lights dim when other appliances are turned on?

Question

with kitchen lights on they will dim  when the washer or dryer,or microwave is on  the lights seem to dim especially  when the microwave is on the lights dim and the rotating tray comes to a really slow turn, it did this in the spring and then stopped doing it now its back and it seems like its getting worse and the lights are going dimmer, could it be a bad ground somewhere??  i have a 100 amp breaker box and it is a mobile home ,i would really appreciate very much for help thanks Brian

MTC · Accepted Answer

Microwaves, dryers and so forth pull a lot of power or amps when starting up. A normal household electrical service is usually 150-200 Amps. When the A/C, heat, lights, appliances and all that are running, it is possible to suffer a power drop that will dim the lights and slow electrical motors down.

This is not a good thing as these motors are designed to operate at voltages within a specific range and can become damaged or overheat due to a low power condition. Loose connections in the breaker box as well as at the pole supplying the power to the service panel should be checked but only by someone with experience.

 Don't get yourself electrocuted trying to save a few bucks!!

tom7railway · Answer

the 2 obvious reasons for this are
1. Poor electricity supply, like from a small local generator which is not powerful enough.
2. A bad connection in the main fuse board causing a voltage drop. it isn't a circuit fault because light and power should be on separate circuits, and shouldn't affect each other.
You need an electrician to check it out, it's not a common problem.

? · Answer

Oviously (spelling) its drawing electricity from the other parts of your house you may need a bigger braker lol im pretty sure a ground has nothing to do with it.

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lights dim when other appliances are turned on?

3 Answers