# Dimming and Flickering lights in home



## jamm51 (Sep 27, 2011)

Yes, call an electrician. It is probably a loose or bad connection.

A competent electrician should be able to track it down. Although it can be quite time consuming.

Good luck


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## Keisha34 (Jun 5, 2012)

do you have any idea where most bad connections and loose wires could be?


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## busman (Nov 7, 2008)

I think you should get an electrician that specializes in residential troubleshooting. Electricians are a lot like Doctors and tend to specialize in certain areas of the trade.

While this is not a DIY fix (most likely), there are some things you could do in advance of professional help that would be useful to the electrician. The most important would be to map out the circuits in your house that are experiencing the problem and trace them to the circuit numbers in your panel. If you can provide this information and a photo of your panel, I can help you to narrow this down.

Mark


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## Jim Port (Sep 21, 2007)

This sounds like an overhead service. The neutral in the triplex could be in bad shape or there could be a poor connection at the transformer. Were the connections in the meter socket checked?

Sound like you have had the panel connections checked a couple of times so I suspect this is a power company issue. Do any of your neighbors have the same problem? If so this is definitely a power company issue.


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## busman (Nov 7, 2008)

Jim,

That's why I asked the OP to trace the circuits; to determine if this is a branch circuit, neutral or phase issue. I doubt its a neutral, since there is no mention of lights getting brighter. My guess is going to be a poor crimp on one of the phases (PoCo splices). I've also seen where the phase isn't insulated and slaps against the neutral when it's windy.

Mark


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## Keisha34 (Jun 5, 2012)

i have looked for a layout of the circuits but cannot find it...as far as I know the lights are all on one circuit and sockets in different areas are on various circuits. Mainly the lights have been blinking and dimming . When it dims when a tv is in almost every room none of the tv power dims or loose connection. the only thing in the house that indications these mini power surges or voltage drop is the refrigerator cause I can hear it slightly go out and in during the dimming


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## Keisha34 (Jun 5, 2012)

we asked neighbors they didn't any problems and they only mention sockets that need replacing in their home and that about it


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## bernie963 (Dec 18, 2010)

keisha,

Do any of the lights get brighter than normal? (regular incadesent lamp bulbs) Does this happen when windy? Neighbors having the same problem? how far away is the transformer on the poco pole?

with out bright lights it sounds like an intermitant conection on 1 leg.

bernie


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## Keisha34 (Jun 5, 2012)

they don't get bright just only flicker or dim and as far as i know none of the neighbors are having problems..the lights flicker and dim even when it is not windy. our transformer is in our backyard


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## Keisha34 (Jun 5, 2012)

Jim Port said:


> This sounds like an overhead service. The neutral in the triplex could be in bad shape or there could be a poor connection at the transformer. Were the connections in the meter socket checked?
> 
> Sound like you have had the panel connections checked a couple of times so I suspect this is a power company issue. Do any of your neighbors have the same problem? If so this is definitely a power company issue.


also i am not sure if the connection in the meter socket was checked


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## AllanJ (Nov 24, 2007)

Do some lights in different parts of the house flicker in unison? Do lights in other rooms some distance away dim if you turn on a hair dryer?


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## Keisha34 (Jun 5, 2012)

AllanJ said:


> Do some lights in different parts of the house flicker in unison? Do lights in other rooms some distance away dim if you turn on a hair dryer?


yes they flick and dim in unison.. it will not necessarily flicker or dim when the blow dryer is on..


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## knotquiteawake (Mar 15, 2012)

Systematic fault isolation.
Speaking from a lack of electrical experience but years of troubleshooting various equipment systems and computer systems. I would maybe flip one breaker off at a time and leave it off. See if the flickering continues or not. At least if you are able to isolate to a single breaker then you can investigate every outlet on that breaker?


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## Keisha34 (Jun 5, 2012)

knotquiteawake said:


> Systematic fault isolation.
> Speaking from a lack of electrical experience but years of troubleshooting various equipment systems and computer systems. I would maybe flip one breaker off at a time and leave it off. See if the flickering continues or not. At least if you are able to isolate to a single breaker then you can investigate every outlet on that breaker?


that does make alot of sense i will see if i can get some one to do it for me


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## knotquiteawake (Mar 15, 2012)

Keisha34 said:


> that does make alot of sense i will see if i can get some one to do it for me


Just don't leave whatever breaker your fridge is connected to switched off for too long!!! :jester:


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## Keisha34 (Jun 5, 2012)

knotquiteawake said:


> Just don't leave whatever breaker your fridge is connected to switched off for too long!!! :jester:


what if it still dim even if all circuits are checked?


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## knotquiteawake (Mar 15, 2012)

Keisha34 said:


> what if it still dim even if all circuits are checked?


Then its probably one of those things mentioned earlier (ground wires and such). Checking each of the breakers is just something little you can try on your own to help point the electrician in the right direction.

If this is just a "friend" who is helping you with the electrical then I would suggest getting a licensed professional out to check it out instead. If this was a licensed professional you already had out then its time to get somebody else out maybe.


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## k_buz (Mar 22, 2012)

From what it sounds like and what people have been saying is that this seems like a problem with one or both legs of the service. This could be caused (but not limited to) a bad main breaker, a loose connection at the main breaker, a loose connection at the panel (if the main isn't in the panel), a loose connection in the meter socket, a loose connection where the poco ties its line into the house, a bad transformer, a loose connection on the transformer, a undersized transformer.


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## Keisha34 (Jun 5, 2012)

k_buz said:


> From what it sounds like and what people have been saying is that this seems like a problem with one or both legs of the service. This could be caused (but not limited to) a bad main breaker, a loose connection at the main breaker, a loose connection at the panel (if the main isn't in the panel), a loose connection in the meter socket, a loose connection where the poco ties its line into the house, a bad transformer, a loose connection on the transformer, a undersized transformer.


i really want to find the oroblem so i want have to keep calling the electrcian back and unfornately my town only has one main electric comp that has liscened electrician work in the homes..I'm worried about it being a safety hazard..this seems like it is going to be quite costly.


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## k_buz (Mar 22, 2012)

Can you replicate the problem or is it completely random? Does it occur more during one part of the day or night?

My suggestion would be to turn all the breakers off tonight except one lighting circuit. The unplug any unnecessary thing and see if the lights continue to dim. If they do, I would suspect its a POCO issue (assuming your EC checked the main breaker and connections).


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## Keisha34 (Jun 5, 2012)

k_buz said:


> Can you replicate the problem or is it completely random? Does it occur more during one part of the day or night?
> 
> My suggestion would be to turn all the breakers off tonight except one lighting circuit. The unplug any unnecessary thing and see if the lights continue to dim. If they do, I would suspect its a POCO issue (assuming your EC checked the main breaker and connections).


it is completely random. it happens as much in the daytime as at night. I think they checked the main breaker and connection.


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## jamm51 (Sep 27, 2011)

We need to know if all the lights that flicker are on one circuit breaker. 

Are they all overhead lights?

Can you plug a lamp in and see if it flickers?


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## Keisha34 (Jun 5, 2012)

jammin06 said:


> We need to know if all the lights that flicker are on one circuit breaker.
> 
> Are they all overhead lights?
> 
> Can you plug a lamp in and see if it flickers?


They are all on one circuit and yes all we have are overhead lights and i'm testing the a desk lamp right now


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## Keisha34 (Jun 5, 2012)

jammin06 said:


> We need to know if all the lights that flicker are on one circuit breaker.
> 
> Are they all overhead lights?
> 
> Can you plug a lamp in and see if it flickers?


the desk lamp seem to flicker a little but no major indication of dimming or continous flickering


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## jamm51 (Sep 27, 2011)

Ok. You're getting close.

Now, this is the time consuming part.

You have to take each light fixture down and find the loose connection. Or it might be at the switch. You have to take each switch out. 

Start at the light closest to the circuit breaker box. This is not always easy to determine. That is why time consuming. Most of the fixtures and switches you take out will be ok. But you will probably know it when you find the culprit. The wires will just pull apart.

Make sure the power is OFF when you take them out.

I don't mean disconnect the wires. Take the light shade off. take out screws and pull the fixture down a little so you can see the wire connections. If they are good connections it will just hang there.

If you're not comfortable with this, get an electrician.

If there is a light or switch that was recently replaced, that might be a good starting point.

And sometimes just pulling the fixture a little will make a better connection and you think that it is ok. So usually I just let them hang untill I find the actual bad connection.


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## Keisha34 (Jun 5, 2012)

i'm still curious about the fact that my fridge picks up the voltage drop and no other appliance does but apparently it is not the socket cause it didn't cause the lights to blink or dim because we have already checked it out..But I have always thought maybe it could be a loose wire behind a fixture.


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## jamm51 (Sep 27, 2011)

Is fridge on a different breaker?

And actually, I would probably start at the circuit breaker for the circuit that flickers. Is the hot wire to the breaker tight?

Is the WHITE NUETRAL wire for that circuit tight?


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## Keisha34 (Jun 5, 2012)

jammin06 said:


> Is fridge on a different breaker?
> 
> And actually, I would probably start at the circuit breaker for the circuit that flickers. Is the hot wire to the breaker tight?
> 
> Is the WHITE NUETRAL wire for that circuit tight?


yes, I have the desk lamp plugged into the plug that is on the same circuit as the one the fridge is plugged up to. Plus i forgot to mention that the fridge is old and I need a new one so it might be sensitive to the slightest thing even if it is on another circuit


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## jamm51 (Sep 27, 2011)

So, now, does EVERY light on that circuit flicker?

Are there outlets as well as lights on that circuit?

This is why Busman suggested a circuit map.

You make a sketch of floor plan. Mark every outlet and light.
Then number each circuit breaker.
Then shut one breaker off and go see what doesn't work. Mark the non-working outlets and switches with the breaker number that is off.
Use a small lamp to check the outlets.
Hopefully the breaker box is not downstairs or outside. Making a circuit map is a tiring job, but very helpful in trouble shooting.


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## Keisha34 (Jun 5, 2012)

the lights are on the same circut..the sockets on different circuits vary..but I will check around and see if i can draw up a circuit map since I couldn't find the orginal one


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## Keisha34 (Jun 5, 2012)

jammin06 said:


> So, now, does EVERY light on that circuit flicker?
> 
> Are there outlets as well as lights on that circuit?
> 
> ...


the lights are on the same circut..the sockets on different circuits vary..but I will check around and see if i can draw up a circuit map since I couldn't find the orginal one .. as far as i know the lights are on circuit by themselves


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## rrolleston (Oct 17, 2011)

Did the electrician use a meter to test the voltage in the panel and meter socket? That would have been my first check pluging a drill in diggerent receptacles and testing voltage on one hot at a time. My meter with aligator clamps set on min voltage setting works for this.


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## Keisha34 (Jun 5, 2012)

Yes they did and they checked the sockets that have been giving us the most problem and they got replaced...we are thinking about getting the rest of the sockets in the house replaced because our house was build in the 1970's..and the sockets are quite old


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## Keisha34 (Jun 5, 2012)

rrolleston said:


> Did the electrician use a meter to test the voltage in the panel and meter socket? That would have been my first check pluging a drill in diggerent receptacles and testing voltage on one hot at a time. My meter with aligator clamps set on min voltage setting works for this.


Yes they did and they checked the sockets that have been giving us the most problem and they got replaced...we are thinking about getting the rest of the sockets in the house replaced because our house was build in the 1970's..and the sockets are quite old


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