Flickering lights, help required.

[worz]

Hi all,

I am having a problem with all the lights in my house flickering intermittently, these are on 2 seperate fuses.

While I have changed a lot of light fittings over the last couple of years, I havent done anything for 6 months.

The only thing that has happened is we had a new electricity meter installed a couple of months ago, could this be the problem even though, I havent noticed the TV or anything plugged into sockets doing anything strange.

Thanks for any advice given.

 

[MasterAbacus]

Quick test is to plug in a Table lamp or something the likes in to your main ring.... see if that also flickers... if it does chances are it a supply issue...

How sure are you it started exactly when your meter was changed? If started then, im hopefull you logged it with the provider?

 

[worz]

Quick test is to plug in a Table lamp or something the likes in to your main ring.... see if that also flickers... if it does chances are it a supply issue...

How sure are you it started exactly when your meter was changed? If started then, im hopefull you logged it with the provider?

I am not sure it started exactly then, at first I thought it was just going to be a couple of bulbs going to blow and I couldn't be sure it was all over the house , it doesn't happen all the time you see, so unfortunately I didn't log it, to be honest I didn't think it could be a supply problem due to the fact that only the lighting seems to be affected. I thought I would notice it on the TV, HiFi etc?

I will try the table lamp idea

Thank you for the ideas

 

[plugwash]

there may not be a problem at all. On the other hand there could be a loose connection is anything arround the meter position getting unusually warm or smelly?

filament bulbs are very sensitive to supply voltage variation. A 10% increase in supply voltage will lead to a nearly 40% increase in brightness. Add to that the eyes sensitivity to abrupt changes and even pretty small varations in voltage can lead to noticable variations in brightness.

Most appliances are far far less sensitive.

 

[MasterAbacus]

I thought I would notice it on the TV, HiFi etc?

Very small fluctuations in voltage are only really noticable in lighting elements.... TV/Hifi will generaly be fine. Let us know how you get on with the table lamp....

Are you in a detached, semi, terraced?

Next door havnt got a gardden pond pump running? its normal for people with these to turn them up on an evening to stop water freeze...
Garage where someone Welding near by?

Just trying to think of a few things that could cause it....

Appart frm dodgy house electrics.....as I see its cheaper to tell the blokie next door to stop doing cut and shuts in his garage on an evening, than get a sparky in....lol

 

[worz]

Its a detached house and the meter is outside in the garage, so I havent noticed any smells or arcing.

And I cant think of anything that my neighbours might be doing thats causing it.

I will have a look at the meter and test the lamp out tonight, then let you know tomorrow.

Thanks very much for all your help guys!

 

[worz]

Well the lights didn't flicker much last night but I was able to prove with the aid of a table lamp that it was also flickering when the lights did.
So is that a call to the supplier would you say?
Or anything else I should try first.

Thanks again.

 

[MasterAbacus]

Ok, so we now have a good idea its supply based... and not just your lighting curcuits.

The Lamp trick is good no?

Hows your CU (Consumer Unit) set up? Do you have just the one? is it split or single load... ie does it have rcbo protection?

Since this problem started have you modifed anything on your mains? added anything new electrical to the house, any mods to the Central heating system?

What were looking for is to try track the flicker down to a time of the day...

Another trick to try during the day, is close curtains in room, and have light/lamp on in that room, and see if flicker is constant through out the day....

Do you know of any new houses being built in your area recently?

Get back to us, and if i think of anything else ill put it up here...

Id be very keen to rule everything out before paying for someone to come in and take a look....

Hence why this forum is great... DIY.....

 

[Space cat]

I was able to prove with the aid of a table lamp that it was also flickering when the lights did.

You have both lighting circuits and a ring main all flickering at once and it started when you got the meter changed. That would clinch it for me. There's a bad joint in there somewhere. The only other things I might try would be to (a) listen for crackling noises in the vicinity of the meter while the lights are flickering or (b) try to simulate the fault by CAREFULLY wiggling wires.

 

[MasterAbacus]

Just had a thaught, if you are getting fed up with this problem and it is caused by Supply fluctutations...You should get some CFLs (Energy Saving Lamps). Apart from saving you money on electricity, they last for years and are tolerant of supply voltage fluctuations.

 

[Steve]

As an aside, most new electrical kit comes with universal power supplies. This is most noticable on wall-wart transformers, which will normally accept any voltage between 100 and 250 volts at between 50 and 60Hz, so it can be used anywhere in the world. So even halving the supply will not cause your electronic equipment to suffer! (Of course, a lot of stuff will shut off too, on half voltage, since not everything has universal PSUs!)

And I'd expect any television to work down to around 180-200 volts. Anything below this and a CRT or LCD will just shut down.

 

[worz]

Well thanks for all your ideas guys!
I woke up this morning to find we had a power cut, apparently a problem with the local substation, all repaired now and guess what, no more flickering lights!!!

At least I have learn't the table lamp trick


Thanks again!