:rolleyes: I recently updated my old fuse box to a new 200 amp service and now all my lights are burning way bright and it seems that its pausateing a lot when I plug in a drill it goes crazy and revs up way loud. I am using all 15amp breakers for the bedrooms and bath and the other lights but the whole house seems its getting too much power I did change the service wire from the socket to the breaker box. So help and it the house was fine before nothing really wrong I am stomped and the so called electrician I had do the work is dumb founded I guess I got what I paid for he told me that it was my problem

Mindayoh,

First, has an electrical inspector approved the installation work? If it has not been inspected, then your electrician has to fix the problem. His name is on the permit.

Now it is very important that you get a Volt meter.

Set the meter at 600 VAC and start measuring your outlets. On a regular outlet (120 vac) should be what you see. If you see 240 vac, then your pal the electrician better find a way to fix your problem pronto, before you fry everything on the circuit.

Punctuation and capitalization go a long ways to ensure we understand you correctly. I am having a difficult time trying to determine what you have done. It sounds like you ran new feeds from the meter to the panel. Did you do it or did a licensed electrician? How come you got what you paid for?

Regardless, this is a very serious problem. It sounds like you may have a neutral issue. Others here may be able to understand your problem better than I. But if this were my house, I would kill the main breaker, call a LICENSED electrician, and get this resolved before I ever turned the power back on to the house. And since it's Sunday, be prepared to pay the going rate. I don't mean to be rude, but this is obviously something that is over your head and needs an expert.

I come closer to agreeing with Cobraguy. It sounds to me like you cut some corners and sometimes that comes back to bite you. Did you have a permit and the cooperation of the power company? Inspection? Was the work on the incoming power lines done by a competent electrician?

If there are some bad connections there, you need to get somebody that knows what they are doing to fix them. I wouldn't mess with anything beyond the main breaker and don't fell another DIY should either.

If the power company and local building department find out there was work by unlicensed people without a permit, the bite could be severe. Your problems sound just like what the system of licensed workers, permits, and inspection is mean to prevent plus not interrupting the pinochle games at the fire house.

I agree that this should be shut down immediately and repaired before any more damage is done.

The so called electrician i had do the work is dumb founded should not be called in , but another more qualified and knowledgeable electrician should be.

Give the previous electrician notice that you will be bringing in a professional, and that any faults found will be for him to pay.

Seems he had every opportunity to fix any problems he caused.

He is ultimately is responsible, so it is his problem, whether he signed a permit or not, worse if he is not licensed.

This is what trying to save a buck results in. Electrical work must look too easy for others to do, without realizing the damage that can be done with one loose connection.

Wonder if Hot and neutral switched is between Meter and Disconnect?
Licensed Electrician's do Stupid things too. One of the Larger Electrical Contractor down here used a pair of 10's to power a gate a couple of hundred feet away, NO GROUND,
On a 150 Amp Breaker, and Breaker was upside down. Code Enforcement Does Not handle this. They look for "Unlicensed Activity". If they don't enforce this, who does?

Strat, there are several code issues that were violated that should fall under code enforcement with your example. Seems the inspector is relying on the licensed "qualified" installers to know better, and then when there is a problem the insurance company step in.

Inspectors will stand on the fact that they do not look at every little detail, and much can be missed, and they are not liable for anything that was missed.

There are so many people in the chain that could catch things regarding quality assurance, such as the job super, project manager, clerk of the works, engineers, third party commissioning, etc.

Even the "greenie" apprentice, that, if he has the balls, to ask shouldn't this be done this way?

TK,

What is the probability that he was way under service to begin with?

New service, correct operation? A simple test with a meter will tell us what voltage is appearing at an outlet. Correct?

I've seen what happens when an electrician puts 220 (at that time) across an 110 outlet.
It destroyed an IBM Selectrict 2, over drove the motor, fried a dictaton machine, blew out a light buld and so on.

I agree with TK and above to shut power off immediately. And test at Meter and Panel, with Breakers off.
With power to recepticles, they risk destroying Appliances, or anything connected to a high voltage condition, or Fire.

Strat,

I agree with the shut down, not a issue. I also suspect incorrect wiring on the service side. I was posing a question to TK to open another possibility, nothing more.

I find it incredibility hard to believe that even an apprentice electrician, didn't have a meter with him to check the voltages. I don't care how new he is. You have to have some idea of what you would be looking for. Either we are missing some critical details or this particular electrician has a flat EEG with respect to electricity.

By the way good morning.

Is it possible that a hot and neutral feeder conductor has been switched? I suppose that is possible, but not probable. The results of that would be immediate.

Lights would not just seem bright, but burst immediately from 240 volts being delivered to a 120 volt device, as you are aware of mentioning the damage done by the electrician in your situation.

A hot connected to the neutral bar would short circuit instantly, or should,assuming something is grounded properly, even by accident.

The symptoms are indicative of a loose neutral feeder, either at the meter, panel, or the utility connections, all beyond the abilities and reach of a DIY'er.

This condition is more subtle, what with bright lights and motors running fast, but not necessarily consistently.

With the symptoms reported, damage control action is needed now.

All testing would do is hopefully confirm to a DIY'er that a high voltage problem exists by quantifying the voltage, and that could only be seen if conditions are right.

Why prolong the inevitable by wasting time to test? If the "so called electrician" is dumbfounded, I suspect the homeowner is even more confused by the symptoms. Hence the reason he is asking the question.

I would assume that if the poster had a tester, the testing would have been done before posting the question, instead of just telling us of the bright lights.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Cobraguy

Punctuation and capitalization go a long ways to ensure we understand you correctly. I am having a difficult time trying to determine what you have done. It sounds like you ran new feeds from the meter to the panel. Did you do it or did a licensed electrician? How come you got what you paid for?

Regardless, this is a very serious problem. It sounds like you may have a neutral issue. Others here may be able to understand your problem better than I. But if this were my house, I would kill the main breaker, call a LICENSED electrician, and get this resolved before I ever turned the power back on to the house. And since it's Sunday, be prepared to pay the going rate. I don't mean to be rude, but this is obviously something that is over your head and needs an expert.

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Yes I had a new feed ran from the socket to the new 200 amp breaker box I am trying to flip the house and the power is off the electrician that signed the permit was licensed and had one of his flunkies do my house which I just found out tonight. Iand yes I tried to save a dollar by getting on craigslist. Now the eight hundred I spent could be lot more now I just don't know what happened this is the 4th house I flipped and had the electric upgraded in all those and never had a problem like this but thanks for the info

I don't think you need anymore materials, Just wired correctly.

Hey guys. What would an open ground do or no ground/Neutral bond?

Na, a ground is there doing nothing, waiting to drain off any fault currents when necessary.

The lights getting bright is a symptom of an open neutral, most likely a loose connection that comes and goes, probably in the meter, or at the utility lines.

And after re-re-reading this, it was stated that the line from the meter was changed, and the panel upgraded to a 200 amp. I wonder, was the incoming line changed to 200 amp, and the meter?

Or was the old 100 amp meter left, and only the line from meter to panel changed, which meant the "electrician" pulled the meter, and he was working in the old meter while the top jaws were live, so he was being too careful not to get shocked and ended up connecting the neutral poorly.

Anyone ever try to do this? Pretty tricky to do, properly, and not get hurt.

So that means there is a 200 amp panel on a 100 amp incoming service entrance.

Hmm, this should get interesting.

TK,

Please forgive my ignorance but how could even the worst professional electrician not know that if he is upgrading service from 100 amps to 200 amps, the service in from the PC would have to be modified by the PC.

If that upgrade wasn't done, and the taps reset, by the PC, where would the additional 100 amps come from? Not to mention the conductors re-sized, would not the over-current protection go nuts when 200 amp hits it?

I have seem some stuff. Yes I have to shake my head, but who knows who did what.

The extra 100 amps will be taken if needed through the 100 amp incoming line, the 100 amp incoming line will heat up, the insulation will melt, the fire truck will arrive...

donf:

Taps? Primary and secondary voltages would not change. The equations that govern a transformer: V1/V2 = N1/N2 where V is voltage and N is the number of turns. 1 and 2 Winding 1 and Winding 2. I'll hesitate to use the term primary and secondary.

The size of the service would be dependent on what the pole transformer and wires to the residences are rated for. Losses would increase and a lower voltage would be delivered to the home. The losses would be in the form of heat which could result in some spectacular and expensive fireworks. Ever hear a transformer explode?

Making the main breaker the same as the original would still be considered safe.

KISS,

I've not only heard and seen a pot explode, but I've had to do the clean-up.

I'm willing to agree with your above analysis, however, in my mind there is no way to run 200 amps through a 100 amp switch and have everything be fine. Below a 100 amp, sure, but once you climb above a 10%+ manufacturers safety zone, that breaker is going to fry, open blow right out of the box, long before the pot arcs skyward.

Yes, I know, my examples are extreme, but I have seen similar situations.