The breaker or fuse service box MUST have the neutral/ground connections bonded together and directly grounded to the outside with a heavy cable directly connected to a ground rod. If the ground chemistry is not very conductive in your area, more than one ground rod, with all of them bonded together may be necessary. This ground (earth) connection bonding both neutral and ground together at the service box must be the only point in the house where neutral and ground are tied together. Neutral must be kept separate in all branch circuits.
If the neutral wire opens in a branch circuit, the current will not necessarily flow to ground. The voltage instead will be equalized across two or more branch circuits of different phases. In other words, if the neutral opens in one 120v circuit that has a heavy current draw, the voltage in an opposite phase circuit may RISE, potentially as high as 240 volts. More typically you might see something like one 120v circuit dropping to 80 volts, with the other rising to 160 volts. I've seen bulbs in 120 v circuits suddenly explode, when, for example, a refrigerator started in another circuit.
I suspect that something like the above is happening with your fan phenomena. Switching on a light in another circuit changes the applied voltage in your fan's circuit. It's a potentially dangerous situation. I'd check all neutral connections at the breaker box. I'd then check all neutral connections at branch outlets and especially in any junction boxes.
By any chance does this trailer/house have aluminum wiring? Aluminum wiring connections oxidize over time causing such problems.
If you can't figure this out soon, call an electrician.
Doug
Posted by: Douglas <sparks06524@yahoo.com>
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