SW problem solved (??) [RE-wrenches]

[Roy Butler, Four Winds RE]

First...I want to thank everyone for their prompt and very helpful answers
to my call for help. The common thread thru most of your replies was
grounding. I'm pretty anal about grounding and was certain that I had not
created any parallel ground paths, that I had seperated grounds and
neutrals in subpanels, etc., so I decided to check the existing main ground
system on the homes' service entrance. In this neck of the woods, utilities
require 2-8' ground rods spaced 6' apart and with a continuous loop of #4
copper running between them...starting and ending in the service panel.
Guess what I found...1 clamp was disconnected and the copper wire was about
4" away...the other rods' clamp was very loose and the connection between
copper and rod totally corroded (wire was solid but very oxidized). This
problem appaears to have existed for a considerable amount of
time...probably several years! I showed the owner before disturbing
anything and proceeded to set things right with cleaned connections and
wire, 2 new tear drop clamps and lots of de-ox.
    I learned a valuable lesson here...I will now examine the 'entire' home
electrical system before installation....starting with the main grounding
system. Not just looking for the "bad ju-ju" 3-wire shared neutral circuits
and evaluating which circuits to back up and which to leave on grid.
    Kurt...no offense to your observation regarding my not paying enough
attention to the loads in this system...I agree! This was a major concern
here....I became painfully aware early on of this customers' unwillingness
to pay attention to my advice regarding efficient appliances, load
management and conservation! This was and is a tough customer. She'll
appear to understand, to agree with my advice and then do it her way. I'll
bet this sounds all too familiar to most of you!
    BTW...microwave turned out to be 25 years old (!), TV over 18, fridge
turns out to AOK. I did find a melted sure arrestor (the $5 kind) which
failed due to the fish tank dripping into it....sheeesh! I'm not sure where
my dealer/installer job leaves off and my babysitter status begins.
    OK...rant over. All is well for now. I have to bone up on oscilloscope
operation and scope the SW4024 output to check for FET or other damage to
the waveform...all else appears to be working perfectly according to the
Fluke (yes, true rms). Hey...anyone have an old manual laying around for a
Hitachi V-212 scope??
Thanks again folks!
(a very humble) Roy Butler
Four Winds RE
www.four-winds-energy.com



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