Came home last night and the bedroom light was flickering and the dryer was still running (we had turned it on when we left three hours earlier.) I cut the dryer off and the bedroom and living room lights go out. As long as the dryer is running I have power in the bedroom and living room but if I cut the dryer off the the other two rooms go dead. Any ideas?

Keep the dryer running.

I was hoping to use my favorite "220, 221 what ever it takes" line, but it doesn't seem to work here. I am of no use.

Reminds me of the time I wired a 12v plug in my bot and any time I plugged the Q-beam up my and turned it on my livewell pump would turn on.



Sorry, that's all I got.

Wow, thanks gentlemen. I should have things up and running in no time now. Keep the wisdom flowing

What happens if you unplug the dryer? Still no lights in the house?


edit: or if you flip the breaker that the dryer is on

Kill the breaker to the dryer and see if you have power in bedroom.

Take the cover off the breaker box and tighten up the wires going to the breaker for the rooms. Pull the main first. Its probaly the white(neutral) thats loose.

Still no power with it unplug or with the breaker turned off. Only way i have power is if i start the dryer.

I was going to say what Trlrdrdave said. Maybe one of the main leads coming into the box loose. Dont touch it till power is off above it, unless You have linesmans gloves.

Is your dryer 110 or 220?

Doesn't sound good. I'm no electrician and that's why I would call one. Dryers 220 and from what you describe aldeer might get you killed.

220

sounds like you have a neutral loose somewhere, i wouldn't run your dryer, or anything really until the problem is found and fixed..loose wiring can heat up and you know what can result from that.

Call an electrician before your house burns to the ground.

When you get it figured out, post what the problem is. This is a strange one.

Gotta know your/our limitations.
"call the man"

I wired lights up under a car one time and the car was trying to crank when I touched the wires together....So any advice I have on anything electrical probably won't help ya.

sounds like you lost one phase or leg and it's getting its power thru back feeding thru the dryer motor heating element.......any other curcuits doing the same thing...or just the bed rm.more than likely just lost the nuetral and it feeding thru the motor/heating element when turned on....