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Subject - voltage drop
recycler Hi everybody, I'm a new member and have a question. After tightening all connections on service to house and also having the power company check connections my lights still dim after a heavy appliance is first turned on. Any ideas as to what I could do or check next? P.S.,loads in 150 amp panel are balanced as well as could be and the problem does'nt seem to be as bad since nobody has lived in house next door that transformer is shared with.
iwire How many houses are connected to the same power company transformer as your house?

How far away from your house to the transformer?

What size transformer is it?

You house may be like my house, to much load and distance from the power company transformer to prevent dimming lights.



sijagur Dimming usually caused by big current consumed by big loads when they are first turned on, this big current causing big voltage drop for a short time. Beside hoping your power company improving their service to your house, maybe you can try some tips to reduce current especially when big loads are first turned on, such us:
- using Y-D starting mechanism for big motors or pumps. so winding formation of a motor is star(Y) at the first time you turned it on and after few seconds, it become delta formation. Because, Y formation need less current than delta.
- Install capacitor to compensate loads reactances, this can reduce current consumed by loads.
Hope it works
-andi-
jagerbombme just curious, this YD starting mechanism? does that wire in series in the hot or does it bolt into with the motor or what? how can you in the middle of current flow switch from wye to delta? just curious
Ryan I have had that problen twice this year both times it was a problem with the nutral conection, see in most cases the voltage is looking for a path to ground and with a bad conection it cant find it. I would start at the panel and take a reading there between both hots and then between hot and ground. If there is a problem with the utility or their transformer you will get strang readings at the main.
CooCooMike i agree with ryan check the voltage coming in on both legs and to neutral and ground.be sure to check and tighten ground at meter as well if all else fails try changing the breaker to a slot 1-up or 1- down to get it on a different phase leg