electrical problem

[stinkbelly]

I have an electrical problem in my well house. In the well house I have several plugs and a light on the ceiling. I have some heat lamps plugged into one of the plugs. This evening the heat lamp started getting dimmer and then turn off then came back then kept repeating that. I checked the plug and extension cord and nothing seemed off with the heat lamp. I then notice that if I had the heat lamp unplugged and the light switch on the light will not work. The light will only come on if the switch is on and I plugged the heat lamp into the wall. I could have the light switch on and turn the light on and off by plugging in and unplugging the heat lamp. I then stepped out of the well house and when I returned it was full of smoke. The light was switched on and the plug was in, but no lights. I unplugged it and switched off the light and it stopped smoking.

Where do I start?

[wsteffen]

Sounds like the switch is bad.

[Mrsailfish]

You need 2 get an electrician 2 check it out........

[boy wonder]

Sounds like a neutral problem, hire an electrician.

[FLASH_OUTDOORS]

Is there a panel in the well house? Chances are it’s a neutral/ground issue. I’m willing to bet they ran a 240v line with a ground to the well and tapped off of it for the 120v lighting and plug circuits. Is your well working fine? If so it’s a bad ground. Check voltage to ground at the origin of the circuit.


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[White Falcon]

Switch or wall plug has a bad connection.

[stinkbelly]

There is a breaker panel inn there that doesn't seem to do anything. I have had all the beakers off for a while. The only way to kill power to the well and the plugs is at ghee main breaker.

The well seems to be working fine.

[stinkbelly]

The light is a fluorescent light if it matters. It didn't smell like a ballast .

Why would three be smoke if it were a switch or ground issue?

[clay4626]

The flurorsecent light have a gas in them

[Atfulldraw]

I'm not a licensed electrician, but even I know not to let the smoke out.

Bad things happen.

[Tony Pic]

OK...If you are going to work on anything, shut it down. Your close proximity to water and grounding will make perfect environments for electrocution. You don't need much here to become a memory.

First thing I check in on /off situations is stab wiring in the devices. Under various loads, that little tooth( in the back of the device instead of wrapping wire around screw) that so many chose to use provides minimal contact and burns out, makes power contact go on and off.
Then, if that's not it. Check splicing and make sure power all is color to color. Switching is a different animal.

[stinkbelly]

I'm going to kill power to the entire well house and well and then take off the switches, the breaker box, and a light and see if I see anything odd or burned.

I bet Flash is right they split off of the well power without a breaker at the well house. There are four Breakers in the breaker box in the well house and I only know where one goes. This may be part of the problem.

[stinkbelly]

Half of the 110V outlets are reading 0-90V. The other half are reading 110-190V.

[Sparkles]

electrical problem

OK...If you are going to work on anything, shut it down. Your close proximity to water and grounding will make perfect environments for electrocution. You don't need much here to become a memory.



First thing I check in on /off situations is stab wiring in the devices. Under various loads, that little tooth( in the back of the device instead of wrapping wire around screw) that so many chose to use provides minimal contact and burns out, makes power contact go on and off.

Then, if that's not it. Check splicing and make sure power all is color to color. Switching is a different animal.

You mean you don’t like push and prays?

Sounds like you dropped a neutral somewhere probably a loose wire nut or stab lock device.

Loose wires cause fires


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[stinkbelly]

How am I getting 200V in a 110V plug?