Home Electrical Question

[racefan]

I have some lights(ceiling) in my downstairs that are surging. They are in the family room & bathroom & they will vary from a slight surge to going pretty dim back to full bright. I went to the service panel today & looked & the lights in question are all on the same breaker.They are the only thing on that breaker & the only ones giving me fits. It is a single pole double throw( I believe that's what it's called, 2 15 amp breakers on one) Could the breaker be getting weak & letting the lights surge like this? I would assume so since they are the only thing on the breaker & the only lights having a problem. But...never assume right? Mike

[reefnjunkie]

They should not be dimming if they are the only things on the breaker-

 

So you have basiclly two 15 amp breakers that are connected by the single pole-thats what you described.

 

Unless you lights a 1000 watt halides, you should not be getting any dimming effect-there just is not the amps being drawn to do that.

 

How many lights and what are the wattages of those lights that you think are on that breaker?

 

 

Are you certain there is nothing else in line with those lights that could drawing amps-it does not add up

[racefan]

They should not be dimming if they are the only things on the breaker-

 

So you have basiclly two 15 amp breakers that are connected by the single pole-thats what you described.

 

Unless you lights a 1000 watt halides, you should not be getting any dimming effect-there just is not the amps being drawn to do that.

 

How many lights and what are the wattages of those lights that you think are on that breaker?

 

 

Are you certain there is nothing else in line with those lights that could drawing amps-it does not add up

 

They will surge if I turn on the bathroom lights. It has a light bar above the mirror that has 4 40 watt bulbs or if I turn on the ceiling fan that has 3 40 watt bulbs.

[Gabe]

The breaker you described is called a twin, two seperate breaker handles in one space.

It sounds as though you have a loose connection somewhere, if by surge, you mean going dim. (if this is the case, it should be resolved soon) Start at the breaker and feel if it is warm, or hot to the touch, this would indicate a loose connection in the panel. If not, and only if you feel comefortable doing it. Start at the nearest light fixture to the panel, (turn the breaker off first) take the light down and check for loose wirenuts. Also check any light switches associated with these lights.

I can only help so much online, if you aren't comfortable checking yourself I would definately have a qualified person take a look at it.

Hope this helps, Gabe

[Rick]

Something doesn't sound right. Are these 110 volt or 220 volt lights? The breaker described sounds like a 220 volt breaker.

[reef165]

Man thats how my problems started! Then gradualy got worse and it went to I would turn on the kitchen stove and the hall lights would come on, or turn off the stove and the kitchen lights would get really bright then go off, just crazy cra(stuff). It was supper strange. so the landloard had an electrition come out finnalyand he couldnt find anything wrong at all except low voltage in one of the 110 supplys from the pole, so PGE came out and it took them two days but found a brake/short in one of the supplys.

 

What kind of lights are they? could it be the switch? are they on any kind of ballast?

[ReeFit]

sounds to me like a loose wire connection or some corrosion somewhere in the circuit. A dual independent breaker is not uncommon. It's just two separate 15 amp breakers sharing the same pole on the main buss.

[racefan]

Well I started at the easy point. I went to the service panel & pulled the breaker. It had some minor corrosion(not surprising seeing as how the house was built in the late seventy's & it's all original stuff in there & it's out in the carport) & where it slides over the buss bar seemed loose(way loose compared to the new one) so I got a new breaker & threw in & it seems to be doing the trick. (Fingers crossed) sure don't want to start pulling light fixtures looking for loose wire nuts. Also the lights seem brighter now. Thanks for the help!