willowc60•1mo agoProlific Poster

Why does nobody talk about checking the neutral at the panel first for flickering lights?

I was troubleshooting a flicker in a kitchen for like an hour, checking every connection on the circuit. My buddy just walked over, pulled the panel cover, and found a loose neutral on the main lug. It was warm to the touch. How often do you guys actually start at the panel for a weird load issue?

2 comments

2 Comments

ray_king1mo ago

That "start at the panel" idea is the first rule for any weird voltage problem.

blair_davis1mo ago

Ha, yeah that's the golden rule. I once spent like 3 hours chasing a ghost voltage in a basement circuit and forgot to check the main panel. Turned out a neutral was loose at the lugs. Felt like a total idiot when I finally looked there. My wife still brings it up when I'm working on anything electrical. "Did you check the panel first?" she'll yell from the other room. Gotta love that.

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