electrical fluctuation

[Cuprager]

The electricity supply in my flat seems to fluctuate an awful lot. What i mean is that you can 'see' a dip (or dimming) in the lights from time to time, you can also hear the bethroom extractor fan slowing. I have spoken to my neighbours and everyone gets affected by this problem. There are 6 flats in my entry. I know that one 'flat' uses storage heating, could that be the cause (i.e. it draws loads of electricity?)??

It does not seem to cause any problems and i am quite used to it but people who come into the place for the first time notice it.

Gerry

[Colin Wilson]

It could be, but storage rads aren`t normally switched in until ~midnight (although another tariff exists where you can get cheaper electric mid- afternoon too)

Are the flats controlled by a landlord, and do you have your own seperate meter / point of supply ?

It might be worth contacting your local electric co. and asking for a voltage recorder to be fitted - there are regulations that cover timescales that they should do this within, but they`re hard to find now on the energywatch website - i`ve got them online here:

date is when I downloaded them, not the issue date)

[Wanderer]

There are statutory limits as to how much flicker you should see on the lights. Can't remember what it is, but I'd suggest two or three of you in the flats should complain to your local REC - the company who own the wires

- they may not be the same company who bill you.

[Cuprager]

snip

Thanks for the input. The fluctuations can and do happen at anytime. There are six flats within the block (1900's red sandstone) and we are all home owners. We all have our own meters but i think that there is a single supply into the front of the building that splits off 6 ways. I will get a band of us together to complain to the leccy company.

[Colin Wilson]

OK, your next problem may be that the overall load to the 6 properties is now such that it is larger than the incoming supply.

Worst case scenario - they disconnect it for safety to prevent it being overloaded, leaving all 6 of you off supply...

This is probably unlikely, but a possibility - depending on when the cable was first put in to the property, they may (at their discretion) refurbish the supply and upgrade it in the process.

It might be worth (prior to calling in the elec co.) getting your own electrician to conduct some load tests on the incomer to see what the peak demand is - he can probably do this with a clip-on ammeter. It`ll at least give you an idea what size supply you should realistically have.

[Wanderer]

Are you in the south? I keep thinking I should know you.....

[The Natural Philosopher]

Had an espisode of this. Reported it, and I wasn't the first one.

Parade of cherry pickreres operating on te 11 KV switchgear resulted.

You hae a combination of one or more rf

- inadequate supply transformer, or inadequatre mains feed wires from it.

- intermittent overload or heavy load (welding going on on your subscircuit? Anyone operating a workshop with big electric motors?)

- a definite supply fault (dodgy connection in the 11KV,or maybe 'post transformer': I have seen this too when a digger partially cut through my underground feed)

Compare notes with others in teh samne block and in the same street. If its a new block, get it fixed. If old, contact supply company when you have it pinned down. My old post monted tansformer was unable to start a microwave without dimming. It looked all of about 10KVA. The new one is more like 200kVA and really does the biz.

[andrewpreece]

My brother had this sort of thing for some months: eventually the supply to his group of houses went altogether. I believe it was a cable problem.

Andy.

[Colin Wilson]

Me ? nah, North West...

[Colin Wilson]

Not unknown - might be the service joint breaking down (quite common)

[Cuprager]

Thanks for all of your replies. I will get all of us in the building to make a complaint. I will let you know what happens...

Gerry