# Lights flicker irregularly since storm



## AllanJ (Nov 24, 2007)

The problem is likely between your electrical panel and the utility pole transformer inclusive.

Do incandescent lights flicker on all circuits connected to one side or (misnomer) "phase" of your 12-0/240 volt line and there is no flicker on all circuits connected to the other side of the line?

Do any incandescent lights get brighter than they should be?

Where the problem is requires troubleshooting with a voltmeter. It's your choice whether to call the power company first and let them check their side ("outside" from the meter to the pole transformer or whether you want to call an electrician and check your side "inside" first.


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## DIYnewbie9 (Jul 10, 2010)

AllanJ said:


> Do incandescent lights flicker on all circuits connected to one side of your 12-0/240 volt line and there is no flicker on all circuits connected to the other side of the line?


By one side or the other, I assume you mean the left and right side of my breaker box? Assuming that is correct, then no. The lights I observed simultaneously flickering were on different circuits on different sides of the box.



AllanJ said:


> Do any incandescent lights get brighter than they should be?


I haven't noticed this.


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## oleguy74 (Aug 23, 2010)

what he is talking about is the possibility of a loose neutral on power co.side.in other words from power pole to house.just call power co and have them check it out...


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## SD515 (Aug 17, 2008)

AllanJ said:


> Do incandescent lights flicker on all circuits connected to one side of your 12-0/240 volt line and there is no flicker on all circuits connected to the other side of the line?


I believe AllanJ is referring to the actual 'legs' or buss-bars in your breaker panel, not left or right side. If you look at a panelboard without the breakers installed, you'll see that breaker position 1 (upper-left) and breaker position 2 (upper-right) share the same buss. The next slot(s) down, breaker positions 3 & 4, share the other buss.


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## 1910NE (Sep 5, 2010)

I had the exact same problem when I first moved into my new (to me) house. I discovered that the neutral was corroded at my panel. This was caused by the protective jacket on the service entrance being old and leaking, which allowed moisture to get all the way down into the panel, and corroding the neutral connection. I ended up having to replacing everything from the service entrance down to the panel (Ouch$$)


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## DIYnewbie9 (Jul 10, 2010)

SD515 said:


> I believe AllanJ is referring to the actual 'legs' or buss-bars in your breaker panel, not left or right side. If you look at a panelboard without the breakers installed, you'll see that breaker position 1 (upper-left) and breaker position 2 (upper-right) share the same buss. The next slot(s) down, breaker positions 3 & 4, share the other buss.


I think I understand. Assuming every other row of breakers is on the same buss, then the two sets of lights I've noticed the flickering on are on the same buss. I did not start looking at other circuits until the frequency of the actual flickering died down. Breaker 19 and Breaker 24 were where I noticed the flickering.



1910NE said:


> I had the exact same problem when I first moved into my new (to me) house. I discovered that the neutral was corroded at my panel. This was caused by the protective jacket on the service entrance being old and leaking, which allowed moisture to get all the way down into the panel, and corroding the neutral connection. I ended up having to replacing everything from the service entrance down to the panel (Ouch$$)


The whole service and panel was just upgraded to 200 Amps a few months ago so hopefully this is not the case...


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## frenchelectrican (Apr 12, 2006)

I will advise ya to call the POCO to check out their side somecase it can get loosen up and cause the lights to fliker like you descibing so they can come out any time 24/7 useally without any charge to come out.

Once that sorted out then we will go from there.

Merci.
Marc


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## DIYnewbie9 (Jul 10, 2010)

Power company came out and redid the connections at the pole. Haven't noticed any flickering, but I'll keep an eye out for it. Yesterday we didn't see any flickering, but we lost power for about 5 seconds for no apparent reason (calm weather) which has never happened before.


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## AllanJ (Nov 24, 2007)

DIYnewbie9 said:


> , but we lost power for about 5 seconds for no apparent reason (calm weather) which has never happened before.


If a not so dry branch or a squirrel or other object should short circuit some high tension or medium tension lines, this may drop the voltage almost to zero causing a momentary outage on those lines until the object burns completely through. Also there are arc fault circuit interrupters at substations that will kill the power, wait a few seconds for any suspected arc short circuits to die down, then reconnect the power. Sometimes what was the short circuit will not strike another arc. If the arc resumes then the AFCI trips again, and after so many tries the AFCI will not reset and the power company must send someone out to survey the lines, find the fault, manually remove it, and manually reset the AFCI.


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## frenchelectrican (Apr 12, 2006)

AllanJ said:


> If a not so dry branch or a squirrel or other object should short circuit some high tension or medium tension lines, this may drop the voltage almost to zero causing a momentary outage on those lines until the object burns completely through. Also there are arc fault circuit interrupters at substations that will kill the power, wait a few seconds for any suspected arc short circuits to die down, then reconnect the power. Sometimes what was the short circuit will not strike another arc. If the arc resumes then the AFCI trips again, and after so many tries the AFCI will not reset and the power company must send someone out to survey the lines, find the fault, manually remove it, and manually reset the AFCI.


The POCO verison of AFCI is what they called Recloser it function simauir to AFCI but it have timer build in and when it trip at first they will stay off for few seconds and reclose it and if still keep tripping the recloser it will kick open one more time but much longer delay and reclose and if still tripping it then it will stay open until the POCO clear up the fault then manually reset the recloser.

The recloser is basically modifed medum / high voltage oil circuit breaker with current transfomer inside and POCO can set the trip level as need to and they will come in few differnt size to suit it needs.

I have work on that system before so I am famuair with it.

Merci.
Marc


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