[k-star]

If you loose(broken wire) the common wire in the service that feeds the house can that cause either one or both of the 120 legs to go way high in voltage?? To the point where it roast stuff, like fans, powerstrips etc??


Keith

 

[BIG CAT]

if the neutral on the transformer is not bonded to ground the line voltage can be all over the place.

 

[jmink427]

I know when you loose a neutral wire your system will do some freaky things. If you system is balance you would never know that you lost it until you turn some thing off or on to change the load between the phases then you will see some weird shit... I never have seen it burn stuff up myself but I would say it is possible.....

 

[Mike Beck]

It's like a see-saw. Two people of the same weight and all is cool. Put one really fat kid on one side and a really light kid on the other side and guess what?

That's what happens when you lose your neutral. One side will go-up while the other side is going-down and yes, shyt will blow-up!

 

[jmink427]

It's like a see-saw. Two people of the same weight and all is cool. Put one really fat kid on one side and a really light kid on the other side and guess what?

That's what happens when you lose your neutral. One side will go-up while the other side is going-down and yes, shyt will blow-up!

Yes balanced and unbalanced.... Agreed..

 

[BIG CAT]

It's like a see-saw. Two people of the same weight and all is cool. Put one really fat kid on one side and a really light kid on the other side and guess what?

That's what happens when you lose your neutral. One side will go-up while the other side is going-down and yes, shit will blow-up!

the french have a word for it. la'poof.

 

[k-star]

I woke up last night around 3am to a house full of smoke. When I turned the light on aside the bed it popped the bulb, about the same time the fan started throwing sparks out the back. I turned tha main braker off. This morning when it got light out I looked at the feed out at the pole, the common was broken off. Met-ed fixed it today but I lost like 4 power strips, 1 flourcent light that was turned on, 1 microwave, 5 light bulbs, and the furnance in my shop took a new control board in it. I checked the voltage tonight with my meeter and both sides are exactly 120 v.

Keith

 

[k-star]

the french have a word for it. la'poof.

Thanks, man after the day I had I needed a good laugh...That was funny.

 

[BIG CAT]

I woke up last night around 3am to a house full of smoke. When I turned the light on aside the bed it popped the bulb, about the same time the fan started throwing sparks out the back. I turned tha main braker off. This morning when it got light out I looked at the feed out at the pole, the common was broken off. Met-ed fixed it today but I lost like 4 power strips, 1 flourcent light that was turned on, 1 microwave, 5 light bulbs, and the furnance in my shop took a new control board in it. I checked the voltage tonight with my meeter and both sides are exactly 120 v.

Keith

i would call them. they may help with the damages if it was caused by there equipment failure.

 

[1Slowmopar]

Thanks, man after the day I had I needed a good laugh...That was funny.

Big Cat has a good sense of humor, he makes me laugh.

Even though you had some damage, you were very lucky an electrical fire didn't happen and burn your house down. It sure sounds like it was fixin to happen.

 

[illegalstang]

Should think about getting a surge protector installed at your distribution panel

 

[k-star]

Yea, Mopar I am thankful thats all that happened. I was thinking all day how bad it could have really been.

Keith

 

[justin1795]

i was hanging a metal cabinet on the wall one time and there was a outlet under it with a ext cord plugged in. i droped the cabnet and it hit the prongs on the ext cord. everytime i used a grinder or somthing in the garrage the lights would flicker. chased it for mounths and found the connection from the house to the garrage was melted.

 

[1Slowmopar]

Should think about getting a surge protector installed at your distribution panel

That's excellent advise. Some power companies will even install a surge protector for free. It's worth calling and asking.

 

[waybad]

yes, came home and fans going crazy fast, lights super bright,, all the surge protectors burned up, tree pulled out my meter and broke the neutral only
ALSO BE SURE TO CHECK YOUR SUMP PUMP IF YOU HAVE ONE!
my pump failed 2 months after everything was replaced!

 

[Mark532]

an open neutral will show a large swing in voltage on each leg. a loose or corroded neutral will usually show 120v 120v on each leg untill u put a load on. then the swing will appear. have your utility company check for a neutral problem. if one is found the service tech can determine if its before, or after the meter. could be a loose connection in your breaker and meter box. or a bad "greasy-bug" connection at the weatherhead. or it may be a bad tap from the transformer. if its on the utility companies end file a claim for any burned up equipment

 

[stg1dom]

I woke up last night around 3am to a house full of smoke. When I turned the light on aside the bed it popped the bulb, about the same time the fan started throwing sparks out the back. I turned tha main braker off. This morning when it got light out I looked at the feed out at the pole, the common was broken off. Met-ed fixed it today but I lost like 4 power strips, 1 flourcent light that was turned on, 1 microwave, 5 light bulbs, and the furnance in my shop took a new control board in it. I checked the voltage tonight with my meeter and both sides are exactly 120 v.

Keith

Must have been from all that damn ice today. What a f'n mess!

 

[k-star]

Mark532, the neutral was ripped off up at the pole. The power company fixed it today.

stg1dom, It was the ice. I had a tree limb in my front yard that pulled the feed wire down and tore the neutral off.

 

[Mark532]

they may consider the ice falling an act of god, you should still try to file a claim

 

[stg1dom]

they may consider the ice falling an act of god, you should still try to file a claim

X2 Can't hurt.