Lights dim when it rains

[rob7475]

Hi,

I bought my house about a year ago and since we moved in we have a problem when it rains heavily.

The lights flicker and go very dim. Sometimes the whole electricity supply can cut off for about a second causing everything in the house to switch off and back on again.

Does anyone know what may cause this as it only happens when there is heavy rain (quite often here).

Thanks

Rob

 

[Lectrician]

Overhead supply?

Sounds like a corroding joint up the pole. More commonly will be the neutral, which can be very dangerous as when the lights go off, they ARE STILL LIVE - as could be any metalwork.

Contact your supplier asap.

 

[rob7475]

Im no electrician, so excuse me if I sound thick.

I don't think we have an overhead supply into the house. I'm sure the supply comes under the house into the fusebox in the cellar.

Is this something my supplier would charge to look at the problem?

Thanks

Rob

 

[big-all]

do your neibours have the same problem!!!!!

they will probably charge you if its a fault your side of the distribution board[your side off the meter]

i am no expert but the fault does sound more likly to be there side with a parcial short or bad connection

 

[rob7475]

Thanks for the advice.

Are there any electircians on here from the Halifax area who may want to have a look at see if the fault is at my side of the meter or not?



Cheers

Rob

 

[JohnD]

big-all is on the button when he asks about your neighbours.

It sounds like water is getting into the electricity supply, perhaps a damaged underground or overhead cable. If the neighbours are also suffering then it won't be your house that's the trouble.

It might be within your installation, but if the whole house (not just a single circuit) goes dim, probably not (it would have to be between the meter and your consumer unit, which I hope is not exposed to the rain (!) and you would probably hear fizzing. Can you see any signs of damaged or overheated cables or fittings?

Or it might be in the supply cables, in which case it might, or might not, be limited to your own house, and would be rather dangerous.

In your position, I think I would contact your electricity supplier and say there appears to be a supply fault. If there is, the sooner they look for it the better.

Do you live in a town?


An important question - when the lights go dim, does this also affect TV/Radio/table lamps plugged into sockets; or is it only the lighting circuit (ceiling lamps)? We heard of a case where water was getting into the cable for a customer's outside yard light, which is obviously not the electricity company's responsibility.

 

[rob7475]

I will check with the neighbours to see if they have any problems.

I live in halifax which is a town. The area i live in is quite built up.

Most of the time it is just the lights that flicker, but sometimes when the electric cuts out for a fraction of a second longer, everything will power off for about a second. My meter and fuse box are in the cellar which isn't damp. When i will get home, i will check to see if i can see any sign of damage but I don't really know what i'm looking for.

Thanks for all the help so far

rob

 

[Steve]

I live in halifax which is a town.

is it? really?

didnt think it was in leeds though.

Thats like me putting my location as sheffield, when i actually live in doncaster. obviously doncaster isn't listed in the locations, so i simply chose yorkshire.

What part of halifax, which is a town?

 

[rob7475]

well i was asked if i lived in a town and i was just stating that i did

I live in the savile park area.