
Troubleshooting · near Church Hill
A loose neutral behind unusual household voltage
On a call near Church Hill in Hawkins County, a customer told me his house was acting haunted and said he had already replaced three microwaves. With household loads on, testing showed excessive voltage on a nominal 120-volt leg. My photographs recorded separate readings of 172.0 and 205.6 volts during the investigation. I traced the problem to a loose neutral on the outside utility supply from the transformer. This was a case where the symptoms inside the house led to a problem outside it. Read the story for the measurements, the diagnosis and the warning signs homeowners should take seriously.
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