Dropped Neutral or Phase?

Problems with the electrical system in a house can be diagnosed based on the symptoms witnessed in the house. A detailed look at exactly what is happening with different circuits can help diagnose the root cause.

When half of the lighting in the house goes dark, this suggests what is called a "dropped phase". A "seesaw" effect, or when some lights dim while others get brighter, could be a "dropped neutral". If all the lights dim simultaneously, it suggests a brown out.