Lights dim then bright

john in la · Aug 2, 2014

Someone explain why lights would dim.

I bought a new washer and now my lights dim and get bright in time with the agitator movement.

I am trying to figure out if I just have to much on this circuit with this new washer; or if the washer motor is bad and drawing to much.
Model WTW4800BQ

Gary from Muleshoe · Aug 2, 2014

Using and extension cord, try running from a different circuit and see if the problem persist. Could possibly be a bad circuit in the house. Does it do it on all cycles or just the wash or rinse? Machine pulls the most amps during a spin cycle, as the motor and pump are both running.

David G · Aug 2, 2014

I would suspect you have a bad neutral.

john in la · Aug 2, 2014

It does it only on the wash cycle from what I can tell.
You can time the light to the sound of the agitator as it rotates.
I can not tell if this agitator goes back in forth or all in one direction because the top door locks.
But it sounds like it moves stops moves stops. The light goes dim every time it moves and gets normal every time it stops.
Once the wash cycle is finished I do not notice anything abnormal.
I will try the extension cord and see what that does.

john in la · Aug 2, 2014

If I had a bad neutral would lights dim on the
washer circuit only
on the apposing circuit
both
or its a toss up.

I have not checked but I think it only dims lights on the washer circuit.
And never had this problem with my old machine.

David G · Aug 2, 2014

My washer seems to have a lot more action than the older one, and yes, that should be the case.

jeffcat · Aug 2, 2014

Ran into something like this up at my folks place. Floating neutral was what I finally found. Loose connection in fuse box. Pain in the arse to find. Took most of an afternoon to find. The fun part was my dad thought HE could fix it before I got there. He had un wired the lamp over the kitchen table and was ready to start on the outlets along the wall too. WHY do people who know NOTHING about electrity think THEY can fix it????? Also did not have or know how to use a meter. Good greaf.

Bob · Aug 2, 2014

"Took most of an afternoon to find."

It shouldn"t have taken very long for a "person who knows how to use a meter" to find that problem!

PJH · Aug 2, 2014

I'm certainly NOT an electrician, but I recently fought with a similar problem. The problem appeared to be the GFI that was feeding that circuit. Changing the GFI stopped the flicker.

Robert Major · Aug 2, 2014

Hi To keep this tractor related I have exactly the same problem with tractors and guys that think they can fix them. Anybody can buy a wrench set or cutting torch. The biggest problem most guys face is having the first clue, how to use them correctly or the knowledge of whats wrong when they get them.
I have lost count how many times I have been to a tractor,had to figure out/ reverse engineer the mess Billy Bobs lawyer buddy who dabbles on the side, on saturday with lawn mowers made, trying to help him fix it. Then try and actually find out why it didn"t work in the first place.
The internet is a good source sometimes, but a guy still has to be somewhat smart to figure if the advise might be right.
Regards Robert

JMOR · Aug 2, 2014

In modern homes, the washing machine will be on a breaker all by itself. If this is the case & not shared with lighting loads, then a neutral is suspect.

El Toro · Aug 2, 2014

Our washer and dryer are both plugged into the same receptacle. It's a gas dryer and both can be used at the same time.

Call your local electrician to make sure your wiring is ok. Hal

Janicholson · Aug 2, 2014

One thing to assess is if the circuit has the needed capacity to run the machine. Most washers today need a 20 amp circuit. If the supply is through a 15 amp breaker with 14 gauge wire, it will show the voltage drop as a fluctuation in the light. If there is no over brightening (bulbs brighter than normal in other parts of the house in synchrony with the washer) then a neutral issue is less likely.
Were it to continue, I would install a new breaker with 20 amp capacity dedicated to the washer. Jim

MarkB_MI · Aug 2, 2014

When lights dim, you are getting voltage drop. Where that voltage drop is, you'll have to find for yourself. It might be in the neutral, but it could just as easily be on the hot side. Or both. A voltmeter will tell the true story. It the voltage is fluctating on all circuits in the house, you have a problem with your electrical main. If it's isolated to a single circuit, then the problem is on that circuit.

In older houses, it is real common to have utility room outlets tied into other circuits, even lighting circuits. A real common source of problems are backwired outlets, where the electrician just pushed wires into the holes in the back of the receptacles rather than using the screws. These start to fail after about 20 years.

old-9 · Aug 2, 2014

bob, I sure wish I had had you to help me on a few "service calls". Go into a 40-50 plus year old house, never been in before and find a short or open in a circuit. Especially when a "splice" is hidden behind drywall, or inside ductwork.
joe 40 years an electrician(retired)

huntingreen2day2 · Aug 2, 2014

I would be taking a serious look at the washing machine. If you have a clamp on amp meter check the amp draw during the wash cycle. May be binding up somewhere internally while agitating.

MarkB_MI · Aug 2, 2014

Checking current draw without figuring out where the voltage drop is occurring is backwards. With the 100 to 200 amp service of most houses, there's absolutely no reason voltage should be dropping enough to dim the lights. Unless, of course, there's a problem in the wiring.

MarkB_MI · Aug 2, 2014

If the neutral is bad, voltage will drop on the circuits that share the same leg with the washer, but voltage will RISE on the other leg. Of course, that assumes the neutral is bad upstream of the meter. If the neutral is bad on the washer circuit, only lights on the washer circuit will be affected.

Get out your voltmeter and first check the voltage (hot to neutral) at the outlet into which your washer is plugged. You should see the same swing you see in your lights. Then go to the breaker panel and measure the voltage from the circuit breaker to neutral. If you see the same swing, then the problem is upstream of the circuit breaker, maybe a loose terminal screw on the main breaker or meter. If there's no swing at the breaker box, you have a problem in the washer circuit.

To determine if the problem is in the hot or the neutral conductor, just measure the voltage between neutral and a known good ground. If it swings with the washer, you have a bad neutral.

W_B · Aug 2, 2014

We had a corroded neutral in the distribution box that fed the house. Caused all sorts of weird thing, including flickering lights when things would run. Luckily the only damage was the control panel on the kitchen range. Blew out two of them before we figured out what the problem was.

Bob · Aug 3, 2014

old 4+5... A bad, hidden, non-code splice is one thing, and a visible, accessable, and easy to troubleshoot loose connection in a meter base is another.

Lights dim then bright

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