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Thread: 276 Volts

  1. #1
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    Default 276 Volts

    So what is the downsize of a transformer supplying 276 volts to your house for several months?

  2. #2
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    I don't know how well versed you are with electricity, but how do you know you are getting 277? That voltage is most commonly found on a 3 phase wye transformer for commercial / industrial use. Did the utility co. have you hooked up to the wrong kind of transformer?
    Last edited by shooterchris; 06-30-2011 at 02:11 PM.
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    Everything, especially your electronic equipment will burn out.
    If your Utility transformer is not stepping the voltage into your house down to around 240-250 volts you have
    ig problems.
    Who measured 276 volts?

  4. #4
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    The scary thing is that if you had 277, you also had 480. In the transformer setup that gives you 277, the voltage from one leg to neutral will be 277. In a typical residence you have two phases, or legs, and a neutral coming into the home. If your phase voltage was 277, your line voltage had to be 480....yikes! Did you smoke any appliances, etc during the time you had this problem?
    “Got tight last night on absinthe and did knife tricks."-Ernest Hemingway


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    I was an athlete at Clemson, not a scholar.

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    Ruh-ro.
    "Rivers and the inhabitants of the watery elements are for wise men to contemplate and for fools to pass by without consideration" -Izaak Walton

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    Your power company is responsible for damages, they have insurance just for things like this.

  7. #7
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    So far, Fridge, standalone icemaker, a jillion lightbulbs, 3 sets of house phones, clothes dryer, and a bunch of small electronics. Both my electrician and the power company measured the voltage. Now I know why my blackberry, 'puter charger, etc were getting so damn hot.

    Bad transformer was the diagnosis. Any after effects on the surviving electronics to worry about?

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    Living out of a cooler sucks donkey cock.

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    Anything with a motor that didn't get hurt may have weakened the windings. And your chargers, AC/DC converters all work off of induction, and use tiny windings in their transformers. There is a thin laquer coating on all windings, and under heat it will give out. That is why I don't buy the power co's bad transformer diagnosis, more like wrong transformer. When a transformer fails, wether it is in the primary or the secondary windings, it usually loses power because it loses its inductive properties. The only way to get that voltage is with a transformer specifically set up to give this voltage. Not trying to sound like another "expert" on here, but I went to school for electricity and I make my living working with it.
    “Got tight last night on absinthe and did knife tricks."-Ernest Hemingway


    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Duckkiller
    I was an athlete at Clemson, not a scholar.

  10. #10
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    JABIII,
    As you've seen overvoltages burn up resistive elements like light bulbs and heating elements.

    Undervoltages burn up motors.

    If the overvoltage is very high, you can suffer damange to the insultation in your motor windings but I doubt 276 on a 220 service is enough to cause damage to insulation. If you do loose a motor / compressor in the next several months have the electrician check the windings for signs of electrical arcing. Again, I think your motors are fine.
    Last edited by Rubberhead*; 06-30-2011 at 02:46 PM.
    Ephesians 2 : 8-9



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  11. #11
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    Only thing about it Rubberhead is if he was on a 277/480 transformer the motors that were supposed to be getting 240 were getting 480.
    “Got tight last night on absinthe and did knife tricks."-Ernest Hemingway


    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Duckkiller
    I was an athlete at Clemson, not a scholar.

  12. #12
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    It's amazing how much you can learn around here from a couple posts. Thanks for the insight guys.

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    I would say everything that was plugged in has some damage. Tell the utility you want everything replaced

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    Quote Originally Posted by shooterchris View Post
    Only thing about it Rubberhead is if he was on a 277/480 transformer the motors that were supposed to be getting 240 were getting 480.
    He's not on a three-phase service. Single phase with a center grounded transformer. 240/120 Volts.
    Ephesians 2 : 8-9



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    I am really wondering if I could be wrong about my whole 277/480 theory. I rarely deal with residential and the measured voltage of 276 made me jump right to that conclusion. That would be a really big mistake for a power company to make. I know that there is something like 7400v on the transmission lines, but at the transformer? Could a residential transformer short in the secondary and cause a wierd voltage like this? I have been working in the field for only a couple of years, but I haven't seen a transformer fail like this. I could make a better judgement if I knew rather the 276v was measured phase to ground, or phase to phase. The more I think about it the more it seems like it could be possible. If anyone who has more experience knows, please tell me.
    Last edited by shooterchris; 06-30-2011 at 03:22 PM.
    “Got tight last night on absinthe and did knife tricks."-Ernest Hemingway


    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Duckkiller
    I was an athlete at Clemson, not a scholar.

  16. #16
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    Dang JAB that sucks. I think the others have you covered as far as what to look for, along with what you have already found.

    I do wonder how did it happen though. Did you lose power during a storm recently or something before everything blew up? Just wondering
    Last edited by dukhuntr; 06-30-2011 at 03:23 PM.
    Phillipians 4:13

  17. #17
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    Quote Originally Posted by shooterchris View Post
    I am really wondering if I could be wrong about my whole 277/480 theory. The measured voltage of 276 made me jump right to that conclusion. That would be a really big mistake for a power company to make. I know that there is something like 7400v on the transmission lines, but at the transformer? Could a residential transformer short in the secondairy and cause a wierd voltage like this? I have been working in the field for only a couple of years, but I haven't seen a transformer fail like this. I could make a better judgement if I knew rather the 276v was measured phase to ground, or phase to phase. The more I think about it the more it seems like it could be possible. If anyone who has more experience knows, please tell me.
    I doubt it's a "problem" with the step-down transformer. Likely, it was tapped to boost the voltage, possibly at the radial end of a long distribution line. I'd almost bet the distribution company added line capacitors to increase the line voltage but forgot to re-tap the transformers.
    Ephesians 2 : 8-9



    Charles Barkley: Nobody doesn't like meat.

  18. #18
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    I get that you would want to boost the voltage at the end of a long line due to voltage drop, and I know that a capacitor opposes a drop in voltage, so that would make sense. Do you work for a utility co. or a contractor that deals with power distribution? I had a lot of questions about the distribution end of electricity when I was in school, but all you learn is from the service entrance in.
    “Got tight last night on absinthe and did knife tricks."-Ernest Hemingway


    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Duckkiller
    I was an athlete at Clemson, not a scholar.

  19. #19
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    The utility uses capacitors to raise the Power Factor. They use transformers to raise and lower the voltage.

  20. #20
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    I am sure Rubberhead is right but here are a few particulars for y'all who deal with that shockey stuff...

    I live 1 house from the end of an underground line that has transformers, obviously, above ground.

    If I had to guess, living above 3000' on a mountain, my particular transformer got damaged my lightening and went on the fritz. My next neighbor on the line above me is about a mile if that matters.

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