Flickering lights!

[jedi01268]

Help. I have a real problem. My electrical supply to my house is doing the weirdest of things.
When the diswasher is on the lights around the whole house dull right down. However if i then put the kettle on normal service is resumed. By mistake i cut through an earth cable but repaired that. Would it still be that ? Some said it may be an arc but how do i test for that . I have put a martin dale tester over the sockets and they are all ok. Please help!!!!

 

[electro]

Hi

Sounds like a loose connection, or could be VD drop, not sure why its ok when the kettle goes on. at least you can think about it over a cup of tea..

Welcome to the forum

Regards Electro

 

[Mac]

Help. I have a real problem. My electrical supply to my house is doing the weirdest of things.
When the diswasher is on the lights around the whole house dull right down. However if i then put the kettle on normal service is resumed. By mistake i cut through an earth cable but repaired that. Would it still be that ? Some said it may be an arc but how do i test for that . I have put a martin dale tester over the sockets and they are all ok. Please help!!!!

What earth cable did you cut through and welcome to the forums

 

[jedi01268]

It was the earth on to copper pipes! Reconnected using a connector block

the earth was going on to the pipework (copper) ..,. could it be i have connected it with a 30amp peice of choc block.. would that be enough?

 

[spark1]

Did the problem start following your repair to the earth cable ?

Where about exactly in the property is this connection situated ?

....welcome to the forum...


spark1.

 

[jedi01268]

Thank you to everyone welcoming me to the forum. I think it co incided! However is now under a shower tray and been tiled over. Thinking of running a new earth to ground spike to see if this solves it or it is more major!is there a test i can do?

Thank you to everyone welcoming me to the forum. I think it co incided! However is now under a shower tray and been tiled over. Thinking of running a new earth to ground spike to see if this solves it or it is more major!is there a test i can do?

 

[spark1]

jedi ,mate I think you definately need some further inspection & testing on your electrics ...You need to verify that your incoming supply to the consumer unit is o.k with particular reference to the neutral conductor...plus an insulation resistance test on all your outgoing ways from the c.u. If you are not competant to do this yourself then arrange for a qualified spark to carry out the tests iam sure he will find the true nature of the problem for you.


spark1

 

[acat]

Earth spike may introduce a different potential in the house are you on a tt system already. If not a spike not really recommended

Welcome


Chris

 

[claret73]

Not sure at all if Im in right ballpark but we had a job with flickering lights to fault find a short while ago. We traced a fault to a loose Neutral in the living room light fitting. However, lights throughout house still flickered. A Ze was recorded at distribution side & found to be that, (can't remember figure) but EON came out & sorted it...I'll post a reply after asking Boss tomorrow am
Cheers

 

[spark1]

Not sure at all if Im in right ballpark but we had a job with flickering lights to fault find a short while ago. We traced a fault to a loose Neutral in the living room light fitting. However, lights throughout house still flickered. A Ze was recorded at distribution side & found to be that, (can't remember figure) but EON came out & sorted it...I'll post a reply after asking Boss tomorrow am
Cheers

Along the lines of what i was referring to in my earlier reply.

If the supply is TNCS then the Neutral& Earth are one and the same on the supply side.....a loose main neutral connection can allow return curent from circuits to flow to earth through extraneous conductive parts such as metallic pipework etc...part of this path could well be the earthing cable the o.p. "repaired", hence my advice to get it tested a.s.a.p.


spark1

 

[baldsparkies]

Total agreement with spark 1 the sooner you get it checked the better.
If it is a loose neutral it can cause major heat damage to surrounding components, and if its at the mainswitch termination that won't take long.

Glad its only single phase though,
I have seen the results of a lost neutral in a three phase install, on single phase equipment, and its not a pretty site.
We spent days after rectifying the fault on replacing lighting, hand dryers, fire alarm panels, door entry systems, the list can be endless,as well as expensive.

Get it checked A.S.A.P.

 

[mechelec]

As it is affecting more than one circuit I would check connections in CU and look carefully for signs of hot tail connections. Then try a ELI test at the incoming mains supply this may show a high or unstable reading if so I would get DNO out to check supply. Are you overhead or undergound fed, as overhead supplies often suffer from bad connections underground do but it is less common.