Voltage drop when it's cold?
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Fleet Mechanic
Joined: Oct 2002
Posts: 1,385
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From: Mercer County, OH
Voltage drop when it's cold?
This morning when I got up and flipped on the lights things didn't seem as bright as usual. I figured I was still half asleep and didn't think any more about it. Tonight I noticed it again so I went and checked the voltage at a socket with a voltmeter and the reading was only 105 volts. We're having a cold snap (~10 deg. F) and was wondering if this is typical for these kind of conditions.
Post Fiend
Joined: Jun 2003
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I know we had a drop once (measured at 98v). It was due to a blown transformer and the temporary they were using was not quite right.
I can't say it's not due to the cold but typically the highest electrical demand (and the potential for brown-outs) is typically in the summer.
I can't say it's not due to the cold but typically the highest electrical demand (and the potential for brown-outs) is typically in the summer.
Posting Guru
Joined: Jun 2002
Posts: 1,146
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From: Colorado
It is normal, as the load on the system increases, voltage will drop. The load on the transformer that feeds your house (and others) was probably quite high due to higher electric useage from electric heat, blowers, even normal household appliances being used. One place I worked a few years ago had all kinds of problems with low voltage in the plant, due to the transformer feeding our incoming power was being pushed to it's limits. We had to install another power feed in, with another transformer to correct the problem. The voltage drop varied depending upon the time of day of course.
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