PDA

View Full Version : Electrical problem in Topock



Topock Junkie
07-16-2005, 11:54 AM
I keep burning out my 100amp main breaker. Every summer I end up burning one main breaker out. This summer I'm on my second. Does anybody else have this problem out in Havasu, Bullhead or Topock areas. This sucks....

Outnumbered
07-16-2005, 11:57 AM
I keep burning out my 100amp main breaker. Every summer I end up burning one main breaker out. This summer I'm on my second. Does anybody else have this problem out in Havasu, Bullhead or Topock areas. This sucks....
Dude, get an electrician over there before you burn your house down :sqeyes: . You prolly need to upgrade to a 200 Amp panel.

SmokinLowriderSS
07-16-2005, 12:29 PM
Definitely get an electrician over to check this out!!!!
Since I have been an electrician in homes/apts in the past, and I am an electrician in aircraft by trade, I have a question and an idea.
The 100A main is a double pole breaker (240 V breaker) which carries (for the sake of explanations 110 circuit phase A and 110 circuit phase B into your house. Do you know if the same side of the breaker keeps burning out? One thing that needs to be checked (for 2 reasons) is that you have the same usage going on in each 110V phase circuit. No 110V device cares which phase it is on but you may be overloading 1 side without loading the other side and/or not loading 1 side enough to trip the breaker. This only applies to 110V circuits. 220V circuits pull equally from both phases. you may need to swap some 110 circuits from 1 buss bar to the other (kind of tough to see as the bars run paralell to each other in the box center and they alternate breaker feed). 2 breakers (110V ones) sitting directly next to (stacked atop) each other use 2 different phases. A clamp-on ammeter is all that is needed to check for balance.
The other thing is that it is my understanding that if you load 1 phase much higher than the other, the meter will follow the higher draw and will actually charge you more than you use. The higher current draw on 1 side will spin it faster than it would if the draw was equal (or nearly equal).

SUICYCOLE DIMARCO
07-16-2005, 01:11 PM
WOW,THATS GOOD TO KNOW...YOU THINK YOU MIGHT HAVE TO EQUAL THE AMPERAGE DRAW BETWEEN THE TWO TO MAYBE REDUCE ENERGY COSTS?...I CAN SEE THAT BEING TRUE..TIME TO BUST OUT THE FLUKE AND GIVE IT A 3 MINUTE TEST,,, :idea:

Sleek-Jet
07-16-2005, 01:13 PM
The other thing is that it is my understanding that if you load 1 phase much higher than the other, the meter will follow the higher draw and will actually charge you more than you use. The higher current draw on 1 side will spin it faster than it would if the draw was equal (or nearly equal).
I find this hard to believe. The meter sees the same current as both the poles of the 100 amp main (it's in series - current is equal).

Outnumbered
07-16-2005, 03:00 PM
All I can say is be careful messing around with the buss bars and an open panel in general. Just pony up a lil' cash and have a pro come out. You can torch your hand in there playing with those things. :220v:

100+Placecraft
07-16-2005, 03:23 PM
Dude, Half the town can't pay their bills and have no power, why dont you just shut it off and fit in!!
There's a couple electricians in town. Are you up there right now? We'll be back next weekend, 21st thru the 24th.
Give me a ring.