Flickering Lights

[pickleye]

Hi,

I have a problem in my own house and would like some suggestions please.

The lights in my house are intermittently flickering. Both circuits upstairs and down are affected. Nothing has been worked on for months and months. Sockets may also be affected but I can't see any effects.

Supply is via TT from a pole outside (obviously ). Baord is an old wylex split board 3 socket circuits on RCD side, 2 light circuits and redundant shower on none RCD side. We had the same problem a few years ago and turned out to be a supply problem.

How would I go about checking my system before I contact the supplier?

I'm thinking r1+rn at furthest point in each circuit, checking all connections in DB etc.

Is there a test meter that will monitor incoming power for irregularities? (That's affordable?)

Any suggestions welcomed, helps the learning process

 

[Doc Hudson]

Are they standard lamps or energy saving lamps that are flickering, whats the general incoming voltage is it high or low in the accepted voltage range, is the flickering at certain times of the day, peak load periods, Could demand in other local property's be causing dips in the voltage off your TT overhead?

Doc H.

 

[pickleye]

A mixture of energy efficient and standard lamps. Its happening at all times of day. I'm not aware of any high demand properties around, just in the middle of a housing estate. I do get a little dimming when next door puts the shower on, but i expect that.

I can't check voltasge yet as i'm away from home.

To me it seems more like a loose connection type of flicker. It seemed worse in windy conditions recently thats why i'm thinking its outside, but they are playing up today with little wind.

 

[NozSpark]

You've got a TT supply and a split load board???????

ALL CIRCUITS IN A TT INSTALLATION NEED TO HAVE RCD PROTECTION

as for your problem... it sounds like you have a loose connection somewhere

 

[danielle]

Hi

Ive been been called out to many properties where they have had the same problem with energy efficent lamps. Ive even had them where even though the switch is turned off they still flicker.

Does it happen with the standard lamps also?

danni

 

[Sidewinder]

danielle,

That is capacative induction into the supply cables charging up the gear, which then discharges across the lamp when it reaches a critical voltage.

It does not happen with standard lamps as it leaks across the filament.

I suspect however, that the OP is referring to lit lamps flickering like a loose connection rather than lamps intermittently illuminating for fractions of a second.

 

[pickleye]

Noz, yes split load board, house was re-wired approx 1993, planning to change board this year.

Danielle standard lamps flickering while lit, I've heard of this happening to energy efficient lamps too but never seen it.

Sidewinder thanks for the explanation of this phenomenon I had wondered what could cause it when my mate asked about it. Also you are correct about the problem being with lit filament lamps. Sitting here at my desk no flickering of any kind, no wind either...(outside lol)

 

[tom1]

prob should change the board tomorrow maybe, or put the lights on rcbo better option

 

[danielle]

danielle,That is capacative induction into the supply cables charging up the gear, which then discharges across the lamp when it reaches a critical voltage.

It does not happen with standard lamps as it leaks across the filament.

I suspect however, that the OP is referring to lit lamps flickering like a loose connection rather than lamps intermittently illuminating for fractions of a second.

What is the likelyhood of having a loose connection on both lighting circuits tho?

 

[Sidewinder]

Mains side on OH is prob most likely?

 

[Andy™]

what kind of holder is it? if they are ES with a 'spring' contact at the back, it may be making a bad connection. bend this forward a bit and it usually solves the problem

 

[sparkytim]

Sounds like dodgy joint up the pole, phone DNO to check it out.

 

[pickleye]

Hi guys thanks for the suggestions, I get around 237v when I check. There is a mixture of BC, ES and SES fittings around the house. I decided to plug a lamp into a socket outlet to see if I got the same.

All ok for a day or so then got the flickering on that too. I was in the garage today and found the fluorescent strip lights doing the same.

I finally caught my neighbour in today and asked if they have the same problem as they share the supply cable. He said yes as does his daughter who lives over the road.

Looks like its got to be a supply problem to me. Yey! - not my problem for once. I'm going to give the DNO a ring on Monday and see what they try to fob me off with.

Am I correct in calling NEDL as I live on the north east coast. British gas are the bill providers for my lecky.

Thanks again gentlemen,:worship

P.s. I'll change board after this problem is resolved

Pps Lad I work for said its probably a batch of bad lamps and that was his only suggestion. Hmm training me?!?! headbang

 

[NozSpark]

Phone the emergency number that's on your bill.... do it today .... it can cause quite a problem if it's the neutral that's got the problem

 

[Cirrus]

Interesting post this as I was called out to a customers house a few weeks ago when he said that all the lights in his house were flickering. When I got there they were 'pulsing' every 4 seconds or so. Measured the voltage and it was changing my around 8 volts every 4 seconds. TT supply so suggested he call the DNO to sort. He didn't bother instead asking his next door neighbour if he had the same problem. I told him that he probably wouldn't as he is on a different phase of the supply but the old boy just shrugged it off. To this day I think he is just living with it but really should call DNO.

 

[Andy™]

Hi guys thanks for the suggestions, I get around 237v when I check. There is a mixture of BC, ES and SES fittings around the house. I decided to plug a lamp into a socket outlet to see if I got the same.All ok for a day or so then got the flickering on that too. I was in the garage today and found the fluorescent strip lights doing the same.

I finally caught my neighbour in today and asked if they have the same problem as they share the supply cable. He said yes as does his daughter who lives over the road.

Looks like its got to be a supply problem to me. Yey! - not my problem for once. I'm going to give the DNO a ring on Monday and see what they try to fob me off with.

Am I correct in calling NEDL as I live on the north east coast. British gas are the bill providers for my lecky.

Thanks again gentlemen,:worship

P.s. I'll change board after this problem is resolved

Pps Lad I work for said its probably a batch of bad lamps and that was his only suggestion. Hmm training me?!?! headbang

dodgy lamps is plausible, but i very much doubt your neighbours bought the same batch lamps

definately something external to your house.

Call DNO. if its is NEDL, its 0800 668877, option 1

 

[mikep]

I put a new board in recently with a builders supply to start with just a few sockets for site tools and noticed a drop in voltage every 2 seconds, took no notice and have since re-wired the house but still at certain times of the day get the same thing happen, re-checked all connections etc and could not find a thing wrong that same day and old girl 2 doors away asked if I could look at her oven as it was making a noise took a look and the fan had fallen apart but as I was leaving I noticed the same pulse rate on her hall light so have come to the conclusion that it is something locally causing the regular dip at 1 second intervals..

Personally I could not live with it nd would ring the DNO but there is a big hospital and a few small industrial units nearby.

Regards, Mike.

 

[pickleye]

Hi Guys,

Sorry for the delay getting back.

Called DNo and they were out within the hour, very impressed.

Guy came out and said his shift was over soon - great start headbang . He shone his torch up the pole and at the bracket on the house. I told him the houses that I knew were afected.

He asked to have a look at the meter position and proceeded to pull the main fuse, check it, then refit and reseal it. He said there were no problems with it - no ****!

He said the problem was outside and could take ages to find, and we'll have to live with it until it fails completely. He'd check the plans and fuses? then be away. He fired up the laptop in the van and was gone inside 10 minutes.

So, nothing done, no wind or rain and tonight no flickering.

Great, we'll see how long it is before the problem re-occours.

 

[Nicky Tesla]

A colleague of mine had the same symptoms i got him to plug a wandering light into a socket to see if that flickered aswell . It did he called out the DNO and they found a loose joint somewhere

 

[pickleye]

Thats one of the things i did and found same problem. They didn't bother looking.