Hi folks,
During the past couple of weeks, my household voltage dropped from a balanced 120/120 to around 135/105 intermittently when heavier users like furnace, microwave, etc. kick in. This results in some flickering and obviously dimming when lights on one side drop below 120.
I've unplugged various heavy users and turned off breakers to the outside Christmas lights but can't seem to find any one circuit causing the problem. I've tightened up all connectors in my main panel and two sub-panels (one in the garage and one in a more accessible closet). The only new electricals installed around this time were outdoor Christmas lights on dusk-to-dawn controllers.
As background info, the house is around 40 years old, has both copper and original aluminum wires and the circuits are breaker rather than fuse controlled. The main panel is probably original, while the two sub-panels are around 10 years old with floating neutrals. Connections between the panels is 4-wire #6 I believe.
I guess the main point is that this is a recent phenomenon, and not a longer on-going issue, so I need to find out what's causing this problem. Short of inspecting every receptacle in the house for loose wires or damage, I'm in a bit of a quandary.
Any suggestions or advice would be greatly appreciated
Grae
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