Wierd Electrical Problem

[kc5dlo]

I had a similar type of light at work with the same problems. In my case it was a bad ballast or coil. I did find out that the lights are very sensitive to voltage drops as well.

 

[Glenn9643]

However, this doesn't sound like your problem because you state that the light goes out when another electrical appliance comes on. These lights will go out temporarily on a voltage drop.

Perhaps the aging of the bulb has made it more sensitive to changing in voltage? I have the new bulb so I'm going to try it just in case.
The circuit isn't overloaded. Wiring to the light is 12-2/g, about 30' from the house.

 

[AlanB]

I am betting on the voltage drop as well.

We experience that here constantly (50 hp electric motor on the shredder)

First time I figured out how to turn it on (the factory rep did not know how ) and it cycled on, and turned out all the lights in the building, I was RUNNING for the door!

Kind of like the story of the lady who's computer would shut off every time she flushed the toilet.

The toilet flush, would turn the well pump on, which dropped the voltage, which was enough to recycle the computer.

I would ask my electric company to read the transformer output, and maybe turn it up a notch, then read your input at your circuit breaker box. Sometimes bad connections there can give you voltage drop as well.

 

[WhyNot]

Perhaps the aging of the bulb has made it more sensitive to changing in voltage? I have the new bulb so I'm going to try it just in case.
The circuit isn't overloaded. Wiring to the light is 12-2/g, about 30' from the house.

We had a light that did the same thing. I asked an electrician friend of mine about it and he said to change the bulb and it worked so I think your going to find that changing the bulb is going to do the trick. Sometimes it is as easy as that.

 

[Glenn9643]

I changed the bulb and that did the trick! Since it came on a couple of hours ago it hasn't cycled off.

 

[caver]

Well I'm late to the party but I was going to say it was the bulb. If it's not a frosted bulb they tend to get black on the inner bulb which is about the size of a pecan. When they are coal black the bulb is usually spent and will short cycle. At work I've seen them last less than a couple years. Also light output deteriorates as they age. A new bulb will be really bright the first day or so.

 

[jinman]

Glenn, I agree with you and Caver that it is probably the bulb. I've had this several times and it seems to be the bulb. I'd bet your bulb replacement will cure the problem. Have you also noticed the bulb "buzzing" a little louder too? That's also an indication of an aging bulb.


Oops! I didn't see your last post. Good job!

 

[TwinWillows]

Thanks guys! I have the same problem w/our outside light & have not yet tried to "fix" it. After reading this I'll start w/the bulb.

 

[KB9UDE]

I had the same problem as the original poster out on my barn. It turned out to be a bad transformer causing a voltage drop.
You can get a meter and watch the voltage when you turn on the A\C or other high current device. I had to have the power company come out and change the pole transformer.

John

 

[buckeyefarmer]

In my situation, seperate grounds from two different main panels were building up static electricy and somehow the space heaters increased this.

Not a good idea to have seperate grounds not connected, this can cause problems as you found out. There will be potential differences. In theory there should never be current on ground unless there is a short circuit, in which case you want current on ground (momentarily) in order to trip the circuit breaker.
In reality, it is common to find current on ground, usually do to a wiring error somewhere. I have seen cases where screws on power supplies nick wires inside.
The more grounds connected the better and safer you will be.