AC on mains but no voltage?

Thread Starter

jaco_boon

Joined Jun 22, 2016
15
Hi!
I'm new to this forum, so sorry to just jump in here(don't know how to get around yet)
I've got situation where I get AC ons my mains supply of domestic 220V single phase installation but there is no voltage...
HOW IS THIS POSSIBLE?
 

Thread Starter

jaco_boon

Joined Jun 22, 2016
15
Hi!
I'm new to this forum, so sorry to just jump in here(don't know how to get around yet)
I've got situation where I get AC ons my mains supply of domestic 220V single phase installation but there is no voltage...
HOW IS THIS POSSIBLE?
I've switched off all breakers on main panel except for main breaker.(0Volts on volt meter)
When switching on earth leakage (102V)
When switching on mcb for lights circuit(43V).....doesn't make sense???
 

dannyf

Joined Sep 13, 2015
2,197
where I get AC ons my mains supply of domestic 220V single phase installation but there is no voltage
I think you may be living in an alternate universe.

Essentially yoybare saying that there is voltage but there is no voltage.

Logic would dictate that both statement cannot be true att the same time.
 

cmartinez

Joined Jan 17, 2007
8,219
Hi!
I'm new to this forum, so sorry to just jump in here(don't know how to get around yet)
I've got situation where I get AC ons my mains supply of domestic 220V single phase installation but there is no voltage...
HOW IS THIS POSSIBLE?
Could you detail how you setup and connected your voltmeter's probes to the wires? Because I'm assuming that you've actually measured things up
 

Thread Starter

jaco_boon

Joined Jun 22, 2016
15
Could you detail how you setup and connected your voltmeter's probes to the wires? Because I'm assuming that you've actually measured things up
Hi, tnx for reply.
I might be living in a alternate universe but help me out if you can...
I've got a fluke T150 voltage tester, if I touch any one of the probes on either live or neutral terminals of main switch,the AC light lights up.
If I connect red to live and black to neutral terminals, with all breakers in db board to off position I still only have AC light lit up.
If I switch earth leakage (and main) switch on, I get 102V.
If I switch lights circuit on, I read 42V (lights circuit does not work-no lights come on)
 

Thread Starter

jaco_boon

Joined Jun 22, 2016
15
Hi, tnx for reply.
I might be living in a alternate universe but help me out if you can...
I've got a fluke T150 voltage tester, if I touch any one of the probes on either live or neutral terminals of main switch,the AC light lights up.
If I connect red to live and black to neutral terminals, with all breakers in db board to off position I still only have AC light lit up.
If I switch earth leakage (and main) switch on, I get 102V.
If I switch lights circuit on, I read 42V (lights circuit does not work-no lights come on)
This is all measured at the supply side of the main breaker with black to neutral and red to live
 

DGElder

Joined Apr 3, 2016
351
Hard to tell what you are doing, but it sounds like a short or a problem with the house supply. But if it was a short the breakers should trip. The supply side voltage should not change significantly with normal loading. Why are you measuring? Is there a problem? Describe the problem in detail, all symptoms and your diagnostics.
 
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Thread Starter

jaco_boon

Joined Jun 22, 2016
15
Hard to tell what you are doing, but it sounds like a short or a problem with the house supply. But if it was a short the breakers should trip. The supply side voltage should not change significantly with normal loading. Why are you measuring? Is there a problem? Describe the problem in detail, all symptoms and your diagnostics.
The earth leakage tripped and when I switched it back on it tripped again, second time it stayed on but none of the house circuits worked( no lights or plugs came on).
That's why I started measuring, to see if I'm actually getting something from the supply.
I just switched on some circuits and the earth leakage tripped, without resetting the earth leakage I measured again and read 230V on the supply(that's more or less what I would expect) but resetting the earth leakage I'm back to where I started with 0V, and 102V when earth leakage is on etc.(as explained earlier)
Maybe the earth leakage switch broke or malfunctioning?
 

Thread Starter

jaco_boon

Joined Jun 22, 2016
15
Try measuring with a small load such as a 7W lightbulb attached in parallel to your probes. I think you're just seeing ghosts.
Its to dark to see ghosts, all I see is my phone screen at the moment....
And luckily my T150 has a convenient integrated led to light up the db board when taking measurements.
 

wayneh

Joined Sep 9, 2010
17,496
Its to dark to see ghosts, all I see is my phone screen at the moment....
And luckily my T150 has a convenient integrated led to light up the db board when taking measurements.
I don't think an LED is enough of a load, and anyway it's powered by the battery in your meter, not the circuit under test.

Your meter (like others) places almost no load on a circuit, by design, and can pick up stray inductances that appear as voltages. These will disappear when a small load is applied.

If they don't, then you have something very strange going on. As suggested, you should consider involving a professional.
 

DGElder

Joined Apr 3, 2016
351
I just switched on some circuits and the earth leakage tripped.

Turn on one branch circuit at a time and see which one is leaking to earth, i.e. which one trips the earth breaker. It would seem you have a short somewhere in that circuit or some leakage anyway.

In what country is this house?
 
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tcmtech

Joined Nov 4, 2013
2,867
Are you sure you're not missing a decimal point and its millivolts you are reading and not volts? o_O

What's the meter say when you connect it to an extension cord that is not plugged into anything?
 

Thread Starter

jaco_boon

Joined Jun 22, 2016
15
Tnx everyone!
For your input and thoughts I'm gratefull but there is something seriously wrong here, must be on the supply to the house.
I left mains, earth leakage and one lights circuit in on position and when I woke up the lights on that circuit came on during the time I left it.
Tested exactly the same as earlier and got my 230V on mains supply and then switched on 1 breaker at a time, testing the mains between each breaker with a resulting 230V every time....
For now it sorted it self out. Weird, that's why I joined the forum cause its not the first time it happens and even the electricians I had here could not figure it out(because when they get here every thing measures correctly as it is at the moment) they just test and tell me there is nothing wrong.
I do not know what yo do...
 

Thread Starter

jaco_boon

Joined Jun 22, 2016
15
I just switched on some circuits and the earth leakage tripped.

Turn on one branch circuit at a time and see which one is leaking to earth, i.e. which one trips the earth breaker. It would seem you have a short somewhere in that circuit or some leakage anyway.

In what country is this house?
SA
 
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