3 occurances of dropping one leg of 240V
#1
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Join Date: Feb 2011
Location: USA
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3 occurances of dropping one leg of 240V
2 weeks ago, one leg of my 240 dropped out. My heat pump was struggling and half the house power went off. The other "half" of service never flinched. This happened 2 times within an hour and lasted a minute or so each time. I went straight to basement to cut off heat pump. All breakers and wires including main were cool to touch. I didn't think about it much more until it happened again yesterday. I had the Power Co. out here at 10PM last nite after I called a neighbor to ask if he had an weird electrical experience at same time as me. He described the exact same instance without promting him. I "assumed" he was on the same transformer as me, lost "half" his service at the same time so I called the Power Co. as the first step. This is where it gets tricky. It was quickly discovered by Power Co. Technician that my neighbor is on a different transformer with underground service from high-voltage line to a above ground transformer near his house. The Power Co. guy said it was not possible ("one in a million chance") for both of us to have a half service loss at the same time being on different transformers, but my neighbor assured me it happened. My transformer checked good: 123V X2 @ 246V total and he pulled the meter base and said it looked fine in there. I am extremely concerned at this point as to my safety but at the same time thouroghly confused by the chain of events. I have 200A Crouse Hinds box installed in 1985. Murray breakers are all I can/have interchanged. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated. I apologize for the length but kept post as short as possible.
#2
My transformer checked good: 123V X2 @ 246V total and he pulled the meter base and said it looked fine in there.
#3
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My father had this happen a year ago, over a period of several weeks. Half his service went out, he has an overhead drop also. Clearly, a case of a bad connection. The POCO was called, and since the problem was intermittant they didn't fix it. I happened to be outside actually looking at the line secondary connections, when it happened. I saw a spark that led the POCO, 2nd visit, to the exact connection that was bad. But, no, it didn't involve his neighbor.
#4
Next time it happens, measure voltage from A leg to neutral, B leg to neutral, and A leg to B leg, inside your breaker panel. tHIS IS TO TRY TO NARROW DOWN WHETHER THE PROBLEM IS IN YOUR HOUSE OR OUTSIDE.