Help electical problem in house

Nisqually Dave

If any one is an a electrician givemesome ideas where to go next Please. Going crazy trying to solve the problem..

About three months ago the lights would occasionally dim and then come right back to normal, it has gotten worse over time to the point that the one line of lights and outlets will go out and be out for different lenghts of time as much as 30 minutes.

This is only on one breaker. What I have done to try to solve this is:

First this is a double wide Manufactured home. and it is not tripping the breaker.

1. Replaced the double 15 Amp with Double 20 Amp Breaker, No change

2, moved breaker to different slot, same problem

3. changed all outlets on that switch still same problem.

4. replaced all switches, same problem.

I don't know where to go from here, it is starting to scare me a bit, so any help would be appreciated.

Thanks in advance

WilliamM2

Bad wiring? Call an electrician, and shut that breaker off.

Rivrrat

It sounds like your hot side of that run is rubbing to ground on something, and that is never a good thing.

Edit..One other thing I just thought of, that run can split off another in a box, and it may be something as simple as a loose wire nut. If that's what's happening, you're getting a heating cooling cycle, and that's not good either.

I do dc power cabling and dc powerplant/equipment installs for the local baby bell, and one of the first things I learned is a loose connection equals heat.

ben62670

WilliamM2 wrote: »

Bad wiring? Call an electrician, and shut that breaker off.

I was an electrician for years, and this is solid advice. There is a loose connection somewhere, or a short. One way or another you need to call an electrician. Loose wires cause fires! Seriously!

mrbigbluelight

It's a manufactured home so I'm wondering: do you have copper or aluminum wiring ?

Sounds like a loosening connection in the breaker panel on the one breaker feeding the "dimming" circuit.

Aluminum wiring is notorious for working its way loose at connections.

I'd suggest getting an electrician, for your own safety. Unless you're absolutely comfortable/familiar/knowledgable with electricity, the last thing on earth you want to be doing is opening up an electric panel.

Buss bars are unforgiving.

AALEE

Please follow their advise. In February I came home to my house aflame and can never get back the charichture that was lost. Wiring, done sub-standard will kill you.

disneyjoe7

Nisqually Dave wrote: »

1. Replaced the double 15 Amp with Double 20 Amp Breaker, No change

Not good you replaced a circuit breaker that was 15 amp the wiring was 14 gauge this can current your ac for 15 amp only. You replaced the breaker with a 20 amp the wire is the same, so now you could current 20 amp in a 15 amp wire NOT GOOD. You can cook the wire and make fire :eek:


BTW is these 1 light or more? If just one light check the lamp socket and the light for any dirty connection. I seen some lamp socket gone bad so many this is it.

polrbehr

My two cents... call an electrician.

Sounds like you're only looking at the breaker/"hot" side of the equation.

Could also be a loose fitting neutral (or even a ground wire issue) somewhere.

Since you changed out the breaker yourself, you should be OK trying to

tighten the screws on the neutral bar as well. Or, see line #1 above.

FWIW, a short circuit will almost always trip a breaker.

+2 to disneyjoe ^^ re: correct wire/breaker sizing.

Frank Z

Swaping in a bigger breaker without installing the correct wire to go with it is a fire waiting to happen. Dimming lights is caused by an increased demand on that circuit. Got an AC system? Do all the lights dim or just a particular few? What else is on that circuit? If there is a high load appliance like refrigerator or freezer on that circuit? They can cause exactly the problem you're describing.

You need to measure the amp draw on that circuit using a True-RMS amp meter to determine the amount of current draw when the lights dim and then start unplugging anything on that circuit to eliminate the cause. After determining the culprit the proper solution can be determined.

mrbigbluelight

+3 to disneyjoe; increasing the breaker ampacity is just taking you down the road to making your house into a large toaster.

If you get an electrician in, he can remove the connections to the breaker and then megger the wiring. If you don't have a loose connection, than you probably do have something starting to go to ground.

BTW, your Radio Shack multimeter won't provide the same function as a megger so don't bother.

In any event, if in doubt ....DON'T. Call an electrician.

jflail2

Know your limits. Everyone else is right; call an electrician!!! If this were changing the sparkplugs on your 83 ford escort it would be one thing........but risking your house isn't worth it.

Nisqually Dave

Thanks for all the advice, I have been in contact with a friend who is an electrician He was the one who advised me to replace the outlets, they were cheep and all were wire pushin. I replaced them all with screw types. Wire is copper. I just realised that I should of checked the wire nuts that tie the neutral and gounds together at different spots. Thanks for the advice.

I am going to have a electrician come in and check it anyway. My wife and daughter are on vacation in Monteray Ca. So its just me and the dogs, birds fish and turtle in the house.

Oh my god I forgot my 2.3's and C1's wood burn to.

I am having surgery in about two weeks so I will have it solved within the week.

Also on the twenty Amp Breaker I put the 15 amp breaker back right after I found I still had the problem. Well I just lost power again It also was number 12 wire.

I appreciate your concern, I do have some experience but not the equipment to do a thorough job.

Thanks again, I appreciate all of you on this board. Most are always willing to help that what makes this board work.

ben62670

Stab in outlets do suck. Definitely worth the upgrade to screw connections. While you are at it I would highly recommend checking the grounds, and neutrals like you mentioned. Let us know when surgery comes up.
Thanks Ben