dslreports logo
 
    All Forums Hot Topics Gallery
spc
uniqs
5

alkizmo
join:2007-06-25
Pierrefonds, QC

alkizmo to nunya

Member

to nunya

Re: Electrical issue question

said by nunya:

My wife is a very social person. She's a schmoozer and BS'er. She can call you a jackass 10 different ways and make you feel good about it. She's real good at pulling information out of people.

If you're telling us she actually talks to every single one of your customers, I can certainly imagine she is like that.

nunya
LXI 483
MVM
join:2000-12-23
O Fallon, MO
·Charter

nunya

MVM

She talks to every one, except the ones I have to babysit (some like to call me directly on my cell). She does an awesome job with CS. People love her. On many occasions, I've had people who have never met her in in person tell me they feel like "old friends" when they call.

DarkLogix
Texan and Proud
Premium Member
join:2008-10-23
Baytown, TX

DarkLogix

Premium Member

BTW any guess as to how long it'll take?

Just wondering about how much down time I'll have (ie time with no AC, no internet, and with the server off)

the meter will have to be moved about 6in as more modern panels are wider than that FPE one
we're sticking with 125a

So Panel and meter replace and move meter over a little.

and of course when we call center point I'll try to make sure they bring a brand of meter (any recommendations or warnings to look for on that (ie smart meter brands to watch out for or hope for?)

nunya
LXI 483
MVM
join:2000-12-23
O Fallon, MO
·Charter

nunya

MVM

It almost always takes all day. The work doesn't necessarily take all day, but waiting on the POCO and the inspector usually eats a couple of hours. It's like herding cats.

Getting them to bring a different meter will be a difficult task. You really can't "make" them. You have to request it ahead of time. The troublemen often do not even carry meters on their truck. If they come across a bad or broken meter, they usually just slug it and put in a ticket for the meter shop to replace it.

DarkLogix
Texan and Proud
Premium Member
join:2008-10-23
Baytown, TX

DarkLogix

Premium Member

k, well they were fast with sending someone out to unlock the meter.

Will we be waiting on the inspector before they can put a meter in?
Ya I figure it'll be an all day type thing just hoping that I won't be roasting for to long.

Likely crank the ac way down the night before so as to delay the heat.

I assume based on what you've said that we'll be waiting on the inspector before we can get power back, and hoping the power co is as fast as they were about unlocking it.
DarkLogix

DarkLogix

Premium Member

Weell the work on the panel/meter can is done.

I've very happy with the price we paid, they were early, and got it all done is 4hours.

Also when he looked at the lines it seems we have #2 al wire coming from the pole, so he installed a 100a main and verified that it would be enough by having us turn everything on and then checking the load on each leg.

then he moved a few breakers around to better balance the legs.

we're at about 60a with almost everything on (short of a few lights).
DarkLogix

DarkLogix to nunya

Premium Member

to nunya
Here's a question as to the possible impact the issue might have had.

Ok so the issue was an intermittent open HOT (ie one leg dropping out)

the issue is fixed now but could this have damaged the AC units?

now I might be wrong but it sounds to me that the main AC unit is louder than it used to be (Though I hadn't stood out there and listened to it and you still can't hear it from inside.)

So could this leg dropping out have damaged it? and if so would a slightly louder motor sound be a possible effect?

AVD
Respice, Adspice, Prospice
Premium Member
join:2003-02-06
Onion, NJ

AVD

Premium Member

open hot? no

DarkLogix
Texan and Proud
Premium Member
join:2008-10-23
Baytown, TX

DarkLogix

Premium Member

said by AVD:

open hot? no

That what it was, the meter was losing contact with 1 of 4 jaws thus one leg was dropping out for the whole house.

the problem is now fixed, though centerpoint is annoying me lately, Monday they finally came and locked the meter (when we weren't there ) and in doing so they first pulled the meter and ran "tests". then Tuesday they came back claiming they detected someone had messes with the meter, and again pulled it to inspect.

Are you saying an open Hot would not risk any damage to the device?

of course it did have a risk from arcing that it could have started a fire.

leibold
MVM
join:2002-07-09
Sunnyvale, CA
Netgear CG3000DCR
ZyXEL P-663HN-51

leibold

MVM

said by DarkLogix:

Are you saying an open Hot would not risk any damage to the device?

Not much greater risk then rapidly turning it on and off at the disconnect switch or the thermostat.

How vulnerable your AC to such behavior is depends on whether or not it has any protection against it (restart delay timer).

alkizmo
join:2007-06-25
Pierrefonds, QC

alkizmo to DarkLogix

Member

to DarkLogix
said by DarkLogix:

now I might be wrong but it sounds to me that the main AC unit is louder than it used to be (Though I hadn't stood out there and listened to it and you still can't hear it from inside.)

Maybe someone bumped into it while working on your electrical issue and loosened a panel. Those things can make quite a whiiiring noise from the vibration. I have a bunjee cord wrapped around my AC until I get around to re-seating the panels because otherwise it would be EXTREMELY loud.

DarkLogix
Texan and Proud
Premium Member
join:2008-10-23
Baytown, TX

DarkLogix

Premium Member

Well its still quiet enough that it can't be heard from inside so it is possible that its all in my mind.

Just checking if the intermittant hot issue could have caused any damage.

its covered under the 10year manufacturer warrenty so if needed I'll call an AC tech to look over it, but I don't want to have him come out and say its fine if I call him out.

alkizmo
join:2007-06-25
Pierrefonds, QC

alkizmo

Member

said by DarkLogix:

Well its still quiet enough that it can't be heard from inside so it is possible that its all in my mind.

When it's running, go put pressure with your hand on different panels, and even the exhaust grille. If noise is caused by any of those vibrating, you'll instantly notice the difference.

It can also be in your mind
But my AC isn't noisy when I'm outside. I can hear it, yes, but nothing "loud", even when next to it.

DarkLogix
Texan and Proud
Premium Member
join:2008-10-23
Baytown, TX

DarkLogix

Premium Member

If I put my hand on the top right and press down it gets quieter.
could being slightly off level cause this?

its on a cement slab that's on a bit of remaining wooden deck and I think part of the deck is flexing.

I'll see if I can put something under that part of deck to better support it.

AVD
Respice, Adspice, Prospice
Premium Member
join:2003-02-06
Onion, NJ

AVD to DarkLogix

Premium Member

to DarkLogix
said by DarkLogix:

said by AVD:

open hot? no

That what it was, the meter was losing contact with 1 of 4 jaws thus one leg was dropping out for the whole house.

the problem is now fixed, though centerpoint is annoying me lately, Monday they finally came and locked the meter (when we weren't there ) and in doing so they first pulled the meter and ran "tests". then Tuesday they came back claiming they detected someone had messes with the meter, and again pulled it to inspect.

Are you saying an open Hot would not risk any damage to the device?

of course it did have a risk from arcing that it could have started a fire.

my bad, an open hot would pull power through your 220 devices to power anything on the other leg. A/C unit could definitely be at risk of damage.

DarkLogix
Texan and Proud
Premium Member
join:2008-10-23
Baytown, TX

DarkLogix

Premium Member

Basically all the 240v devices would have one leg hot and the other not.

The neutral was fine (to the people that thought it was an open neutral)

then I guess it'd provide some link to a hot for the down leg (though the wrong leg) and then through the 120v devices a link to neutral.

But the 240v devices couldn't operate during the time the leg was open.

Also the amount that got into the down leg when it was down wasn't enough to light anything other than a 1w night light in one of the bathrooms)

AVD
Respice, Adspice, Prospice
Premium Member
join:2003-02-06
Onion, NJ

AVD

Premium Member

said by DarkLogix:

But the 240v devices couldn't operate during the time the leg was open.

do, but if they were on, electricity could flow from the good leg through the appliance to equipment on the down leg to neutral. This current could be detrimental to the device.

I had a similar problem in my co-op where the system had two independent breakers for the main. I mentioned to an EE in my office that my apartment had funny things going on, and he advised me to insist that a mechanical connection be provided between the breakers to protect my 220 appliances.

DarkLogix
Texan and Proud
Premium Member
join:2008-10-23
Baytown, TX

DarkLogix

Premium Member

So now that the issue is resolved should I get an AC tech to look at the AC unit?

I'm not worried about the dryer.