Moved into a new construction house. The lights dim when the...

<< Back to: Electrical Wiring FAQ (Part 1 of 2)

Answer by Jim in Virginia
Submitted on 6/2/2005
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I've had a similar problem for years and it looks like it will finally be resolved when the power company installs a larger transformer where our service is connected. Our old transformer feeds 3 homes and over the last 8 years all three have been enlarged and power needs increased. You can see at least 2 sizes of power pole transformer in our area, ours being the smaller and classed as a 25 KVA. If you get power underground and have boxes on the ground the boxes probably contain the transformers and often bear markings including the KVA number. Before the transformer size became an issue all I heard to check was the size of the service line to your power meter and from the meter to your breaker panel. The only other cause was if you have several buses and your heavy loads are not divided up between them.

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<< Back to: Electrical Wiring FAQ (Part 1 of 2)

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Question by andy
Submitted on 8/4/2003
Related FAQ: Electrical Wiring FAQ (Part 1 of 2)
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Moved into a new construction house. The lights dim when the Central Air turns on. Is this ok? Can it cause damage to computers?

Answer by kuntal
Submitted on 1/31/2004
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picture of house

Answer by SHOCKING_EXPERIENCE
Submitted on 6/16/2004
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There is a voltage drop when the a/c turns on due to high demand. Perhaps your service is not sized properly. The power supply in your computer may be able to accept the drop gracefully, but it's best to keep it on a backup power unit (UPS) that filters and smooths voltage irregularities.

Answer by Chasjr
Submitted on 11/4/2005
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I live in a new subdivision and all of our homes are experiencing this problem. What about all of the other major appliances that are running. What would you guess the problem is?

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