Low Voltage problem...or so I thought!!

[sparkydude]

Right now we have some pics, a few more things to check, the rcd you need to have a look inside this but i DO NOT recommend you check the tightness of the terminals as there will be LIVE parts inside there and i dont want you having an accident due to me, and the second thing is, the breakers in your board seem to be mis-matched, with the board isolated i recommend you rremove the breakers and ensure that they are all clamping onto the busbar correctly as i note there are two types there, one of which is a 32A and could be responsible for your problems.

Where abouts in the country are you as one of our esteemed members may be near you and could have a shufty for you perhaps?

Nick

 

[ban-all-sheds]

I love the way the guy who fitted it left it full of brick dust.....

However it occurs to me that this Plug-in Mains Power and Energy Monitor may be just what you need, at least to establish the problem.

I have one, and love it, and at its current special offer price of £10, it seems too good to miss. So you could monitor the mains voltage at any socket in your house (risk free) to see what sort of problem you have.

Seems pretty cut and dried that the voltage at sockets etc is dodgy - it's the incoming supply that needs to be checked, and with something that logs readings.

 

[BS3036]

There's me thinking that the OP said that Southern Electric had already checked that the supply was 240V. My point was that with £10 of measuring equipment, the OP could check at what point the voltage was reduced from 240V.

Frankly, if he is careful, he could find out the point of volt drop in half an hour, without spending a fortune. The multimeter would be the way to do this - it's just the long probe tips that worry me if you leave it stuck in anywhere which is why care is required.

If cooking is no longer possible then the problem can be replicated at will.

 

[Limbo]

Lot's of helpful advice once more so thank you. I live in Haslemere which is near Guildford and on the Surrey - West Sussex border. Obviously if there is someone close by who fancies a look I'd be up for that.

Like I've said before I don't mind having a play around with electrics but I don't fancy any more shocks up the arm!!! The things you do in your youth!!

I know that the engineer didn't undo the RCD so that will have to be checked once they come with this Voltage Recorder. Obviously I can check the fuse cartridges once the supply is off so I will do that tomorrow. Is there any clear way of knowing if they're not clamping on properly??

I'll look into that £10 gadget and may be tempted depending on what I find out tomorrow. Wish me luck!!

It's been another frustrating night in the house so keeping cooking on the gas hob!!! Good old gas...who needs electricity!!!!

 

[Spark123]

It is fine measuring a voltage when there is no load - you will probably see the full 240v. When a load is added any high resistance joints will cause the voltage to drop off.
Was there any load on when the DNO checked the voltage?

 

[Limbo]

There wasn't any load on it at all apart from maybe a few lights in the house. Having thought about it I now think the engineer didn't really put enough effort into his checks!! As I've said before it was only me switching the toaster on to prove there was a problem that brought any comment from him that yes there was a problem. He wasn't checking the readings at this point though!! I explained to him that the oven wasn't heating up properly, the dishwasher only just works, the toaster doesn't toast and the microwave just about lights up!!

"I'll log the problem but I'll have to report that your reading is within spec at 240v and we'll get a voltage recorder put on as soon as we can!!"

It was Sunday afternoon I suppose!!

 

[Spark123]

Do you know any friendly electricians? I'm thinking one which can come along and check the voltage going into the RCD next to the meter whilst you switch some items on.

 

[Stoday]

We live in a semi-detached house and also have a detached neighbour on the other side. I've spoken to them both and neither of them seem to have any problems.

They are almost certainly on different phases. So if only the phase you are connected to is faulty, you wouldn't expect your immediate neighbours to be affected as well.

 

[conny]

Ask your neighbours 2 or 3 doors away on either side if they have had/having any problems as they will be on the same incoming phase as you.
The work they did on the outside post may be connected if they have been working on the street furniture or suppliy to a local business.
Does this only happen of a day time or are there any local businesses working when this happens?

 

[Limbo]

I'm afraid I don't know any electricians let alone friendly ones!! Name any other trade and I'm alright!!

The Voltage Recorder is coming tomorrow or Friday so that should start things rolling. Waiting for my two year old to go to sleep at lunchtime then I can take all the fuses out of the CU and see if they look alright. It was mentioned earlier about the fact that some of the cartridges are of different type/size. Does this matter? Should I swap them over so they're all the same?

I've followed the cable from the new post that was put up and it runs to a scout hut that has always had power going to it and has never effected me before. They have obviously replaced the cable so i might be getting somewhere. Things are definitely worse at night and the scout hut is used at this time. What I don't understand though is why if it is connected to this problem that my power wasn't effected on the day that they put it up and connected it. It was a good few days before my problems arose. Also my power isn't right throughout the day and the scout hut isn't in use most of the time.

It's either a coincidence or this is definitely the problem. I assume if it is the scout huts new wiring then they can do something about it?

Thanks again for the help and advice....keep it coming!!

 

[sm1thson]

The Voltage Recorder is coming tomorrow or Friday so that should start things rolling.

When the person comes to fit the voltage recorder use the opportunity to try get some investigating done there and then. if you can get the volts to drop whilst he is there then it should be pretty conclusive, and it sounds like turning on the toaster will do this.

The main question is where is the weak link, it is (almost) certainly before your fuses as the socket circuit effect the lights. The main suspects would be your main switch your RCD the Meter or the wiring before the meter (eg on the new pole), all you need is someone to measure the voltage at these points when you turn the toaster on, hopefully (not guaranteed as he is likely train and only allowed to do the one job) the guy fitting the voltage recorder may be friendly (after a nice cup of tea) and if it isnt immediately apparent that the problem is on their end then he could quickly test the other obvious places (like the RCD).

 

[aptsys]

Just wondering what the outcome of this was? Or is the OP now without power