Causes of Incorrect Electrical Voltage
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Why is the Voltage wrong at the Electric Service Panel? How to Troubleshoot Incorrect Voltage Readings. © By: Dave Rongey |
Troubleshooting Incorrect Voltage Problems
Electrical Question: Why is the voltage wrong at the electric service panel?
This is a residential service in a mobile home park, 120/240 volt, grounded, however this could also happen at any residential or home electrical panel.
- Line1 to Neutral and Ground = 113 volts.
- Line2 to Neutral and Ground = 137 volts.
- Line1 to Line2 = 009 volts, not a typo.
- Neutral to Ground = 337 volts, not a typo.
- What do I have happening here?
- I have been a licensed electrician for 40 years and never run into this.
Thanks,
Roy
This electrical troubleshooting question came from: Roy, a Contractor from Payson, Arizona.
Dave’s Reply:
Thanks for your electrical troubleshooting question Roy.
How to Troubleshoot Incorrect Voltage Readings
Skill Level: Advanced – a Licensed Electrical Contractor or Certified Electrician should be consulted.
Tools Required: Basic Electricians Pouch Hand Tools, Ammeter and Voltage Tester.
Estimated Time: Depends on age of the home, the condition of the electrical system and available access to electrical components.
Precaution: Electrical troubleshooting of this level is best performed by a qualified electrical contractor.
The Causes of Incorrect Voltage Readings at an Electrical Service Panel
- Roy – you have two possibilities that is causing these voltage readings:
- One of the main incoming lines has a loose or burnt connection (my guess is L2 because L1 to N reading is correct) or you have an Open Neutral, which could be a loose or burnt connection as well.
- Roy, your getting a voltage feed-back due to one line that has been lost.
- Also, keep in mind that in Mobile Home Parks they have a 4-wire system, where the ground and the neutral are Isolated and this will explain why the high reading on the neutral to the ground, which is again due to the loss of one of the incoming main lines.
- Thoroughly inspect the main panel, especially the incoming service wires.
Check the cables at the main lugs and at any main breakers.
Don’t rule out that a connection of a breaker to the panel buss may be bad due to corrosion or arcing. - If the problem is not found at the the home panel location then go upstream to where the power source. Many mobile home parks are fed from a large main distribution panel at another location. Be careful and keep yourself well insulated. The voltage on the neutral can be lethal as you know.
Continued Discussion, Electrician to Electrician, Roy’s Reply:
Hi Dave, Thanks for the reply,
I have been a licensed electrician since 1967 and never run into this before. I have had back feeds for one reason or another but not to this extent. The open has to be upstream because this condition exists at the power pedestal meter. I am surprised that none of the neighbors have complained about a similar problem. I had forgotten or never realized the mobile home parks were a true 4 wire system, thanks for that info. I will let you know what we find as soon as I get somewhere with this problem.
Dave’s Follow Up:
Thanks Roy, Yes, these feed backs can be a little interesting to say the least.
There is a possibility that other homes may be affected, it just depends on where the problem is. If the entire service checks out OK and the whole main panel has the same voltage readings then the problem may be with the utility company. Every once and a while one of their transformers may go bad and can produce a feedback like this too. I have seen this happen at the meter socket as well. Be Careful.
Dave’s Note: Problems like this require a Professional Licensed Electrical Contractor.
The Following will assist you with Electrical Troubleshooting
You identified your project to be about Troubleshooting, so you might find this information useful:
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Be Careful and Be Safe - Never Work on Energized Circuits!
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