Troubleshooting Unusual Electrical Failures in Older Commercial Buildings

Introduction

As the owner of an older commercial building, I know firsthand how frustrating and disruptive unusual electrical issues can be. In my experience troubleshooting electrical systems in aging structures, I've learned that a methodical, detailed approach is crucial for accurately diagnosing and resolving unusual electrical failures.

In this article, I will share the key steps I follow and tools I use when troubleshooting unusual electrical issues in older commercial buildings. My goal is to provide building owners, facility managers, and maintenance technicians with a helpful guide for systematically tracking down the root causes of electrical malfunctions.

Common Causes of Electrical Issues in Older Buildings

Before jumping into testing and repairs, it's important to understand some of the most frequent culprits behind unusual electrical failures in aging commercial structures:

• Old or damaged wiring: Outdated wiring that has degraded over decades of use is prone to short circuits, ground faults, and loose connections.

• Overloaded circuits: Expanding electrical demands can overwhelm dated circuit breaker panels and wiring.

• Faulty breaker panel: Malfunctioning circuit breakers or bus bars lead to intermittent power outages.

• Moisture ingress: Leaks can cause corrosion and insulation breakdown in electrical systems.

• Pests: Rodents or insects chew through wire insulation, causing shorts.

• Power surges: Electrical spikes from lightning or grid fluctuations can damage equipment.

• Lack of maintenance: Failure to properly maintain electrical systems leads to accelerated deterioration.

Key Troubleshooting Steps

With a baseline understanding of what commonly goes wrong, I can now walk through my systematic troubleshooting process for unusual electrical issues:

Inspect Electrical Room and Equipment

• Carefully examine the main electrical service panel, distribution panels, bus bars, and breakers for any signs of damage, corrosion, overheating, or loose connections.

• Look for evidence of moisture ingress or exposed wiring.

• Make note of any malfunctioning breakers, discolored contacts, or buzzing/humming from panels.

Consult Building Plans and Electrical Schematics

• Review architectural plans and electrical schematics to gain an understanding of the overall system layout and components.

• Identify locations of junction boxes, circuits, and switches.

• Note what equipment is connected to various circuits.

Interview Occupants

• Speak with employees to learn what electrical problems they've experienced and where/when they've occurred.

• Ask if they've noticed any sounds, smells, or flickering lights indicating an electrical issue.

• Document complaint details and cross-reference with plans.

Inspect Affected Areas

• Visit reported problem areas to directly observe electrical issues firsthand.

• Look for scorch marks, melted insulation, flickering lights, etc.

• See if issues are intermittent or constant, and note relevant equipment on affected circuits.

Check Load Levels

• Measure electrical loads on circuits with a clamp meter to identify potential overloads.

• Log measurements during both low and high demand periods for comparison.

• Overloads can indicate undersized wiring or excessive expansion of equipment on a circuit.

Isolate Affected Circuits

• Shut off breakers to isolate circuits experiencing electrical issues one at a time.

• If problem disappears when a circuit is shut off, focus troubleshooting on that circuit.

• Consider temporary power alternatives for affected equipment critical to operations.

Inspect Wiring and Connections

• With circuits de-energized, carefully examine associated wiring for damage.

• Verify tight, corrosion-free connections, and check ground wires.

• Probe insulation with a megohmmeter to identify degradation.

• Look for signs of pest damage, moisture incursion, or pinched wires.

Check Voltage Levels

• Using a multimeter, test voltage on affected circuits to identify abnormalities.

• Fluctuating high or low voltages can damage equipment or cause malfunctions.

• Measure during idle periods and under equipment load for comparison.

Evaluate Grounding System

• Faulty grounding is a common cause of erratic electrical behavior.

• Confirm proper bonding of equipment to ground rods or water pipes using continuity testers.

• Inspect for damaged ground wiring or loose connections.

Consider Power Quality Issues

• Use power quality testers and dataloggers to identify issues like harmonics, transients, or voltage distortion.

• Analyze patterns and correlations between power quality fluctuations and electrical problems.

• Issues may originate internally or from the utility service.

Leveraging Electrical Contractors When Stumped

Despite methodical troubleshooting, unusual electrical gremlins can sometimes evade identification. At that point, it can be wise to bring in a professional electrical contractor to assist.

Skilled troubleshooters have years of experience detecting obscure electrical issues and have specialized tools to help isolate problems. They can observe systems in operation to detect anomalies and perform diagnostic testing beyond the capabilities of basic multimeters. Electrical contractors can also identify underlying deficiencies like undersized wiring or overloaded neutral conductors that may be the root cause of electrical headaches.

For the most complex electrical mysteries, their expertise is invaluable in ultimately tracking down elusive electrical faults. Just be sure to thoroughly document your own troubleshooting steps to aid their analysis.

Conclusion

Chasing down unusual electrical malfunctions in aging commercial buildings demands diligence and rigor. While daunting, a systematic approach of visual inspections, testing at key points, and component-by-component isolation will ultimately uncover the source of the issue. Patience and meticulous record-keeping are essential. In some cases, calling in electrical contractors to conduct advanced diagnostics can break through even the most perplexing electrical puzzle. With a planful, thorough troubleshooting process, even the trickiest electrical gremlins don't stand a chance.