Need Help understading AC and If I have a wiring issue at my house
- Thread starter Skydogcable
- Start date
ooops sorry, things didnt quote right, 7. I took issue with the wire nutting of green to ???? right there....
you turned on a sweeper and a light bulb blew up?
whoaru99
Epic Member
I took it as something like a representation of a bonding jumper to the receptacle box.
I was under a trailer house and accidentally kicked the ground wire loose from the rod. This was before I became an apprentice electrician or I would have known better than what I did about it. I grabbed the copper ground and tried attaching it back to the ground rod, essentially becoming the pathway for the unbalanced load of the house to go through me. That coupled with wet hands caused me one of the biggest "bites" in my life, including 30 years as a journeyman electrician. Just wanted to let the OP know to be careful if there is a loose wire coming off the grounding electrode.
whoaru99
Epic Member
I don't doubt there could be some potential difference there, but I'd have to think it shouldn't be too much as earth typically isn't intended to be a normal return path for this sort of electrical service. Return or unbalanced load should be back through the "neutral" conductor of the service drop to the utility connection (essentially back to the transformer center tap).
Is it possible there was a problem with the neutral?
It is a high probability that was the case although I was only about 20 when that happened and didn't yet know much about these things. Technically in the case of the OP, there could be an open neutral and be completely unaware of it until he checks the grounding electrode conductor. Also as bizarre as it sounds it may not even be HIS neutral, but a neighbors. Paths of least resistance can be really unpredictable.
Here is a case of a problem from a neighbor..
Skim down and read "Your neighbors problem is now your problem".
http://ecmweb.com/bonding-amp-grounding/shocking-truth-about-grounding-electrode-conductors
Edit: As I have been pondering this neighbor with an open neutral thing I thought of a recent situation where one leg of my submersible well pump was shorting out on the well casing of my newly drilled 250 foot well and drawing about 8 amps. Since there are no other neighbors in the vicinity that fault (direct to earth from the well) was very likely traveling back through the earth approximately 40 feet to my grounding electrode and up to my panel as its return path. That would have been a wicked hit off my grounding electrode! I might not have known about this for some time had I not insisted on the correct 7 amp fuses on the well pump disconnect as the well drilling company slapped in 15 amp fuses! I am sure the electric bill would have raised suspicions eventually.
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If that is the case your power company ought to be fixing your neutral connection at the pole, as the ground rod should be a backup only/low resistance path for things like lightning strikes
Lesterbest
Super Member
The Grim Reaper also travels on faulty grounds. It behooves you to get matters sorted out.
It is not always at the pole, particularly in ageing installs and a homeowner or renter may be unaware for years of the situation. I am not certain, but when I got hit off the grounding electrode conductor it was an older mobile home, and quite possibly with aluminum service entrance conductors and the neutral connection could have been simply corroded in the panel or the splice at the service drop/entrance. Whatever the reason, the ground was carrying some/most/all the unbalanced load and nobody seemed to know or care.
your house neutral can become 'floating' if the ground tie in is bad.
the poco xformer gives you 240v hot to hot. it will always be 240v, so sayeth their xformer. if you kick on a high current draw item, like a compressor, sweeper etc and neutral is not tied to ground at the panel solidly. the 'side' with the sweeper might drop from 120->100, therefore the other side must go from 120-140. at that point there is a potential difference between neutral and grounded stuff. it might tickle.
the poco xformer gives you 240v hot to hot. it will always be 240v, so sayeth their xformer. if you kick on a high current draw item, like a compressor, sweeper etc and neutral is not tied to ground at the panel solidly. the 'side' with the sweeper might drop from 120->100, therefore the other side must go from 120-140. at that point there is a potential difference between neutral and grounded stuff. it might tickle.
Understood, just saying that's a problem. Your story is a good reason why I always investigate the wiring at any place I'm living even if renting.
Fortunately my landlord's dad is a retired master electrician with whom I apparently worked on a few projects and just didn't know it, so between the two of us we keep stuff straight
biscuithead
Me likes the eargasm retroplasm...
I think this was required since the early seventies to achieve UL listing. It is of course only identifiable with the "zip" type cord.
biscuithead
Me likes the eargasm retroplasm...
I've seen voltage on the ground many times also. I'm a JW also. Theoretically, what others say is true about the correct path is the neutral back to center tap... but any structure that has had 1-10 residents and is over 10 years old has most likely been "wired" by some Weekend Warrior who just made it work. Not correct or code worthy. Here in Colorado, it is very common to see old barns fed with a single leg (no neutral ) and a Ground rod driven to be its path for unbalanced load.
"Sometimes when the power is flaky in the barn, I just take a coffee-can full of water and pour it on the ground rod" This is what the old farmer told me one day... I asked him if he wanted me to fix it? He says "Fix it?, I just told you how I fixed it!" ...
Never expect the correct wiring in the field, always check and confirm how it is actually wired.