Good morning, I have been experiencing fluctuating voltage in my apartment, my powerbank, charger and other appliances have been been destroyed because of the high voltage. I initially thought it was just a random and general issue in the area until I found out that my neighbours in the same compound do not have the problem, just my apartment. That was when I started observing the voltage level with a digital TV guard

I contacted Ikeja Electric and they sent someone to come and check my meter. He did something and said there is actually high voltage that it was due to the neutral wire not being well connected to my meter and I gave him 2k, only for the issue to continue in the evening, I tried calling him thru out last week, he refused to pick my calls

What I observed is that the current is a bit normal at abt 250v during the day as from 8am to abt 6/7pm. The moment it gets to 7pm, the voltage goes up to 260v and 270v and my TV guard immediately trips off, it then starts fluctuating thru out the night till the next morning around 8am.

Another observation is that those times when the current is high, the moment I put on my iron or water heater, the voltage immediately comes down to normal and the TV guard comes on but the moment I put off the iron/water water, it immediately goes back up to 270v. What do I do because I don't want more of my appliances to be destroyed by the high voltage? The electrician I called said he is not permitted to touch my meter, that only IE staff can do that. Should I go and look for another electrician to check my apartment or what do I do?

Call electrician to check the cabling of your apartment, the earthing, the junction box, switch, to the meter. Check ratings from the meter to the distribution box, from the distribution box to the main supply in ur apartment. Check for bridges and leakage too.
If i may ask, since when ve you noticed this, was it after you moved into the house or since installation of the prepaid meter?
As this will require patience and careful investigation as you mentioned its only your flat/apartment that is affected.
I ran into something like this as my fans, blender, chargers all burned up. Fault was traced to bad earthing at the end of the day, enquired from other neighbors and found out same applied to them as well.
What of powering up your apartment with generator, do you notice any fluctuation as well?
Try your gen set out and see the results at the time you mentioned and let's see as all this re troubleshooting before we arrive at resolution.

Lol, this is what is call 'criminal' fault in the field. Unfortunately it is only someone that you know very well that can manage 2k for the work. The problem is a complicated one but the solution is simple but tactical. To solve it, isolate your load wire, remove the source/supply too. Then trace to see if there are other unsuspecting wires that are feeding your house without ur knowledge. Then trace your source too to the meter and make sure it is what your neighbours are using that you are using too. This sounds simple but can take a whole day to trace and isolate.

Stranger things

[quote author=dxdiag post=113277026]Call electrician to check the cabling of your apartment, the earthing, the junction box, switch, to the meter. Check ratings from the meter to the distribution box, from the distribution box to the main supply in ur apartment. Check for bridges and leakage too.
If i may ask, since when ve you noticed this, was it after you moved into the house or since installation of the prepaid meter?
As this will require patience and careful investigation as you mentioned its only your flat/apartment that is affected.

I noticed it when I moved in. The prepaid meter was already there when I moved in. I don't have a generator. OK, I will call the electrician. Any other opinions are also welcome
I ran into something like this as my fans, blender, chargers all burned up. Fault was traced to bad earthing at the end of the day, enquired from other neighbors and found out same applied to them as well.
What of powering up your apartment with generator, do you notice any fluctuation as well?
Try your gen set out and see the results at the time you mentioned and let's see as all this re troubleshooting before we arrive at resolution.

I met the prepaid meter in the house, I don't have a generator. OK, thanks, I will call an electrician. Other opinions are also welcome

marceeesty:
Lol, this is what is call 'criminal' fault in the field. Unfortunately it is only someone that you know very well that can manage 2k for the work. The problem is a complicated one but the solution is simple but tactical. To solve it, isolate your load wire, remove the source/supply too. Then trace to see if there are other unsuspecting wires that are feeding your house without ur knowledge. Then trace your source too to the meter and make sure it is what your neighbours are using that you are using too. This sounds simple but can take a whole day to trace and isolate.

Thanks, I will inform the electrician

adibo:
Good morning, I have been experiencing fluctuating voltage in my apartment, my powerbank, charger and other appliances have been been destroyed because of the high voltage. I initially thought it was just a random and general issue in the area until I found out that my neighbours in the same compound do not have the problem, just my apartment. That was when I started observing the voltage level with a digital TV guard

I contacted Ikeja Electric and they sent someone to come and check my meter. He did something and said there is actually high voltage that it was due to the neutral wire not being well connected to my meter and I gave him 2k, only for the issue to continue in the evening, I tried calling him thru out last week, he refused to pick my calls

What I observed is that the current is a bit normal at abt 250v during the day as from 8am to abt 6/7pm. The moment it gets to 7pm, the voltage goes up to 260v and 270v and my TV guard immediately trips off, it then starts fluctuating thru out the night till the next morning around 8am.

Another observation is that those times when the current is high, the moment I put on my iron or water heater, the voltage immediately comes down to normal and the TV guard comes on but the moment I put off the iron/water water, it immediately goes back up to 270v. What do I do because I don't want more of my appliances to be destroyed by the high voltage? The electrician I called said he is not permitted to touch my meter, that only IE staff can do that. Should I go and look for another electrician to check my apartment or what do I do?

How many phase are you using? This fault can occur when you are using multiple phases and the neutral line is not properly connected. The voltage between one phase and neutral can NEVER exceed 250V in Nigeria. But line-line can peak at 415V.

Jazzman01:


How many phase are you using? This fault can occur when you are using multiple phases and the neutral line is not properly connected. The voltage between one phase and neutral can NEVER exceed 250V in Nigeria. But line-line can peak at 415V.

It is a single phase meter. That's what the Ikeja Electric guy that came said. He said the neutral was the problem, that it was not properly connected, he then screwed it properly and said he had corrected it, this happened the day (like I said, the voltage is normal during the day even before the guy came to check it) , only for me to see at night that the problem was still there

For the maximum voltage you just mentioned, this means that even what I am calling normal voltage is not really normal voltage, because the lowest voltage I have seen since I bought this digital TV guard is 253, it is normally around 256, 257 during the day but my neighbour's voltage is normally around 220v

If you are using more than a single phase confirm you might be having contact bridge on 2 positive phases.

Nicepoker:
If you are using more than a single phase confirm you might be having contact bridge on 2 positive phases.

Thanks for your response, I am using a single phase meter

How many phase comes from the pole to your compound before distributing to the meters? If it's single phase from the pole and your neighbors are not having the same problem, you have to first disconnect the load from the meter and check the output voltage of the meter. Connect the load back, switch off all the electrical appliances and leave a socket in ON position to check the output voltage with a meter.
If you have different phase from the pole, repeat the process above.
The problem might be from the transformer.
NB: if you have a stabilizer, try to check if that is one having issue of high Voltage. Disconnect it and plug your appliances without stabilizer to check it out.

In Nigeria, normal voltage is btw 220-240v, + or - 5% at 50Hz any deviation from this is fault. But we understand how discos can be so irresponsible. Like I said before, it calls for meticulous troubleshooting. Possibly changing some faulty cables too.

adibo:
Good morning, I have been experiencing fluctuating voltage in my apartment, my powerbank, charger and other appliances have been been destroyed because of the high voltage. I initially thought it was just a random and general issue in the area until I found out that my neighbours in the same compound do not have the problem, just my apartment. That was when I started observing the voltage level with a digital TV guard

I contacted Ikeja Electric and they sent someone to come and check my meter. He did something and said there is actually high voltage that it was due to the neutral wire not being well connected to my meter and I gave him 2k, only for the issue to continue in the evening, I tried calling him thru out last week, he refused to pick my calls

What I observed is that the current is a bit normal at abt 250v during the day as from 8am to abt 6/7pm. The moment it gets to 7pm, the voltage goes up to 260v and 270v and my TV guard immediately trips off, it then starts fluctuating thru out the night till the next morning around 8am.

Another observation is that those times when the current is high, the moment I put on my iron or water heater, the voltage immediately comes down to normal and the TV guard comes on but the moment I put off the iron/water water, it immediately goes back up to 270v. What do I do because I don't want more of my appliances to be destroyed by the high voltage? The electrician I called said he is not permitted to touch my meter, that only IE staff can do that. Should I go and look for another electrician to check my apartment or what do I do?

As the electrician has suggested it is the neutral, it makes sense, it means the neutral has higher than prescribed voltage in it, so the voltage on your line adding with the neutral is the result of the reading that you are getting, try to get the voltage reading of neutral to earth, it should be zero or very close to zero if it is hight, that is where your problem is. Cheers....

adibo:

It is a single phase meter. That's what the Ikeja Electric guy that came said. He said the neutral was the problem, that it was not properly connected, he then screwed it properly and said he had corrected it, this happened the day (like I said, the voltage is normal during the day even before the guy came to check it) , only for me to see at night that the problem was still there

For the maximum voltage you just mentioned, this means that even what I am calling normal voltage is not really normal voltage, because the lowest voltage I have seen since I bought this digital TV guard is 253, it is normally around 256, 257 during the day but my neighbour's voltage is normally around 220v

If you have a tester screwdriver, check the Live and Neutral terminals from your socket outlet. if both of them glow, it means you have been supplied with Line-Line, Instead of line-neutral.
Check your distribution pole outside if you can see 3 or 4 wires there then it is most likely they made a mistake during the connection and gave you Line-Line. But carry out that test first.

ameristu:


As the electrician has suggested it is the neutral, it makes sense, it means the neutral has higher than prescribed voltage in it, so the voltage on your line adding with the neutral is the result of the reading that you are getting, try to get the voltage reading of neutral to earth, it should be zero or very close to zero if it is hight, that is where your problem is. Cheers....

OK, thanks, I will ask the electrician to check it

Jazzman01:


If you have a tester screwdriver, check the Live and Neutral terminals from your socket outlet. if both of them glow, it means you have been supplied with Line-Line, Instead of line-neutral.
Check your distribution pole outside if you can see 3 or 4 wires there then it is most likely they made a mistake during the connection and gave you Line-Line. But carry out that test first.

OK, I will try to get a tester screw driver

adibo:

Thanks for your response, I am using a single phase meter

The neutral isn't properly connected.

adibo:

OK, thanks, I will ask the electrician to check it

Na Okota u dey stay?

Nicepoker:
The neutral isn't properly connected.

Thanks, the Ikeja Electric guy said the same thing the day he came and then screwed it, and told me he had settled the problem, maybe he did not screw it well then

bomasek:
Na Okota u dey stay?

Ipaja

You may be connected to Line to Line instead of Line to Neutral.

How many phase are you on?
If single, check if your service wire is on one live and neutral or connected in two Live cables.

If you're on 3 phase, check if your neutral is well connected!

Collins4u1:
You may be connected to Line to Line instead of Line to Neutral.

How many phase are you on?
If single, check if your service wire is on one live and neutral or connected in two Live cables.

If you're on 3 phase, check if your neutral is well connected!

Thanks, I am on single phase

Thanks to everyone that offered solutions. My light issue was finally resolved today. The first Ikeja Electric staff that came last refused to pick my calls, so I had to go to their office to see the manager and complained to her. She was very nice and welcoming, she told me that the guy who came to check my meter the first time is not a technician but a driver, I dont know how he managed to come to my apartment parading as a technician.
She then assigned some persons to come and check my meter and they came later in the afternoon. They discovered that the neutral wire from my meter was connected to the live wire on the distribution box or something like that, and then reconnected it the right way. They just brought the light now and for the first time, I can see voltage of 220v, 210v. The high voltage issue has been resolved finally. Thanks everyone once again

Please how much is that Voltage display Tv guard?

Youngpo413:
Please how much is that Voltage display Tv guard?

I bought it 5k

adibo:
I bought it 5k

Thanks.