lights that flicker and more... where do I begin?

[Onefastgsx]

I am having problems with the electrical in my back room. The light flickers and gets dim, never really completely going off. Plus I have microwave back there and the last couple of times it's been used it goes dim and you can hear it losing power then goes back to normal.
This room was added (previous owner) after the house was built. I have a chart I made for all of the outlets and lights in the house and which breaker they go to. I refrenced this and saw that the light and outlet in my back room are on the same breaker as the outlets in my living room. I have no problems with the power going to the living room though. I have also checked the connection of the wire to the breaker and it is good.

I'm really not sure what my next step should be in solving this problem. I am pretty good with electrical know-how and do alot of my own new installations, even did all the wiring for my unattached garage. But when it comes to troubleshooting something like this I don't know where to begin.

Now I know some of the pro electricians on here really hate when homeowners do their own electrical work. I am not one to cut corners in any way when it comes to this stuff and I have always done everything to code. I understand that the code is there for my safety and I follow it to a T. I really think this is something I can tackle on my own, safely. But I also realize sometimes it may just be a better idea and call a pro.

Thanks for any advice
Craig

 

[Zeke]

Many here have suggested that a neutral is loose when this happens. Do you happen to know if there is a multi-wire branch circuit going through the living room and into the back room?

 

[zmaxmotorsports]

Check for lose connections in the boxes.

 

[MFolks]

If the outlets are "Back Stabbed" (the wires go into holes on the back of the outlets, instead of to the sides), corrosion & getting loose may be the problem.

You'll need to kill the power to the outlets, pull them out of the walls & see how they are wired. It might be a simple fix, or not, depending on who, and how it was wired.

 

[Onefastgsx]

There are only 2 outlets and 1 light back there. I'll get them pulled tonight and see what's what. Thanks for the help

 

[Rookie2]

pull the light switch also, one of these boxes is the connection point for the outlets. other than that, it could be a screw or nail through the wire somewhere. Don't keep using the microwave until your sure you've found the bad connection or break.

 

[wyliesdiesels]

A number of things could be the problem:

*voltage drop- if the wire run is too long and u already have a load on the wire feeding the livingroom, u will experience voltage drop. How long is the wire run

*bad connection at a splice or device such as outlet or switch...

If its only one circuit doing this, it wouldnt be a lost neutral....

 

[404]

Hopefully it is not wired with lamp cord like the guy down the street here did.

 

[wyliesdiesels]

Hopefully it is not wired with lamp cord like the guy down the street here did.

I cant believe how many houses i have found with extension cords or lamp cords running through the attic and walls...