An unusual problem for a DIYer

[dgreer27]

I have an unusual problem and need some help. I've never run into this issue but any help would be appreciated. We have two dwellings on one service. The first is a mobile home and the second is an old shop that has been converted into a dwelling. It is a 200 amp service. The issue is that randomly lights will blink in one or two rooms at each of the residence and then will shut down... but only the selected rooms. The living room and one bedroom in the trailer house and the living room and the bathroom in the other residence. No breakers are tripped and all other rooms keep the lights on. The breakers at each location are cool to the touch and again, none of them trip. Any suggestions?

 

[pc1966]

When you say "shut down" do they come back themselves, or do you have to flick the light switch(s) to make it happen?

And do they all flicker/fail simultaneously?

Most likely it is a poor connection somewhere if simultaneous, but if separate it might just be failing electronics in any LED/CFL lamps made worse by heating up - try replacing one and see if it cures the problem for it, if so then replace the others.

 

[timhoward]

Can you describe the circumstances this happens - is it lights are ON and they flicker and turn off, or lights are OFF and they flicker and stay off, or lights flicker directly after they are turned off.
Are these LED bulbs?
I'm wondering if this is an induced current issue.

 

[Intoelectrics]

As tim & pc have already mentioned we need more detail on the type of lights and what actually happens, and whether the 2 occurrences are related or not, i.e happen independently at random intervals, or both at the same time?

 

[Lucien Nunes]

If the flickering is simultaneous then it is probably either a bad main connection at the panel, which might be getting hot if it is carrying much current, or something that is disrupting the AC waveform that causes a marginally-stable combination of LED and smart / dimmer switch to go unstable.

Again, assuming the flickering is simultaneous:
Are the affected lights all on one leg of the supply? (I don't know whether the RV has 240V i.e. both hots)
Are any receptacles affected in the same areas?

 

[dgreer27]

When you say "shut down" do they come back themselves, or do you have to flick the light switch(s) to make it happen?

And do they all flicker/fail simultaneously?

Most likely it is a poor connection somewhere if simultaneous, but if separate it might just be failing electronics in any LED/CFL lamps made worse by heating up - try replacing one and see if it cures the problem for it, if so then replace the others.

When I say "shut down" it is if the breaker tripped... but the breakers don't trip on either residence. The lights flicker for a few times then go off. Some of the plugs in the room are still live, but some are off as well. I have never seen anything like this. After a few minutes they will come back on... no flipping switches or breakers. The only thing I can see they have in common is that both houses have AT&T fiber cable boxes in the primarily effected rooms (living room in one house, and an office in the other house.

 

[dgreer27]

If the flickering is simultaneous then it is probably either a bad main connection at the panel, which might be getting hot if it is carrying much current, or something that is disrupting the AC waveform that causes a marginally-stable combination of LED and smart / dimmer switch to go unstable.

Again, assuming the flickering is simultaneous:
Are the affected lights all on one leg of the supply? (I don't know whether the RV has 240V i.e. both hots)
Are any receptacles affected in the same areas?

I thought it might be a loose negative... I've had that happen before. This seems to happen at both houses at the same time. It seems to affect the living room and one bathroom in one house and the living room and one bedroom (office), and an utility room in the mobile home. The lights, TV, Internet box, are on then they begin to flicker for a moment and then go dark. Some of the plugs are still hot, but most are dead. They are on separate circuits with separate 20 amp breakers. No breakers trip! The mobile home and the converted shop are running from one 200 amp supply and have typical 110 and 240 circuits. The only thing I can see that they two residence have in common is that both of the effected areas have an AT&T fiber optic internet modem.

 

[pc1966]

It is very unlikely the modems have anything to do with this.

It really sounds like a bad connection somewhere, that is something to take seriously as it can lead to a fire starting.

 

[Lucien Nunes]

Definitely my next check would be whether they are on the same hot leg. I don't think it's a neutral problem (not negative!) as when this happens on a 240V 3-wire supply, the side that doesn't go dark gets an excessive voltage instead and all sorts of nasty things happen. Sounds much more like one hot leg has a bad connection at, or upstream of, the main panel. If all the connections in the panel and main switch are good, it could be at the meter socket or in the street.

 

[ipf]

I don't like getting involved in things on the other side of that big pond. However, whatever the problem, it sounds a bit too serious for a DIY solution.

 

[pc1966]

I don't like getting involved in things on the other side of that big pond. However, whatever the problem, it sounds a bit too serious for a DIY solution.

I would tend to agree - better for the OP get a professional electrician in to do any testing as mistakes can end very badly.

 

[Megawatt]

When I say "shut down" it is if the breaker tripped... but the breakers don't trip on either residence. The lights flicker for a few times then go off. Some of the plugs in the room are still live, but some are off as well. I have never seen anything like this. After a few minutes they will come back on... no flipping switches or breakers. The only thing I can see they have in common is that both houses have AT&T fiber cable boxes in the primarily effected rooms (living room in one house, and an office in the other house.

Is one panel feeding 2 dwellings without using a sub panel. Obviously as mentioned above you have a bad connection in your 200 amp panel and really it could be loose neutrals or the main feed coming from the power company. With out a doubt you have problems in your panel since it’s happening in both dwellings