trouble with siemens

jimphilly

I installed a new siemens load center and I am getting 175 v on 1 side and 65 v on other side .why?

nap

where are you taking your readings from?

If you check at the lugs where the service entrance connects for both the hot and neutral and still have that reading, turn off all electricity and contact your power company. You likely have a bad neutral connection in your service drop or lateral.

In fact, while you are working on this, you should turn off all electronics (and that is at the panel as most electronics are never really "off") to prevent them from getting toasted.

jimphilly

the electric company came and said it wasn't a bad neutral so i reinstalled the center.At the lugs it read 120 and 120.When i reconnected the lines they read 180 and 60.I lost a few bulbs.Some were din.Still can't figure it out.Please give advise.

nap

If the POCO checked their line and the problem arises when you connect a load in your house, I would start looking at what you did. Did you install the bonding screw that bonds the neutral terminal strip to the enclosure? Do you have any neutrals installed on a terminal strip other than the actual neutral bar?

If you did not install the screw and you have a neutral to a MWBC terminated on the grounding terminal, you have an open neutral as the neutral is not connected to anything that would allow it to act as a neutral.

jimphilly

my bonding screw is tightened but the center is flush mounted.should i add torque?also 1 line is to just a light socket with no ground but the ground wire is connected at center,could that cause 60 180?

nap

the grounds aren't going to change anything. If nothing in your house was grounded, it wouldn't cause this. This is purely a neutral issue.

Do you have any MWBC's? If so turn them off. Then turn off any 2 pole breakers and check again. With no shared neutrals and no 240 volt appliances online, you should not have a voltage disparity due to the situation in the house.

jimphilly

I call them back tomorrow and try again.Wil let you know,thanks, jim

a7ecorsair

Your description is somewhat confusing.
You are saying that at the lugs you have 120/120. Does this load center have a main breaker or is it a Main Lug?
Then you say you reconnected the lines - what are you calling the lines?
BTW, when you have lopsided 120 voltage, what do you read across the two lugs? If you read 240 Volts then you have a neutral problem.

jimphilly

it has a main breaker,lines are coming from meter,lugs are screws holding wires to center at 100amp breaker.Maybe the neutral wire from meter to center is compromised?

a7ecorsair

Very possible..

jimphilly

it is always 240. i'm going to buy a new connection from meter to center

AllanJ

Do you get odd voltages (for example 180 and 60) when you measure voltage between the big neutral lug and (in turn) each big hot lug near the main breaker?

How do you turn the power off when installing the load center (panel)? Is there another main breaker somewhere else such as under the meter? Can you open that up extremely easily and measure voltage between hot and neutral there as someone else turns some incandescent lights on and off in the house?

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jimphilly

i physically remove the meter.the is no other box.i am installing a new neutral from meter to center.

a7ecorsair

If it is aluminum wire, be sure to put some anti oxidant on it.

nap

wow, in some places that is a criminal matter.