eletrical problem?

Question

i have 230 volys at fuse box but when i turn on an appliance like a kettle or toaster etc the lights dim and only have 195 volts (power comes in via telegraph pole) any ideas? only sarted a few days ago

Answer 1

Your power loss would be hard to pinpoint, but you will need a meter to locate the source of the fault, unless you can find it by just looking around. I have saw a similar situation, and the cause for it was; where the lines come from the pole to the house, a wire had a connection that wasn't together good, and it caused it to short, and heat up. If the lights go dim, then you have a short for sure. I would check the plug in (outlet) that you are using for the kettle and toaster. Turn off the power to that outlet, remove the cover, and check for loose wires that are not making a good connection. Check to see if the ground and neutral wires are connected good, and are not corroded or burned. Are you using and extension cord to run these appliances? If you are then this is probably the problem. With the fuse/breaker box panel still in place, and the lights going dim, run your hand (using the back of your hand) down the fuses/breakers to see if any of them are hot to the touch. If they are, then you have at least isolated the problem. The fuse/breaker may be bad and not making a good connection. A short always heats up at the point of the problem, and if you cannot find a heating up place, then suspect a bad wire coming from the pole or the ground (earth) not being hooked up, loose, or missing.
I hope this helps you. Good Luck!!!

Answer 2

The voltage you are getting and lights dimming when you use an appliance suggests that there is a loose or bad connection somewhere.This could be on your consumer unit, the meter, the service head or at the pole connection ( you may have a TT service).
First of all call a local electrician to check out your connections and then contact your Electricity Supply Authority.
Please dont listen to people suggesting that you do it yourself.
Electrical accidents happen every day in the UK and many are killed.

Answer 3

There's a high resistance - no doubt a loose or corroded connection - somewhere on the supplier's side of your fusebox. The resistance of your voltmeter is very high - thousands of ohms - so it only draws a minute amount of power through the fault - if you know about voltage drops across resistances in series, you will see why this is. However, if you replace your voltmeter by a low resistance item like a kettle (20 or 30 ohms), the voltage on your side of the fault will drop significantly. This will probably cause the faulty connection to heat up, and maybe burn it out completely.
Contact the supplier immediately, don't use high current appliances, and restrict youself to one lightbulb on at a time until the fault has been fixed.
Overground supplies on poles are less reliable than underground cables.

Answer 4

OK so you know you only have 195 volts.
So what is the incoming voltage? 230 volts is the optimum.

So it is 230 and the fact it started a few days ago needs you to examine the connections inside the plug and AFTER you have switched off the power, the socket.
No good try your neighbours kettle if OK buy a new one if still the same call in an electrician.

Answer 5

You have quite high voltage drop, probably due to a poor connection somewhere, but are you getting 195 at the kettle or at the same points at the fusebox? If at the fusebox it must be an external problem between your box and the transformer. Contact your electricity suppliers right away.

Answer 6

I have had that same problem on many occasions. Most of the time it is a loose or corroded connection out side on the meter box connection. You will need to call your provider and then an electrician. Here in N.Y., the home owner is responsible for the meeter box. I'm sure it is a loose, and corroded connection out side or the connections on the main feed in the house . I would call a professional there is allot of power on those connections and it has to be shut off by your power provider to be repaired correctly.

Answer 7

Most probably you have a loose connection either at the pole or on a joint on the cable. Your immediate best bet is to contact your supplier for maintenance persons to check it out. Meanwhile be care full as electrical appliances only have a small margin regarding voltage discrepancy and may result in damage to some items. Also this can result in fuses on plugs burning out and low voltage means higher amperage.
Hope you sort this problem out

Answer 8

you mean you continuosly monitor this? WHY? You say the lights dim but does anything else happen? Is it limited to the lights? If you can check voltage at meter socket incoming line from street. If that voltage is ok then the problem may be with your meter socket connections or the feed to you panel...make sure all connections are tight..use an insulated screwdriver or wrench since its all live voltage. I recommend calling an electrician first tho

Answer 9

Your power doesn't come through a telegraph pole thats for the telephone the word tele gives it away. call an electrician buddy ,don't mess with electrics if you don't know anything about them.