electrical issue- help please
Rental home built in 1954. Have had no electrical issues since purchased in 2020.
Current tenant has notified us twice in the last month that the power is flickering on and off, sometimes staying off for several minutes before coming back on.
After a little research, we thought the problem might be that some power lines were coming in contact with tree limbs. Power company trimmed them back but we have noticed that there are some places they still are in contact. We thought issue resolved because didn’t hear any more about a problem – until yesterday.
Tenant called power company, they came and said there were corroded wires in the outside meter box. We had electrician over who fixed one corroded wire. Said the rest looked corroded but actually were not-just covered with a little grease but ok. He also checked the breakers while he was there. Everything looked good
Problem solved? – No.
Tenants had several flickers and brief outage last night. Called power company over at midnight to check things out – said they could not find anything that he could fix.
Calling Monday to get them back to trim ALL the limbs that are touching power lines.
Tenant says it’s always a partial outage- some lights and outlets in some rooms. Not related to turning on or plugging anything in.
Any suggestions for something else to check would be appreciated.
We have owned this house for 4 years and neither of the 2 previous tenants have had this problem.
Thanks for any suggestions on next step.
Replies
Sounds like they keep losing a leg. Perhaps the breaker isn't making good contact. Pull the main breaker and look for scorches or pitting on the busbar. If that's ok, then work back to the meter & doublecheck all the connections again.
It sounds like you need to either have your electrician go back, or find another one.
I agree, but just a thought, it sounds like one leg of the triplex coming in to the panel is iffy. That would explain only part of the power cutting off or flickering.
I had a similar experience with the family homestead. The drop to the house went thru branches of a tree that had grown up and around the wires. Things got funky when it was windy. It was discovered that one of the hot (insulated) legs in the drop line were broken BUT remained in contact - until it got windy. In windy conditions the conductor pulled apart just enough so that the power flickered and occasionally was totally interrupted. After numerous calls to the utility company they finally came out, troubleshooted the problem, and replaced the drop from the pole to the house.
It sounds like you're dealing with an intermittent electrical issue, which can sometimes be tricky to pinpoint. Based on the details provided, there are a few things I recommend considering:
Corrosion and Loose Connections: While your electrician checked the meter box and breakers, corrosion can sometimes be sneaky, especially if there’s a history of fluctuating power or moisture in the area. I'd recommend checking not only the meter box but also any connections in the panel to ensure everything is securely tightened and free of corrosion.
Partial Power Loss: Since the tenant is experiencing flickers and partial outages affecting only certain rooms, it might indicate a problem with the incoming power supply (like one leg of the supply being interrupted). I would suggest pulling the main breaker to check for any signs of damage or pitting, particularly on the busbar or any connections that might be loose or degraded.
Tree Limbs and Power Lines: If the power company already trimmed some of the branches, but there are still areas of contact, I’d definitely recommend getting a follow-up service to fully clear any obstructions. Sometimes, even the smallest contact can cause inconsistent outages, especially in windy or wet conditions.
Electrical Panels and Wiring: Given that you’ve had no issues for several years with previous tenants, it's worth double-checking the wiring from the meter to the panel and verifying that no wiring is loose, exposed, or deteriorating. If you’re still unsure, I’d suggest getting a second opinion from a different electrician who may be able to spot issues missed by the first.
If you're experiencing power interruptions like this, it's also essential to make sure devices like your Wi-Fi router or any electronics aren't affected, as this can cause sudden power surges or even glitches in devices, much like how some apps (e.g., https://nawatsapp.com/ ) experience connectivity issues when there's a power dip.
Yes, agree with other responses that it sounds like one of the service conductors is rubbed through to intermittently touch the neutral. The neutral is the third service conductor, uninsulated, usually steel wrapped with aluminum strands. Usually the utility guys can identify it with a "load test." Ask them if they can do that. (And the hint is when the power flickered, evening, night, with probably higher load.) Let us know! : - )
More information would be helpful. For example, can your tenant tell you which rooms/outlets/lights have an intermittent problem? Then you can determine which circuit(s) have a problem, and the common denominator(s), such as, the problem is always on one phase, or related to particular circuits or breakers.
If you have multiple circuits that are all on one phase that are the culprits, the likely suspect is the power line to the house, or the connections at the pole, meter, or main panel, as you suspect.
If the problematic circuits are not on the same phase, I might turn the investigation inward, and suspect push fittings in switches, outlets, etc. Push fittings are notorious for having poor or resistive contacts with age, and if the problem is more prevalent at night when the load is higher, this is a possibility for your problem, especially if receptacles, etc. are daisy-chained. Also, was 14 gauge wire, instead of 12 gauge, used for high current (i.e. 20A) circuits, where branch circuits were added over the years, resulting in significant Joule heating?
A skilled electrician should be able to track down the problem, and determine if it's the power delivery to the house, or an internal circuit problem.
As mentioned by others, make sure all the connections in the main panel are tight...
Good luck!