A few days ago I posted a message about what really happened when a neutral was lost. Guess what?? Service call.... Customer said lights were very dim... went to check it out and after much checking..found out the feeder neutral was lost.. throwing approx. 240 volts on one leg.. It wasn't long before we smelt a burning smell. I turned off the main breaker, found out later it was the 120 volt clock and controls on the back of the range.. Before it was all over they had lost a microwave, coffee pot, 2 VCR's , electric clocks, 120 volt oil fired furnace controls, and probably more.. They turned it into their insurance agency, and we're waiting to see if they will pay.. I had to repull a new feeder and set a new panel outside ...grd. rods etc.... By the way the ground clamp on the ground rod they did have, was not secure.
It seems that this problem came in bunches for me.. This is about the third or so problem with a broken neutral in the last month or so.. At least I had a "educated way" of telling the insurance company what happened. Thanks again for all the help on the previous post about this sort of problem. I am more cautious now, to call to the customer's attention the need to replace their service wire when I see one that is "thread bare" outside due to age and weather. A lot around my area has the SE wire exposed and not in conduit, and many I see, has the outer insulation gone and the bare neutral showing. As in the case I just mentioned, it is especially bad when there is no ground rod connection at all... Thanks again for the help.. Steve
