NWDave

We're talking across the phone lines. Your monitors are getting brighter and normal, back and forth? Your UPS'es should work quite nicely. We use APC's in the refinery and know they have a good track record. How about your TV, stereo equipment and other items? They don't like variable voltages either. <br><br>~Dave

NWDave

Not much more I can tell you. We know the source of the problem. Now it's just a case of protecting yourself until Power company sends out a truck. It's what, going on 9 pm in your area? Good Luck.<br><br>~Dave

NWDave

Very good probability that the spikes nailed the monitor. Sorry, but now you have evidence to point to when talking to the power company. In a way, be glad it was an easy solution. I've seen some new homes wired with 220v in some of the bedrooms (electricians forgot which home runs were being used and bulbs kept blowing). Tracing higher than normal voltages can be very tricky and time consuming. Glad to be of service.<br><br>~Dave

Dieseldude4x4

This shack I am remodeling was built in 1898 so I know exactly what you are talking about. This place had the old **** and tube wiring system when I moved in for those of you that know what that was. I had 110 volts on the aluminum foil backing surface of the insulation in the attic. ??? <br>I can't believe you haven't burnt up refigerators and everything else with that voltage. Sounds like a transformer shorting out a couple of loops every know and then giving you the spikes. Your wiring arrangement should not give you those spikes no matter how bad it is IF you have a good earth ground and the step down is set at the right voltage. Make sure you have a good sized ground wire running from the boxes to a ground rod that is driven to the proper depth. Is anyone else up or down the line operating electrical equipment with larger than normal demand? I was the last one on the line at a place up north and the voltage was cranked up a little but not that much. Someone the next ridge over was operating milking equipment and some other stuff and the voltage would spike a little, you could see it in the lights when they would start and stop stuff.<br>Definately get in touch with the power company and get this settled for your equipment and your own safety. How long has this been going on anyway?<br>Good luck and let us know how it turns out.

NWDave

[quote author=dieseldude4x4 link=board=10;threadid=5572;start=15#48915 date=1033824506]<br>This shack I am remodeling was built in 1898 so I know exactly what you are talking about. This place had the old **** and tube wiring system when I moved in for those of you that know what that was. I had 110 volts on the aluminum foil backing surface of the insulation in the attic. ??? <br>[/quote]<br><br>You think that's scary? We have a large dairy base in this area and I remember a time when I was called out to repair some area lighting. Complaint was no lights in one area of loafing shed. I could tell this guy liked doing his own work and this problem just was beyond him. Amongst all the other problems was this little goodie. He got a good deal on conduit and some single wire. So he hung the conduit and ran a single wire and used the conduit as his neutral. I discovered this after getting knocked down from a ladder after trying to remove a cover plate. I need a good jolt of 110 to just get started in the morning How about the next farmer who added on to his **** and tube but didn't have any more of the fancy insulators and stand-offs so he used styrofoam coffee cups to standoff the wire and BANDAIDS to cover the twisted wire ends :'(. <br>Remember that loafing shed? The cows were trying to mouth my tools out of my tool pouch as I'm climbing the ladder . I got out of residential work many years ago. 700 hp industrial motors and switching centers are safer. ;D<br><br>~Dave

Dieseldude4x4

NWDave:<br><br>That aint nothin. I was rewiring an older fellows cabin one time a few years back. He had taken the blown fuses out and soldered pennies to them and put them back in. Wonder what that protection factor was? I was running the new wiring for him and needed a cord, as usual, about six feet longer than what I had. He said no problem, I got a 100 foot one right here (cringe, sweat). He had a 100 foot extension cord alright. He had found some of the big industrial plugs and uses four conductor phone wire for the cord. Probably had all of 67 volts at the outlet end. I said never mind, I have to go up on the hill anyway and politely let myself out.<br><br>I work around 4160 volts and 6000 horse motors. We have two 3500 horse motors coupled together in four locations. The 6000 horse motors will peg out a 3000 amp meter for over 30 seconds on start up and have a 6 ton fly wheel. Hows that for a electric bill?

Dieseldude4x4

Gonzo:<br><br>Keep an eye on the voltage though. Kinda figured what you found may be the case as I mentioned earlier. Still sounds awful high.

NWDave

Yeah, my old man use do that penny trick. Figured it was good for about 20 amps. Too many experts out there. <br>Those temp drops should cause a voltage drop if anything, especially if Gonzo is at the end of the run. Most temp drops,around here anyway, usually have 4 20 amp outlets and about 600 feet of 14/16 ga extension cords for the wood butchers and the sparkies to do their magic. He's got 8 homes in construction. Shouldn't be enough to cause a significant drop. Theory being what it is, I don't see the temps being the source of his problem. Now if he said that he was getting alot of lights dimming and equipment sounded like it was not operating at proper speed, I'd say that it's very likely. Another thought comes to mind. Is it possible that someone (construction) is backfeeding from a GenTran type unit? During the winter months, we have to take special notice of people using alternate powersources during power loss, not having their isolation switches set correctly, if even installed at all. If I heard a generator running, I double checked. I understand in the North East it's a real problem for the Power crews going out to check downed lines and finding some yahoo has powered up the companies lines by backfeeding. <br>Gonzo, it's difficult to isolate the source via email. Is it possible for you to take voltage readings before and/or after the new construction starts up for the day? It's too late now, but if no one was building on Sunday, that would have provided some information as well. Me, I'd go over to the construction sites and try to get some voltage readings off their temporary power drops and see what they are. If they're similar to yours, then we're looking at a common power source (like a pad or pole mounted transformer), assuming of course, they're on the same drop.<br>I'd still be inclined, in fact, forceful about getting your power company to come out and check it out. The transformer is not performing properly, windings might be shorted. The voltage spikes are the concern here. 274.8 volts is outside the norm.<br><br>~Dave

dan239

Gonzo

Here in Texas the power companys are required by state regulation to furnish you power at 120 volts, plus or minus 5%. That means that your voltage should be from 114 to 126 volts or 228 to 252 volts across both legs of your service.

I had a real battle here in North Central Texas, getting my local power company to get my voltage down to within that range. I have seen voltage around 130 volts in the past. I could tell when my voltage was too high, just by noticing a few things around the house, such as bulbs burning out in mass. Also certain things would run too fast or too hot.

It was a long battle, but they are now keeping my voltage below 126.

This is not your problem in any way that I can imagine. Get your power company out there as soon as possible.

High voltage will harm many things that will not show up until later.

One more point, I think many companys run their voltage as high as they can get away with, because higher voltage means higher bills to you and I.

Dan

Dieseldude4x4

Gonzo: Good luck on the purchase, that is what I have always wanted, a cabin. Now is that funky blue sheep moving too?