We have just moved into a new house and there are at least three(3) outlets that seem to have low voltage. Whenever we plug in a fan it takes the fan ages to get rolling. it labors and then slowly winds up and starts to run. My guess is that these three duplex outlets are on the same circuit but I haven’t had time to figure it out. They are however, in the same area of the house – The foyer and hall so one would not use them often.
I have tested them for correct polarity (they Passed) but I am still looking for my volt meter as we just moved in.
Any ideas?
srenovo
Replies
Your on the right track.... just keep going.
Sounds like a typical bad connection problem.
Assuming your 3 receptacles are on the same circuit (start flipping breakers to verify) the problem is upstream.
Once you locate the correct circuit--find out what else is on that same circuit.
Usually another duplex upstream is the starting point.
Using your test fan, along with your voltmeter, check for a voltage drop.
The volt meter alone will probably read good voltage with no load on the circuit, so keep your fan plugged in while checking voltage.
Work toward the panel until you find good voltage or downstream till you locate the problem.
Repair any bad/loose connections. If any rec. are just back stabbed-- redo using screw terminals.
PS your Volt meter is in the box marked "Kitchen Misc.."
You're right on here, voltage drop is the key to this one. We had similar problem when the job electrician used 14 gauge wire and the plugs on the farthest circuit had serious problems just as are described here. The only solution is to rewire with 12 gauge but that didn't happen since there was no way that the contractor was going to foot that cost.
14 vs 12 won't make a bit of difference in voltage drop for a nominal load (such as a small fan or a table lamp). If you've got a 1500W space heater it'll start to make a difference, but even then not substantial enough to cause a fan to run slow.It's a bad connection somewhere, likely in a "backstabbed" outlet.
If Tyranny and Oppression come to this land, it will be in the guise of fighting a foreign enemy. --James Madison
Personally, I hate those backstabbing outlets but I aint the electrical man so it's not my problem. When I do stuff at my house it's 12/2 and wrap that terminal in the righty-tighty direction!
Oh yea, on the house I spoke of; if there was any other load on the circut and if the homeowner then tried to vacuum the carpets in the back bedroom the vacuum ran very slowly(completly different sound and not able to do a proper job).
You'll never guess who showed up on Memeorial Day. Mike the electrician. Mike his helper and I figured out three things.
I. One circuit breaker "seemed to be bad.
2. The outlets were 'backstabbed"
3. And believe it or not the one fan has a bad capacitor. Because a second fan had the same problem on one of the three outlets in question so...............
in went a new breaker and then the second fan worked every where. I then start tightening screws and "de-backstabbing" and things are getting better.
Thanks to all for advice
Rude approach, plug in a lamp to the bad outlet, go around and rough up all the outlets (good and bad ones) and such with a light blow. See if the outlet buzzes, or the light flickers. Then once you find the problem, check all the connections since one bad connection is probably not the only one.
If you find the wire is aluminum, call in a pro immediately to make sure the wiring is safe.
Maybe I am off the track here but may I suggest testing the fan in other outlets. If it performs similarly, then maybe the fan needs some work. Usual suspect is the start capacitor. Any motor repair service should have replacements but if the fan was inexpensive I have found that the cost of the cap equals or exceeds a new fan.
the first fan did have a problem. thanks.
read all the replys and if you read my replay to the first poster you will see things are getting better.
Something similar hapened at my SIL's house. One by one they lost the plugs in their basement till none of them worked. They finally asked me to check it out and ot turned out to be a bad wire from the panel. The previous homeowner finishes the basement and I speculate that they nailed through the wire. I never found out for sure cause I just abandoned the wire in the wall.
Once I changed the wire it worked fine. My cousin had a flickering plug in a 5 year-old house and that turned out to be a loose neutral.
Be careful and good luck.