110v Electrical Help
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110v Electrical Help
I have a problem i need some help with. My house is chewing up light bulbs at an amazing rate. I checked my voltage at a couple of light fixtures and switches, it was 134.9vac 
My question is, can I pad the main drop in any way or am I just stuck buying 130v commercial bulbs. ???
My question is, can I pad the main drop in any way or am I just stuck buying 130v commercial bulbs. ???
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Joined: Dec 2001
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From: Raleigh, NC
Re:110v Electrical Help
134 volts? Was your electrician on crack or something? Either that or your power company needs to get on the stick with power regulation. Im by no means an expert, but that's pretty high.
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Re:110v Electrical Help
The whole property is wired funny(older home), it comes from the main pole to my shop, jumps to a breaker box inside one of my doors to the shop, jumps back out to a 10"x10" box under my flood lights to the carport, then goes into the house in the garage. Here is where it gets good, my refrigerator circuit, the one that should be dedicated has 2 lights outside, a fan and an outlet all on it. 
I am still baffled at some of the stuff I find. ???
I am still baffled at some of the stuff I find. ???
<br><br>Sorry, couldn't resist. My house is kinda funny like that too. It was built in 1963.
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Joined: Jun 2002
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From: Bellingham Washington
Re:110v Electrical Help
Can you get to your main feeders in your house panel? You need to get some voltage readings across the main feeders coming into the house. You will have to remove the cover to get to the feeders. These will normally be the largest wires coming into the cabinet, usually marked with phase tape (not necessarily so) but the NEUTRAL will be marked with WHITE phase tape. Voltage levels vary from region to region but should be within the range of 210 to about 240 volts across the main feeders. You should naturally read half that amount when going from one main to GROUND. You should have a ground connection in your cabinet. How about other outlets in your house? Are they showing the same voltages? If you still have high voltage readings especially if they're seen across the feeders, like 280 volts (your 134.9 v tells me you're using a digital voltmeter) call your power company immediately. You're being supplied about 40 volts too much. But they need to know what the feeder voltage is. That's all they care about, what comes from the stepdown transformer to your residence house panel. Does this make sense to you?<br><br>~Dave
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Joined: Jun 2002
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From: Bellingham Washington
Re:110v Electrical Help
Just read the post about the routing of your power supply to your house. You say it comes in on a pole, drops to shop panel. Where is the meter? You need to measure the incoming feeders at the next item connected. I'm assuming the shop?
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Re:110v Electrical Help
[quote author=NWDave link=board=10;threadid=5572;start=0#48826 date=1033780453]<br>Can you duplicate that spike?<br>[/quote]<br><br>Yes sir, every 3-5 minutes it does it, just got done sitting and watching it, it is slow enough my Digital Fluke sees it for about 2 seconds. We all know how slow digital is to responding, gonna put an analog on it and see what is going on.
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Joined: Jun 2002
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From: Bellingham Washington
Re:110v Electrical Help
If you get that voltage spike repeatedly, they have a voltage regulation problem. You need to get ahold of your power company. By the way, what kind of voltage protection do you have on your computer? Those type of spikes could crispy fry that baby if it's not well protected. <br><br>~Dave
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Joined: Jun 2002
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From: Bellingham Washington
Re:110v Electrical Help
Ok, get that power company on the line asap. They have a voltage regulation problem that needs looking at immediately. I'd remove anything sensitive from those voltage sources unless you've got excellent surge protectors. <br><br>~Dave