stray voltage

[j rae]

I have a set of 150 watt H.P.S. street lights. One of my aluminum poles is reading 85 volts to ground. I have disconected the head and drove a ground rod still have the voltage. Any ideas ??????

 

[mcclary's electrical]

How are you measuring this? and with what? I doubt you have, what you think you have. If it's TRULY voltage on the pole, driving a rod will not fix it. You need a low resistance path back to service. Is there an EGC?

 

[j rae]

How are you measuring this? and with what? I doubt you have, what you think you have. If it's TRULY voltage on the pole, driving a rod will not fix it. You need a low resistance path back to service. Is there an EGC?

I am useing a Fluke meter from pole to ground and I was shocked by the voltage.

 

[mcclary's electrical]

That's probably a high impedence meter that is measuring the dfference in these two points,,,but,,If you were shocked, there's no denying that. You have a fault in the light or in the wiring. There is a problem with your EGC getting this fault back to the service. String a groung to service and measure with a wiggy from pole to the KNOWN GROUND.

 

[LarryFine]

I am useing a Fluke meter from pole to ground and I was shocked by the voltage.

... in more ways than one.

Remember, voltage is a difference between points. The question is which one has the voltage above earth.

Either the EGC is energized, or there's a fault to what should be bonded, possibly inside the fixture itself.

 

[quogueelectric]

My best guess is the egc is energized.

 

[iwire]

drove a ground rod still have the voltage. Any ideas ??????

Driving the ground rod was a total wasted effort, there is an issue with the equipment grounding conductor.

 

[hardworkingstiff]

I have a set of 150 watt H.P.S. street lights. One of my aluminum poles is reading 85 volts to ground. I have disconected the head and drove a ground rod still have the voltage. Any ideas ??????

Is the EGC connected to the pole when you take this reading?

Where are you getting your ground reference?

Are you able to cut only the light pole circuit off and then take the reading again? Just to be sure it's coming from the light circuit and not an outside source.

 

[ptonsparky]

Revisit post #2. Is there an equipment ground properly connected at all points?

 

[charlie]

. . . street lights . . .

Are these private or owned by a municipality or similar government agency? If they are not private, they may have been installed to the NESC rules instead of the NEC rules.