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The lights in my new house “flicker” when the ground coupled heat pump comes on. Does not happen every time but it happens regularly. 200 amp service. Unit is on a 40 amp 220 dedicated circuit. Have contacted the manufacturer/dealer and I am awaiting their response. Would like to be able to talk intelligently about this. Anybody have any ideas?
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How far is your house from the utility transformer?
*If your lights get brighter when the load is applied, you have an open or high resistance neutral. Have an electrician check your entrance panel and the utility company check their meter base
*Have you noticed Steve, that lightbulbs go out prematurely for no reason other than flipping the light switch?I am not an electrician and mind you, I have called my utility, had my buddy Sparky in for a couple of beers, and for the life of us all.......the utility company says that it ain't their fault.So what gives here?How do you prove that the electric utility needs to upgrade their transformer/service? How many A/C compressors failures within a couple of days, Frigidaire compressors, etc...does it take?Or am I just being a 'paranoid electric consumer'?....as they would have everyone in my neighborhood believe?Should have bought stock in GE(American Electric Power-AEP),Jeff
*Check with a voltmeter at the service entrance - the first panel after the meter. Here in L.A., the law requires the DWP to provide the nominal voltage +/- 5% at the service entrance. So, for 120, the legal range is 114 to 126. If it's out of range, they usually get it fixed promptly, for liability reasons.-- J.S.
*Well at this point all you are doing is getting info. So, measure the input voltage and cycles at the meter drop. See how close you are to the 240VAC/60Hz you should have. While you have your meter hooked up have someone cycle the heat pump on and off. See what kind of drop you get. Do this at various times of day. Also, write down the time of day you find the lights flicker together with the things in your house you know are running.When you get done with this you will have a picture of whether it is your problem or the utility's. You also will get an idea of whether it is multiple loads in your house that just happen to coincide once in awhile? Or, maybe the utility company doesn't have adequate service in your area?
*Is blink a better word than flicker? Flicker implies is lasts more than a few seconds. You've a really bad service if you really have flicker. Assuming you have a 4 ton HP (about 4 HP motor) you would have one of the world's BEST services if your light DIDN'T blink as (depending on the actual compressor motor) you get 5 to 10X normal (inrush) current just as the compressor starts. My own house has a 50KVA xfmr out front with feeder under the street (200 A service, 120 V dead on at 50 A load as measured by a FLuke 77). My lights blink when the 4 ton HP comes on, and will even turn off light dimmers set at a low level.
*I guess this post has 9 lives. I put it up almost a year ago. Anyhow, as Art says, we have more of a "blink" than a "flicker" but it has deminished in intesity. Could be the unit is loosening up and easier to start. Like the trains that run nearby, we no longer pay any attention. The TV, computer, and other electronics don't skip a beat. Sure was distracting at first. Thanks to all who responded.Steve Hansen
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The lights in my new house "flicker" when the ground coupled heat pump comes on. Does not happen every time but it happens regularly. 200 amp service. Unit is on a 40 amp 220 dedicated circuit. Have contacted the manufacturer/dealer and I am awaiting their response. Would like to be able to talk intelligently about this. Anybody have any ideas?