Yesterday morning, while using the hair drier for the few seconds I use it the lights dimmed a little and the drier smelled like it was burning (and so did my hair!), so I assumed the many years old gadget was burned out.
Bought a new one and this morning, while using it, the same happened. I tried another plug in another circuit (the stove top) and the same.
Looked at the circuit breakers and they are ok. The breakers on the driers are not blown either.
Now, with a still wet head that smells like smoke I will call the electrician (at a decent hour) and go from there.
I wonder what those here familiar with ghosts in electrical systems can come up with? The house was built in 1960.
Will go buy yet another drier too.:-(
Edited 9/25/2003 8:14:40 AM ET by Ruby
Replies
Most hair dryers smell like burnt hair because the air intake on it does suck in bits of dust and hair.
If you cover the intake of any dryer, you will smell the same burnt smell.
Also, there are days when my sense of smell kicks into high gear and I notice things that I'm sure was always there.
The light dimming concerns me more.
That means that there is a poor connection someplace along the line (pun intended).
BTW, I doubt that the air dryer has a "breaker" in it.
It will have a GFCI (ground fault circuit interrupter) but that is designed to keep you from getting shocked if you drop it in a sink full of water. It is not affect by the amount of current the appliance draws.
But they will have internal overtemp limits, basically a "fuse" that will melt if it gets too hot.
The electrician is waiting on a truck this morning and will be here this afternoon.
He thinks we may have lost the grounding in those two circuits and recommended we turn everything off on them and wait for him.
The driers were getting hot to the hand and smelled like burning motor/plastic in a few seconds of use before I could turn them off. The fist one was some 15 years old, the second one new. Have a second new one now to try after all is fixed.
Thanks for the replies. Will report with any findings.
One more thing. Something went "bump" loudly at 3 AM. I assumed another earthquake or aftershocks, as we had one yesterday.
Something may have broken loose somewhere.
Edited 9/25/2003 4:29:20 PM ET by Ruby
Well, he came, found "it" and fixed all.
It was a loose wire coming into the house from the light pole by it. It worked fine when he first tested it but then it acted up and then was ok again. The old hair drier is fried, maybe self inflicted. The occassionally dimming lights were from the loose wire.
Once he worked that wire over, now it seems to be working properly, even when wiggling it.
He is the electrician that is wiring the barn where we are starting a house, will provide us and install a generator and he didn't want to charge anything for that "little job". I guess a gift will be in order.;-)
Sure thing! You suppose he needs a hair dryer? Something to remember you by?.
Excellence is its own reward!
Hey, I like the way you think! Thanks for the laugh.
Great idea! On second thought, maybe not. His wife may take offense.
I was thinking of returning that third drier anyway. The dog can use mine.:-)
It was a loose wire coming into the house from the light pole by it.
Did he mention which wire? The neutral, by any chance?
The few times I've seen a broken neutral on the service entrance I've called the local power company (which is responsible for the lines up to the house) and they've had a crew out to fix 'em within an hour or so.
A broken or loose neutral is a pretty big risk, as I understand it.
_______________________
Why Don't Blind People Like To Sky Dive?
Because it scares the bejabbers out of the dog
Your mileage may vary ....
Yes, it was the neutral wire that was working on and off. He did tell me when I called that it may be that, from what I told him about the lights not being steady, even if the drier quitting may have been a red herring in that picture and not to touch anything myself, to unplug everything and not use any that I can get by without, that some wires may even be carrying 220 where they should not and will fry stuff.
He got here as soon as he could. We are some 150 from the meter and the highline people only work to the meter.
I know when to stay off stuff I don't know anything about or have been lucky many times. I was thinking it was a bad receptacle and that I should look it over but something told me to call, not to mess with it this time. A little smoke blowing by my ears goes a long way with me.:-)
This site is great, as so much we read here that we may not understand goes by but when we are confronted with something like it, we "kind of remember something" and it can save the day.
Yeah, a broken neutral IS a big risk. So is a loose neutral inside the main service panel which I was about to suggest to the original poster. I know of some instances where a loose neutral exhibited the behavior stated. But if the neutral is broken, or otherwise a poor connnection coming from the transformer.....that in itself is a whole other serious matter. Glad the electrician found it. Worth his weight in gold.
You are right about the panel. He took it apart and looked in it, saying all was ok there and was well done and of good copper wire for the situation.
He said to be watchful and if we see any other problems to call. I believe I will.
I too think that he is good, as are those here, like the poster that answered it probably was a lose wire.
I guess that it is all about "knowing where to knock".:-)
Lucky you, could have burned out other appliances too. The connection was just loose enough only to affect a high wattage (hair dryer).
This may also have been prevented if the meter panel was grounded to the main water service (copper) not plastic.
The meter pole is about 150' from the house and has a 3/4" rod into the ground for the ground wire to attach to. No pipelines close. The propane generator is some 10' from it.
I will mention this to him when he comes to wire the barn and new well next week.
I hope others are also learning from this to be careful. Thank you all.