Fluorescent Light Flicker Problem

[D80]

Hi guys. Got a bit of a teaser for you. Went to a job today and they had a problem with a very slight short flicker in a small office area on fluorescent lights when either a rip saw or a pressure washer are used from a small workshop area. The flicker lasts less that 1 second and the lights go back to normal until the trigger is pulled on the rip saw again.

The fluorescent fittings affected seem quite old, but its only become a problem in recent months, and it affects all fluorescent fittings fed from the same main incomer. The supply is single phase, and from that there is a small db which feeds the lighting circuit and also a sub mains out to the workshop. In the workshop db there is 1 radial circuit and 1 lighting circuit. The voltage drop when the trigger of the riup saw is pulled is around 3v.

Any ideas? I think it may be the old ballasts in the fluorescent fittings.

 

[Mac]

Hi guys. Got a bit of a teaser for you. Went to a job today and they had a problem with a very slight short flicker in a small office area on fluorescent lights when either a rip saw or a pressure washer are used from a small workshop area. The flicker lasts less that 1 second and the lights go back to normal until the trigger is pulled on the rip saw again.

The fluorescent fittings affected seem quite old, but its only become a problem in recent months, and it affects all fluorescent fittings fed from the same main incomer. The supply is single phase, and from that there is a small db which feeds the lighting circuit and also a sub mains out to the workshop. In the workshop db there is 1 radial circuit and 1 lighting circuit. The voltage drop when the trigger of the riup saw is pulled is around 3v.

Any ideas? I think it may be the old ballasts in the fluorescent fittings.

It could be a ballast problem,but if it only happens when they are using the rip saw or pressure washer it maybe that they are drawing too much current on start up.So it could be a faulty appliance if it has only recently started

 

[D80]

It could be a ballast problem,but if it only happens when they are using the rip saw or pressure washer it maybe that they are drawing too much current on start up.So it could be a faulty appliance if it has only recently started

Seems to happen on anything that draws a few amps tbh. Rip saw could be fault, pressure washer could be. Can't see both being a problem tbh.

 

[Mac]

Have you checked all the connections at the DB,could be a loose neutral connection somewhere in the circuit