House Electrical Question
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Senior User
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House Electrical Question
I was checking a light switch and discovered I have excessive voltage. 152 volts on meter at electrical outlet. Also checked a 220 and meter indicates 300 volts. Also checked next door neighbors outside outlet and it is reading 152 volts. We are on the same transformer.
What kind of problems can this cause? I have not had any problems with blowing light bulbs or any other issues. I am on a city electrical system. What should I do if anything.?
What kind of problems can this cause? I have not had any problems with blowing light bulbs or any other issues. I am on a city electrical system. What should I do if anything.?
Postmaster
Joined: Feb 2003
Posts: 2,848
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From: Kentucky
Get another meter to be sure they read the same. If at a 120 volt outlet you get 150V from the "hot " side to neutral side, AND the neighbors outlets are reading the same, you have utility distribution issues. Call your power company and let them know what you have happening.
Elder User
Joined: Dec 2003
Posts: 655
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From: Miami
Higher the voltage=lower the amps= less energy usage which=lower utility cost's! Honestly, you motors and other load devices (not light bulbs) could spin faster than rated speed and not operate efficently. Most units(A/C units, stoves, water heaters) are rated at 208/230 +/- 10% call your local power company. It could do damage to your appliances. HOWEVER I agree with get another meter and check again!
Al
Al
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From: Location, Location.
Actually, V = IR. That is, rearranged, I = V/R. Your non-active appliances/light bulbs, etc. have a constant Resistance, not a constant power consumption.
So, higher Voltage means higher amperage (I, current).
It will not affect the speed at which AC motors turn - they are wound to turn at one speed and are keyed to alternating frequency, not voltage.
Non-active things like light-bulbs and stove elements will be 'hotter' than usual and burn out faster.
Active things like TV's and computers have internal DC transformers - the units actually run on DC. Good quality units will have some kind of regulators to mnimize the affect on their transformer's output, but don't count on it. Enough out of whack it could cause these items to be running at excessive dc voltage. The trick is to know how much out of whack is too much.
Motsly you may have a safety issue - appliances are designed to work on and insulate X-volts.
If the meter itself checks out and you're sure you've got th4ese voltages, I'd be calling the power compnay asap, and don't be taking any of their "Oh that - that's nothing, don;'t worry about it" bs.
So, higher Voltage means higher amperage (I, current).
It will not affect the speed at which AC motors turn - they are wound to turn at one speed and are keyed to alternating frequency, not voltage.
Non-active things like light-bulbs and stove elements will be 'hotter' than usual and burn out faster.
Active things like TV's and computers have internal DC transformers - the units actually run on DC. Good quality units will have some kind of regulators to mnimize the affect on their transformer's output, but don't count on it. Enough out of whack it could cause these items to be running at excessive dc voltage. The trick is to know how much out of whack is too much.
Motsly you may have a safety issue - appliances are designed to work on and insulate X-volts.
If the meter itself checks out and you're sure you've got th4ese voltages, I'd be calling the power compnay asap, and don't be taking any of their "Oh that - that's nothing, don;'t worry about it" bs.
Senior User
Joined: Jun 2004
Posts: 100
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take your meter, put it on ohms, short the leads togeather, then zero your needle. then put it back on ac and read your voltage, bet you get a much better reading...
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Fleet Owner
Joined: Aug 2001
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From: Drummonds, TN USA
It could be an indication of the primary side of the transformer shorting out between windings. This changes the ratio between primary and secondary.
Call the power company, and tell them about the problem.
Call the power company, and tell them about the problem.
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Fleet Owner
Joined: Aug 2001
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From: Drummonds, TN USA
Originally Posted by weadjust
Borrowed neighbors meter and getting a reading of 123 volts at both houses. False reading on my meter. Looks like everthing checks out. Thanks for the replys.
Fleet Mechanic
Joined: Feb 2004
Posts: 1,816
Likes: 3
From: River Valley AR
I wonder if the meter you used indicates the voltage in RMS (root mean square), or peak to peak? RMS kind of "averages" the voltage of the sine wave, peak to peak does not.
Point being that you may have a decent meter, just misunderstood. To get RMS you multiply peak-to-peak voltage by .707. That put 150 volts peak to peak at about 110 volts RMS, which is fine.
Also I agree with fred_79 regarding the voltage and current. Electrical energy is a product of voltage times current, so if one goes up the other must go down, or you violate the rules of physics by creating energy from nothing.
On edit- Zeroing out the meter on the ohms setting does not affect the reading you will get when reading voltage. You definitely want the meter set to voltage to read voltage. Reading ohms uses the battery in the meter to send electricity through a circuit. Reading voltage uses the line power to move the meter. NEVER connect the meter to line voltage when you are set to read current (amps). You may blow up the meter if you don't know for sure how to use the meter.
Not trying to step on any toes, but if I'm wrong I'm not in doubt.
Point being that you may have a decent meter, just misunderstood. To get RMS you multiply peak-to-peak voltage by .707. That put 150 volts peak to peak at about 110 volts RMS, which is fine.
Also I agree with fred_79 regarding the voltage and current. Electrical energy is a product of voltage times current, so if one goes up the other must go down, or you violate the rules of physics by creating energy from nothing.
On edit- Zeroing out the meter on the ohms setting does not affect the reading you will get when reading voltage. You definitely want the meter set to voltage to read voltage. Reading ohms uses the battery in the meter to send electricity through a circuit. Reading voltage uses the line power to move the meter. NEVER connect the meter to line voltage when you are set to read current (amps). You may blow up the meter if you don't know for sure how to use the meter.
Not trying to step on any toes, but if I'm wrong I'm not in doubt.
Last edited by bodabdan; Jun 17, 2005 at 07:57 PM.
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