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Message
Electrical wiring issue - outlet reads 120V but not getting full power
Posted on 10/11/17 at 4:49 pm
Posted on 10/11/17 at 4:49 pm
Alright OB - I need your electrical knowledge. Here's the situation:
I've got a garage/shed that has power running to it. I've recently replaced the lone outlet in the garage but the problem I was having before remains: I have 120V at the outlet but tools (leaf blower, mitre saw, etc...) that I plug into it are not running at full power. And it isn't the extension cord either, some tools are direct plugged into the outlet and the extension cords work correctly on other outlets anyway.
I've even tried the voltage at the first junction back up the line inside the house and again I have 120V there as well.
Any thoughts or suggestions?
I've got a garage/shed that has power running to it. I've recently replaced the lone outlet in the garage but the problem I was having before remains: I have 120V at the outlet but tools (leaf blower, mitre saw, etc...) that I plug into it are not running at full power. And it isn't the extension cord either, some tools are direct plugged into the outlet and the extension cords work correctly on other outlets anyway.
I've even tried the voltage at the first junction back up the line inside the house and again I have 120V there as well.
Any thoughts or suggestions?
7
Posted on 10/11/17 at 4:57 pm to The Last Coco
Those are high power devices. You probably have significant voltage drop on that circuit under load if it’s a long run from your primary box.
Put your voltmeter in the outlet and turn on your blower and see how much it drops.
Put your voltmeter in the outlet and turn on your blower and see how much it drops.
Posted on 10/11/17 at 4:59 pm to The Last Coco
What size breaker is on this circuit (has it been tripping?)
Also when you said "lone outlet"
How is this shed wired?
Conduit underground, romex?
Also when you said "lone outlet"
How is this shed wired?
Conduit underground, romex?
Posted on 10/11/17 at 5:23 pm to The Last Coco
Measure the current(amps) not voltage.
Posted on 10/11/17 at 5:30 pm to No8Easy2
quote:
What size breaker is on this circuit (has it been tripping?)
Also when you said "lone outlet"
How is this shed wired?
Conduit underground, romex?
No breakers. Fuses for the whole house (100 y/o house)
Underground line that runs up the outside of the shed through conduit then through the shed wall directly to the outlet.
Posted on 10/11/17 at 5:33 pm to kengel2
quote:
Measure the current(amps) not voltage.
What measurements should I be getting? What would indicate an issue? And what would cause the issue?
Posted on 10/11/17 at 5:39 pm to The Last Coco
Check it while under load. May be a voltage drop issue. Meter in one plug, toy running on the other.
Posted on 10/11/17 at 5:42 pm to The Last Coco
quote:
(100 y/o house)
we've found the problem
ok with the fuses, what the amp is it? also is there anything else is on this circuit
but with wiring that old its gonna really be tough to figure this one out with out seeing it
any chance the house was rewired?
Posted on 10/11/17 at 5:55 pm to No8Easy2
The line heading to the basement has its own dedicated switch and fuses.
And regarding voltage drop - when I run the blower the other plug in the outlet drops to 95V from 120V
If voltage drop is my problem - what's the solution?
And regarding voltage drop - when I run the blower the other plug in the outlet drops to 95V from 120V
If voltage drop is my problem - what's the solution?
Posted on 10/11/17 at 6:03 pm to The Last Coco
quote:
I've even tried the voltage at the first junction back up the line inside the house and again I have 120V there as well.
Is the garage/shed receptacle fed from another receptacle in the house? If so, plug in said high amp tool there and test it there.
Posted on 10/11/17 at 6:04 pm to The Last Coco
quote:
f voltage drop is my problem - what's the solution?
Rewire?
Can you check some outlets inside the house? If it also drops you have a problem. Be careful with that old wiring.
Posted on 10/11/17 at 6:08 pm to The Last Coco
quote:
If voltage drop is my problem - what's the solution?
how long of a run is this? any idea how old the wiring is?
Posted on 10/11/17 at 6:43 pm to The Last Coco
Rewire something unfortunately.
Idk if 95v is enough to mess shite up or not, but I’d say probably yes. If the fuses are the right size you should be protected from something super bad.
Idk if 95v is enough to mess shite up or not, but I’d say probably yes. If the fuses are the right size you should be protected from something super bad.
Posted on 10/11/17 at 7:10 pm to The Last Coco
95V is way too low. If by some chance they skimped on the wire run to your shed, you may get lucky and be able to re-run that or you might find a high resistance connection somewhere in the chain. Odds are you’ll have to run all the way back to the panel with a decent sized conductor.
Posted on 10/11/17 at 7:14 pm to The Last Coco
quote:
The line heading to the basement
What is a basement?
Posted on 10/11/17 at 7:16 pm to No8Easy2
quote:
how long of a run is this?
This, how many feet is the shed from the electrical panel? Any idea what gauge wire is run underground?
Posted on 10/11/17 at 7:32 pm to wickowick
dufuq Wick get off my lawn! 
and agree sounds like wire is under gauged, rip that out and runs some 10/3
and agree sounds like wire is under gauged, rip that out and runs some 10/3
Posted on 10/11/17 at 7:38 pm to wickowick
This is the switch that controls the power to the garage.
And fwiw, the wire headed out to the garage (out the bottom of the switch) is at least 12 ga, maybe 10 ga.
Posted on 10/11/17 at 7:49 pm to The Last Coco
man the commercial electrician in me wants to rewire your house ASAP
maybe its my monitor but that romex looks white if so thats 14/3, 10 gauge would have an orange jacket
any idea on how long this run is??
maybe its my monitor but that romex looks white if so thats 14/3, 10 gauge would have an orange jacket
any idea on how long this run is??
Posted on 10/11/17 at 7:57 pm to No8Easy2
quote:
how long this run is??
From that switch to the outlet, eh probably 30'?
And yeah it's old as sin but thats the only electrical issue I have in the house so I'm not about to start running new wiring. Parts of the house have been rewired (kitchen, bathrooms, wiring to the hvac systems, wate heater, etc...).
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