Illogical but almost correct
Thread Starter
Join Date: Sep 2004
Location: Berkshire, UK
Posts: 768
Illogical but almost correct
Today we suffered from a intermittent electricity supply. One moment it was working normally and then just as Mrs Rans6.... was on the phone renewing her car insurance it went off dropping the phone connection of the chordless landline. A short while later she received a text message saying it was restored and, on switching on a light, it was found to be working. Just for long enough to reheat our teas in the microwave before dropping out again. A while later it came back on but when we went to boil a kettle to make a fresh pot it was sort of working.... not with it's usual enthusiasm but sort of half heartedly. Similarly we found that some of our LED light bulbs were working but most of the lights were not. The microwave oven rotated the food but failed to cook it, ditto the second microwave oven. Very odd. I checked the fuse box and none of the trips had dropped.
Mrs Rans6..... then said "perhaps there isn't enough power for everyone so they are supplying a limited amount to each house". I can see why she thought that but still could not figure out what was going on. The broadband router had rebooted and was working normally, the laptop computer was back on the internet and my mains powered MSF receiver was still counting the seconds as usual. By then I was quite confused, some things working just fine, some things not working at all and some things half working.
So, I grabbed my multimeter and stuck the probes into a power socket and found that we were being supplied with a very steady 99 Volts AC. This was maintained even when I powered on a toaster in the adjacent socket of the twin outlet so it was not caused by a high resistance in the supply line to the house. I still have not figured out how this voltage could be supplied, I doubt that the supply infrastructure would be equiped with a 100 Volt option in place of the normal 230 Volts.
No doubt somebody will know how this can happen?
About an hour later the low voltage supply went off and then a few minutes later normal service resumed. One issue has come to light through this. Our central heating timer loses all of the programmed on and off times and the clock setting, This means that if we leave the central heating ticking over and keeping the frost at bay when we are away the whole lot gives up if there is a power outage. Time to get a better heating contoller fitted.
Rans6......
Mrs Rans6..... then said "perhaps there isn't enough power for everyone so they are supplying a limited amount to each house". I can see why she thought that but still could not figure out what was going on. The broadband router had rebooted and was working normally, the laptop computer was back on the internet and my mains powered MSF receiver was still counting the seconds as usual. By then I was quite confused, some things working just fine, some things not working at all and some things half working.
So, I grabbed my multimeter and stuck the probes into a power socket and found that we were being supplied with a very steady 99 Volts AC. This was maintained even when I powered on a toaster in the adjacent socket of the twin outlet so it was not caused by a high resistance in the supply line to the house. I still have not figured out how this voltage could be supplied, I doubt that the supply infrastructure would be equiped with a 100 Volt option in place of the normal 230 Volts.
No doubt somebody will know how this can happen?
About an hour later the low voltage supply went off and then a few minutes later normal service resumed. One issue has come to light through this. Our central heating timer loses all of the programmed on and off times and the clock setting, This means that if we leave the central heating ticking over and keeping the frost at bay when we are away the whole lot gives up if there is a power outage. Time to get a better heating contoller fitted.
Rans6......
Join Date: Jan 2008
Location: Glorious Devon
Posts: 714
I share your frustration with the heating system. We get a lot of randiom power cuts, usually for a few seconds but sometimes a bit longer. The boiler remembers the programming but loses track of time. A short cut will throw it off by 10 minutes or so, a longer cut is worse, but it seems to hold the date. Meanwhile, when we were off for 4 days recently, all the digital thermostats were within a couple of minutes when the power came back but the boiler has lost the time plot, although the programme was still good. I have discussed this with the man who comes from the manufacturer to service the boiler, hinting there may be a clock battery on a circuit board somewhere in the boiler that needs replacing. but if there is, he has never heard of it and the boiler is not that old.
Join Date: Jun 2007
Location: Beyond the Blue Horizon
Age: 61
Posts: 984
Mrs Mac complaining about same micro power cuts lasting maybe a second or so in Yorkshire. Not sure what is causing this but they have been cutting tres back near the over head power lines and indeed we have been told there will a power outage on Tuesday for 5hrs to allow further trimming to be done, so maybe to do with that.
Cheers
Mr Mac
Cheers
Mr Mac
Join Date: Sep 2009
Location: UK
Posts: 9,410
Whereas the house was fine the power supply dropped in the garage and the lights would dimly flicker and the 13A sockets would only power lo amperage items, if I tried to turn on a oil radiator it tripped out.
The sparky came and found it was 230v in comming to the garage but only 125v Available at the outlets.
Ultimately a replacement Consumer unit in the garage sorted it. We think the roof / walls were letting in moisture so a bit or resealing was needed
This was during the 2 storms we had a month or so back
The sparky came and found it was 230v in comming to the garage but only 125v Available at the outlets.
Ultimately a replacement Consumer unit in the garage sorted it. We think the roof / walls were letting in moisture so a bit or resealing was needed
This was during the 2 storms we had a month or so back
Thread Starter
Join Date: Sep 2004
Location: Berkshire, UK
Posts: 768
We are in North Yorkshire today. According to the Northern Power website the cuts we have had today are "unscheduled" and there are still folk without power now, due to be resolved by 10pm tonight.
Rans6..........
Rans6..........
Join Date: Mar 2003
Location: EGOS Field 24
Posts: 1,056
Is the supply feed to your house is via 11kV overhead cable with a pole-mounted transformer near the property? If so, it's possible (although admittedly rather unlikely) that the tap changer in the transformer which responds to varying load current to keep your supply somewhere near the nominal 230V may have stuck or otherwise misbehaved.
Join Date: Dec 2017
Location: Yakima
Posts: 196
Originally Posted by Ninthace
I share your frustration with the heating system. We get a lot of randiom power cuts, usually for a few seconds but sometimes a bit longer. The boiler remembers the programming but loses track of time. A short cut will throw it off by 10 minutes or so, a longer cut is worse, but it seems to hold the date. Meanwhile, when we were off for 4 days recently, all the digital thermostats were within a couple of minutes when the power came back but the boiler has lost the time plot, although the programme was still good. I have discussed this with the man who comes from the manufacturer to service the boiler, hinting there may be a clock battery on a circuit board somewhere in the boiler that needs replacing. but if there is, he has never heard of it and the boiler is not that old.
Join Date: Jan 2008
Location: Glorious Devon
Posts: 714
In my house, all downstairs rooms have programmable digital thermostats as each room has its own underfloor heating. When one trips, it sets the pump running to push water from that room through the boiler. The boiler detects the drop in temperature, measures the outside air temperature and then starts to heat the water to a predetermined temperature based on how cold it is outside.. The upstairs is conventional radiators controlled by a central thermostat and each rad has a thermostatic valve.
To confuse the issue, each room thermostat can be in individually programmed. The boiler can also be programmed separately. So long as the boiler is programmed to be available to cover the period the room stats are active, there is not an issue. Of course, if the boiler clock goes out of synch with the stat clocks, due to a power cut, then the room stats can be demanding heat but they won’t get any if the boiler clock says it is not time yet. It seems over complicated to me but it came with the house.
To confuse the issue, each room thermostat can be in individually programmed. The boiler can also be programmed separately. So long as the boiler is programmed to be available to cover the period the room stats are active, there is not an issue. Of course, if the boiler clock goes out of synch with the stat clocks, due to a power cut, then the room stats can be demanding heat but they won’t get any if the boiler clock says it is not time yet. It seems over complicated to me but it came with the house.
Join Date: Jan 2003
Location: Kelowna Wine Country
Posts: 474
Winemaker
Thank you. I wondered why I lost programming when I changed the batteries. Reprogramming was a right pain as it was an older unit and had to be reset for each day individually!
Our new one is simpler and easier to read but it's "off/on" temperature range is much larger. Means the furnace runs longer but less often, which is good, but gets colder between events which is bad and causes complaints from Mrs VJ.
Thank you. I wondered why I lost programming when I changed the batteries. Reprogramming was a right pain as it was an older unit and had to be reset for each day individually!
Our new one is simpler and easier to read but it's "off/on" temperature range is much larger. Means the furnace runs longer but less often, which is good, but gets colder between events which is bad and causes complaints from Mrs VJ.
Join Date: Jan 2008
Location: Glorious Devon
Posts: 714
Originally Posted by IBMJunkman
And everyone should run out, buy an electric vehicle, and plug them in to charge.
Join Date: Nov 2010
Location: Sweden
Posts: 448
Originally Posted by Ninthace
Good idea. Mine is fully charged already thanks. Although it is only a plug-in, right now I am feeling happy with it. I last filled the tank on 13 Dec 21 when I put in just over 21 litres. I will probably put in the same again sometime towards the end of the month when I will have done around 580 to 600 miles.
Join Date: Jan 2008
Location: Glorious Devon
Posts: 714
Originally Posted by Avionker
You’ll cover 600 miles in 3 and a half months?
Join Date: Jan 2008
Location: Glorious Devon
Posts: 714
Originally Posted by Avionker
I only ask as I’m slightly envious. I cover that distance in about a month, and only really use the car for commuting etc.
I’d rather have your fuel bill than mine…
I’d rather have your fuel bill than mine…
Join Date: Feb 2002
Location: UK
Age: 57
Posts: 3,236
So, I grabbed my multimeter and stuck the probes into a power socket and found that we were being supplied with a very steady 99 Volts AC. This was maintained even when I powered on a toaster in the adjacent socket of the twin outlet so it was not caused by a high resistance in the supply line to the house. I still have not figured out how this voltage could be supplied, I doubt that the supply infrastructure would be equiped with a 100 Volt option in place of the normal 230 Volts.
No doubt somebody will know how this can happen?
No doubt somebody will know how this can happen?
Join Date: Mar 1999
Location: Brisbane, Qld, Australia
Age: 76
Posts: 1,369
A family member reliably informs me that it could be a single phase has dropped out on the 11kV side.
