IN MY OFFICE ON A SEPARATE CIRCUIT FROM THE LAUNDRY ROOM (I CAN HEAR THE WASHING MACHINE RUNNING.). WHEN THE WASHING MACHINE MOTOR STARTS THE LIGHTS GO BRIGHTER, THEN, IT APPEARS, THEY RETURN TO SAME INTENSITY AS BEFORE. IT SEEMED THAT WHEN THE WASH CYCLE WAS COMPLETE AND THE MOTOR STOPPED, THE LIGHTS JUST BECAME SLIGHTLY DIMMER. THANK YOU.
Winnie stated the same thing.
I'm just rewording.
Dimming is one thing, If the lights get brighter then their normal brightness. that's very bad.
That's an indication of a loose neutral.
Roughly wording.
A hi load on one line say a coffee pot .
Something on the other line, say a light.
If the neutral gets disconnected you have 240 volts across the coffee pot and light.
depending on the resistance of the items, one may get the majority of the higher voltage.
In a worse case some items can get over 200 volts, it depends how loose the neutral line is.
You can damage your TV, fridge or what ever...
---------------------------------------------------------
If your not sure if you have a double pole breaker check the voltage. you should be measuring 240 volts coming from the two screws on the breaker.
Call your power company, most will check your lines for free.
have them check from the pole to the main panel.
http://forum.doityourself.com/showthread.php?t=211357
#10
DEAR WINNIE AND GWIZ
Quote "Call your power company, most will check your lines for free.
have them check from the pole to the main panel."
TAKING YOUR ADVICE, I CALLED THE POWER COMPANY AND THEY ARRIVED IN ABOUT TWO HOURS. THEY SAID THAT I HAD A DEFECTIVE NEUTRAL CONNECTION IN THE BURIED LINES SOMEWHERE BETWEEN THE TRANSFORMER AND MY HOUSE METER. THEY BROUGHT IN A "PORTABLE NEUTRAL" (IN THE DARK, IT LOOKED LIKE A SMALL REFRIGERATOR ON A FURNITURE MOVING DOLLY) AND CONNECTED IT AT THE HOUSE METER. THEY WILL SEND OUT A CREW TOMORROW TO LOCATE AND REPAIR THE SERVICE LINES.
ALL IS (NOW) WELL!
THANK YOU BOTH FOR STAYING WITH ME DURING THIS ORDEAL. YOUR DIAGNOSIS WAS RIGHT ON. I AM SLEEPING MUCH BETTER TONIGHT.
AGAIN, MANY THANKS.
PETE
Quote "Call your power company, most will check your lines for free.
have them check from the pole to the main panel."
TAKING YOUR ADVICE, I CALLED THE POWER COMPANY AND THEY ARRIVED IN ABOUT TWO HOURS. THEY SAID THAT I HAD A DEFECTIVE NEUTRAL CONNECTION IN THE BURIED LINES SOMEWHERE BETWEEN THE TRANSFORMER AND MY HOUSE METER. THEY BROUGHT IN A "PORTABLE NEUTRAL" (IN THE DARK, IT LOOKED LIKE A SMALL REFRIGERATOR ON A FURNITURE MOVING DOLLY) AND CONNECTED IT AT THE HOUSE METER. THEY WILL SEND OUT A CREW TOMORROW TO LOCATE AND REPAIR THE SERVICE LINES.
ALL IS (NOW) WELL!
THANK YOU BOTH FOR STAYING WITH ME DURING THIS ORDEAL. YOUR DIAGNOSIS WAS RIGHT ON. I AM SLEEPING MUCH BETTER TONIGHT.
AGAIN, MANY THANKS.
PETE
#11
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My guess.
"PORTABLE NEUTRAL"
Must be a 250 lb isolation transformer.
you use the two hot lines 240 input, and the output is 240 volts with a center tap for the neutral.
probably plugs into the meter socket.
"PORTABLE NEUTRAL"
Must be a 250 lb isolation transformer.
you use the two hot lines 240 input, and the output is 240 volts with a center tap for the neutral.
probably plugs into the meter socket.
#12
The power company removed the meter; installed an adapter about the size of a coffee can and reinstalled the meter into the end of this "can." From the bottom of the can, a cable about the size of my wrist went to the the "portable neutral." Aboutfive feet away, they installed a ground rod and connected the apparatus the it.
This afternoon they located and repaired the neutral; all is quiet again.
This afternoon they located and repaired the neutral; all is quiet again.