Locally Owned and Operated Marrero Electrician Helping Homeowners with Superior Lighting Repairs in the Ames Garden Neighborhood

If you live in Ames Garden — that quiet, tree-lined pocket of Marrero just off Barataria Boulevard — you already know how peaceful it feels most days.

Kids playing in driveways, neighbors waving from porches, the smell of someone grilling a few houses down.

But when your lights start blinking and dimming for no apparent reason, that calm feeling disappears fast.

A few months ago one of our Ames Garden neighbors called us in a panic:

“My lights are going crazy. They dim every time the air conditioner kicks on, sometimes they blink like a strobe light, and last night half the house went dark for a second. I’m scared something is seriously wrong.”

That call came in at 7:40 pm on a Tuesday.

By 8:35 pm our van was in her driveway.

What we found — and fixed — is a textbook example of why homeowners in Ames Garden (and all across Marrero) keep choosing MK Electric Man as their trusted, locally owned electrician.

The Symptoms Were Classic… but the Cause Was Hidden

The homeowner described exactly what we hear most often in South Louisiana:

• Lights dimming noticeably when large appliances start
• Random blinking / flashing (especially noticeable on LED bulbs)
• Occasional momentary full blackouts in parts of the house
• No tripped breakers in the panel

At first glance, many people (and even some electricians) would assume it’s an overloaded circuit or a bad neutral in the panel.

We didn’t assume.

We started with the basics and worked methodically:

1. Confirmed no breakers were tripped or hot
2. Used a multimeter to check voltage at multiple outlets — readings were jumping between 108–132 V under light load
3. Measured voltage drop across the main breaker — excessive fluctuation
4. Checked the grounding electrode conductor (the thick wire that bonds the panel to the ground rod)

That’s when we saw it.

The ground electrode conductor had measurable voltage on it — 12–18 volts floating to ground.

That almost never happens unless the main neutral conductor (the wire that carries return current back to the utility) is open or severely compromised.

We immediately went outside to the meter socket.

The moment we opened the meter enclosure, the cause was obvious:

The load-side neutral lug inside the meter socket was severely burned — almost completely melted away. The aluminum neutral conductor had arced for who-knows-how-long, creating extreme heat and eventually burning open the connection.

Why This Is So Dangerous (and So Common in Marrero)

When the main neutral burns open or becomes high-resistance:

• Return current has nowhere to go → voltage becomes unstable
• Current starts trying to return through the ground path → ground wires and metal pipes become energized
• Lights dim and blink because the voltage swings wildly
• Appliances receive inconsistent voltage → motors overheat, electronics die
• Worst case: the ground path overheats or arcing starts inside walls

This is not a “little loose connection” — this is one of the most dangerous residential electrical faults you can have.

And it’s extremely common in Marrero because:

• Most homes built 1975–2005 used aluminum service-entrance conductors
• Aluminum expands and contracts more than copper → connections loosen over time
• No one ever re-torques meter lugs after 20–40 years
• No whole-house surge protection in most original installations
• High humidity + occasional flooding = accelerated corrosion

We see burned meter neutrals at least once every couple of weeks in Marrero, Gretna, Westwego, and Harvey.

How We Fixed It — Step by Step

We never do “band-aid” repairs on service-entrance work. Here’s exactly what happened that night:

1. Locked out power at the pole (with Entergy’s permission) and verified zero voltage
2. Removed the damaged meter socket completely
3. Cut back all burned conductor until we reached clean aluminum
4. Installed new anti-oxidant compound on every strand
5. Replaced the entire 200-amp meter socket with a new ring-type socket
6. Re-terminated the service conductors and neutral with oversized, aluminum-rated lugs
7. Torqued every connection to manufacturer specs using a calibrated torque wrench
8. Filed the emergency electrical permit electronically with Jefferson Parish Permits & Inspections while still on-site
9. Called Entergy’s emergency line — they re-installed the meter within 75 minutes
10. Performed a full load test after power was restored — voltage steady at 120/240 V with no fluctuation
11. Ran a complete thermal scan of the panel and service entrance — zero hot spots
12. Documented everything with timestamped photos for the homeowner’s insurance file

Total time from arrival to lights steady and homeowner relieved: under 3 hours.

She later posted in the Ames Garden / Marrero Westbank neighborhood Facebook group:

“I thought I was going to have to wait days without power. These guys came same night, found burned wiring inside the meter socket, replaced everything, pulled the permit, stayed until Entergy turned the power back on. My house feels safe again. Thank you!”

Why Service-Entrance & Neutral Problems Are So Common in Marrero

Homes in neighborhoods like Ames Garden, Barataria, and surrounding areas were mostly built 1970s–early 2000s. That means:

• Aluminum service-entrance conductors (prone to oxidation and creep)
• Smaller lugs and less robust meter sockets than modern standards
• Connections that were never re-torqued after 30–40 years
• No whole-house surge protection in most original installations

Add Marrero’s high humidity + occasional flooding and it becomes very common to see exactly the kind of burned neutral lug + damaged panel conductors we found that night.

What Makes MK Electric Man Different for Emergency & Service-Entrance Work in Marrero

• 24/7 live answer — no call center or voicemail loop
• Only licensed journeyman & master electricians on every emergency call
• We stock full 200-amp meter sockets, oversized lugs, aluminum-rated wire, and anti-oxidant compound in every truck
• We pull Jefferson Parish electrical permits electronically while still at your house
• We stay until the power company re-energizes (most electricians leave after the permit is filed)
• 2-year workmanship warranty + lifetime customer support
• We live and raise our families right here on the Westbank — your emergency is our emergency

Quick Checklist: When Should You Call Us Right Away?

Call MK Electric Man the same day (or night) if you notice any of these:

• No power to the entire house and no breakers are tripped
• The power company pulled your meter and said “you need an electrician”
• Visible burn marks, melted plastic, or a hot smell near the meter or panel
• Any breaker feels warm or won’t stay reset
• Lights dim/blink severely when large appliances start
• You have aluminum service-entrance conductors entering the meter socket

One call = lights back on, usually same night.

We’re Here When Your Family Needs Us Most

Being the “voted best” Marrero electrician feels great — but nothing compares to the text messages that come at 11 pm saying:

“Thank you for coming tonight. My kids are finally asleep and the house feels safe again.”

If you live in Ames Garden, Marrero, or anywhere in the Westbank/Greater New Orleans area and you’re dealing with any electrical emergency — especially one involving the meter socket, main panel, or neutral — we’re ready to help.

Call MK Electric Man today — or right now.

www.jeffersonparishelectrician.com 24/7 Emergency Response Locally owned • Family operated • Marrero proud

Because in South Louisiana, when the power stops… we show up.

Service provided: Electrical Repairs

Location: Marrero, LA