On Oct 19, 12:10*am, Rebel1 wrote:
On 10/18/2011 9:34 PM, hr(bob) wrote:





On Oct 18, 8:01 pm, *wrote:
This apartment has strange problems. Incandescent bulbs burn out too
fast, usually when a switch is turned on. I monitored line voltage with
a plug-in meter that displays voltages in the range of 90 to 130. The
needle stays pointing in the green zone (110 to 125 volts). I don't live
there, but I left the meter there and the renter says it stays in the
green zone.

Aside from that problem, the kitchen has a ceiling fan with three light
bulbs (standard base). The bulb in one position burns out, again when
power is switched on, much more often than the other two.

I've tried using bulbs rated at 130V. Seem to give better life, but
there is still a definite problem that I can't blame on simple high
voltage. There is no flicker that could indicate that the bulb isn't
fully screwed into the socket.

This is an "illegal" apartment, which means that there can be many code
violations.

Thanks for you suggestions/comments.

R1

You don't say if the "meter" is an analog meter with a needle/pointer
or an electronic meter that displays line voltage with a digital
readout. *A short sudden burst of high voltage, just for one or two
cycles, 30 milliseconds or so, might be happeneing on a semi-regular
basis without being visible, but would strain the bulbs.

This is the meter.http://www.lightinguniverse.com/addi...i-plug-in-line...

Clearly, it will miss short spikes. (BTW, I only paid about $20 for it.)

A check of the voltage when a heavy user of electricity is plugged in,
such as an electric iron turned to the highest heat, should indicate
if there is a general distribution problem, plug the iron in to
outlets on the same phase and on the other phase of the 230V lines
coming into the unit, and tell us what you find.

I won't be back in the apartment until the weekend. I don't know if I
can access the circuit breakers to get at the other phase. They may not
even be located in her apartment. As I said, these are illegal units in
the sense that they don't have permits and inspections, and I don't know
how knowledgeable the workers were.

R1- Hide quoted text -

- Show quoted text -

I wouldnt worry too much about the spikes but tighten down the
neutrals in your breaker box. Loose neutrlas can cause some
interesting problems, like when my wife complained of her portable
radio not working then it smoked when she used the toaster. Im glad
we were living in an apartment when that happened. Kitchen outlets
were on shared neutral circuits... this can put 240 at a 120 outlet

Jimmie