You have it right on. I also have seen this problem. Another characteristic
is that adding loads cause further unbalance. If you happen to have a couple
of 100W lights on one circuit and a toaster on the other, the voltage
distribution can get quite hairy as you indicate.

--
Don Kelly

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"Charles Perry" wrote in message
...

"operator jay" wrote in message
...
snip

Hello Matt,

Sounds like a problem at or upstream of your panelboard. Your service
voltage should stay pretty much unchanged if a smallish load like your
microwave goes on or off. You could put a call in to your utility.
Under
the circumstances, hopefully they'd send someone to have a look for
free.

It sounds a lot like a loose neutral. The loose connection could be
anywhere from his panel up to the service transformer, including inside
his
service panel.

130V at your outlet is pretty crazy, too. We need a second opinion but
I
would think that problems with a neutral connection should not show that
much effect, except maybe at the end of a circuit using that neutral
(ie.
the circuit using the neutral or the multiple circuits using it if in
fact
it is shared). Again, though, a neutral problem at or upstream of your
panelboard could cause this trouble.

Wrong. I have seen much greater than 130V with loose neutral problems.
Theoretically, you could get nearly 240V on one leg and zero on the other
but realistically it doesn't get that bad.

Have a qualified electrician check the connections in your panel to make
sure they are tightened to the correct torque specifications. If that
does
not help, contact your utility. Most will have a device that they can
temporarily put in the meter base to determine if a loose neutral exists
on
the service drop. They remove your meter, and plug in the device. It has
two voltmeters (one for each leg) and a large load that they can switch
between the legs. Simple and effective.

Charles Perry P.E.