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stevepeaks1 · Jan 29, 2010, 08:38 AM

Why have the lights in my shop went dim and have stayed dim?

stevepeaks1 · Jan 29, 2010, 08:42 AM

Why have the lights in my shop went dim and now stays dim?

stanfortyman · Jan 29, 2010, 09:12 AM

Someone turned the dimmer down?

stevepeaks1 · Jan 29, 2010, 09:15 AM

There is NO DIMMER!!

stevepeaks1 · Jan 29, 2010, 09:18 AM

I guess someone is in the mood for cutting up today?

donf · Jan 29, 2010, 09:39 AM

Nope, you missed the point of the comment.

Your question, "Why are my lights dim?" Is just a tad light on information.

I can think of several items that may be the cause but we don't have enough information to properly diagnose the failure.

Are your lights 120 VAC or 240 VAC.

If they are 240 VAC, then you may have lost one of the phase legs.

If they are 120 VAC, your Neutral may be contaminated or loose.

Are the connections to the lights fed from a Sub-Panel? Is it possible that the feed to the Sub-Panel is compromised?

Please help us to help you.

stevepeaks1 · Jan 29, 2010, 09:58 AM

Ok - Sorry about that. I have 240 going to my shop into a sub panel. When I check the current coming in I'm only at about 150. This sub panel is the old one with round fuses.

donf · Jan 29, 2010, 10:52 AM

Steve,

Describe the circuit that is being used for the shop lights. Are you using a single 120 VAC fuse and what is the amperage on the fuse?

Don

stanfortyman · Jan 29, 2010, 11:23 AM

Sorry. I guess my point was missed.
Thanks Don for explaining.
When a post/question is made that is completely devoid of details I like to give a similarly worded reply, just for continuity. And to prove a point. It's just my warped sense of humor I guess.

If you only have 150v line-to-line coming into your shop then you have an issue on the feeder side of things, not just that one circuit. I would guess you have an issue with one leg coming to your shop.

What is the voltage from each line to the neutral wire? Then the same line to ground?

donf · Jan 29, 2010, 11:34 AM

St

tkrussell · Jan 29, 2010, 12:24 PM

By the way:

Originally Posted by stevepeaks1

Ok - Sorry about that. I have 240 going to my shop into a sub panel. When I check the current coming in I'm only at about 150. This sub panel is the old one with round fuses.

Your measuring voltage, not current.

Across the two incoming live legs you should read ~240 volts, and across each live leg and neutral should be ~ 120 volts.

Be sure to answer Don's and Stans questions, and they will help greatly.