It normally works early in the morning and I've changed the breaker twice to solve problem but to no avail. Checked connections and junction boxes and connections appear to be fine. Checked service wires and noticed alum. braided neutral had severed strands. Is this related?
2006-06-07 16:35:00 · 5 answers · asked by Handy but Perplexed 4 in Home & Garden ➔ Maintenance & Repairs
The home's wiring is copper. Just the neutral of the service wiring before it is aluminum.
2006-06-07 16:44:51 · update #1
Check breaker again.Look at the buss bar(behind the breaker) and contacts on the breaker(should be shiny or dull, not black).When it is not working just push on the breaker(be care full and DON'T trip it) to see if it isn't making good contact.also that it is not hot or excessively warm.If it isn't making good contact you will probably have to replace the power buss due to arcing(easier to just change the whole box out (you probably should get an electrician to change and upgrade your box)) Get the biggest box you can live with(GE 200amp,40 breaker) in case you want to add something in the future
2006-06-07 18:33:08 · answer #1 · answered by paulofhouston 6 · 1⤊ 0⤋
two seperate issues for one. the issue with the individual branch circut is seperate from the severed wires on the service neutral. if the service neutral was to blame your whole house would experience the problem not just one circut. have a electrician address your service cable. as far as the branch circut what does it control, knowing what is not working could make this a easier question to answer. since i dont have that info if the breaker is not tripping it could be a issue of a loose hot or neutral at or before the devices on the circut, or if it is a appliance an issue with the appliance itself.
2006-06-10 00:52:28 · answer #2 · answered by Shawn B 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
you need to have electrician meter the service neutral to see if it is loose. If neutral from drop to panel is tight and the branch circuits are tight. then check with any neighbors to see if they are having problems with lights flickering That is a sign of problem with neutral from utilities company transformer . A couple of broken neutral service braids wont hurt. if a majority of them are broken that is a different story.
2006-06-09 10:35:51 · answer #3 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
You need to get an electrician in as soon as possible. If you have old aluminum wiring, you may have a disaster waiting to happen. The splices over time corrode and become high resistance joints that heat up when current is passed through them...sounds as if a splice is heating up (fire hazzard) and opening because of the wire swelling due to heat. Don't put this off. It sounds as if you have a real fire hazzard here.
2006-06-07 16:41:50 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 1⤋
Probably a connection that some times makes contact and at other time does not. You will have to check the line back to where it works all the time and re do the connection.
2006-06-07 16:39:51 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋