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About Ben
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Can answer questions in the residential,commercial electrical fields. From Trouble shooting to new installation,service changes and related items. We can answer questions about Generators,We are a Authorized dealer and service center for a few major Brands
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You are here: Experts > Home/Garden > Home Improvement/Repair > Electrical Wiring in the Home > Short Circuit?
Expert: Ben - 10/30/2009
Question
House electrical to separate building (Studio). Problem: Low voltage 20-30V on the studio side.
On the house side I have 110 volts on the circuit breaker, double 100A breaker. to the studio on 2 separate legs (used to have a 220v washing machine in the studio which has long ago been disconnected. Now in the studio are 2 x 20amp breakers which feed a couple of florescent lamps and 5 wall outlets. In the studio I have only 20 or 25V volts coming in when checked with a meter. The house breaker to the studio is a old cutler hammer breaker (which was made in the U.S. and the replacement now made elsewhere). I replaced the house breaker but still have the same problem. If I detach the breakers in the studio I have 100 Volts. Then if I attach or energize either breaker it drops down to 20 or 30Volts.
Last month I dug a trench around my house because of water problems. I'm wondering if I may have nicked the cable going to the studio which is why it can't carry the load. Though the problem just now showed up, we have also just now had a lot of rain.
Can I confirm this by checking continuity between the hot and ground/neutral? (with both the main breaker off, and studio breaker unplugged as well...checking for continuity from the main house studio unplugged breaker and ground?#
Or may the fault be within the studio building. #I thought not as I can energize either of the two circuits and get a drop in voltage.)
Answer
John
What this sounds like is the neutral or ground may be bad or nicked. Check the voltage between the hot wires and the ground you should get 120 volts.Voltage drop may not be a issue as this building had no problem before so that is not a problem. If you get voltage between the hot wires together 240 volts then it is the neutral if not then a wire has been nicked.
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