16 volts when the breaker...

[batch]

I am getting 16 volts on a circuit at ground and grounded conductors. The breaker and contactor that control the circuit are off. Why?

 

[celtic]

Is this the only wire in that circuit? Or is it one phase of a multiwire circuit (ABC+N)?

 

[don_resqcapt19]

What are you using to measure this voltage? Exactly where are you connecting the leads when you measure this voltage?
Don

 

[donselec]

You might be getting induced current from another conductor running parallel to it, maybe.

 

[tallgirl]

It might just be perfectly normal voltage drop.

What's the system voltage? Is this circuit coming from a sub-panel?

 

[infinity]

Questions, questions, questions. Now we need Batch to provide some answers.:smile:

 

[Pierre C Belarge]

One of the good things about this forum and others is how much better educated the general population is about certain aspects of our industry. A few years ago I would be willing to bet that the responses to this question would not have been as they are. It is good to see the responses, and hopefully the OP will have some answers.
But we all pretty much now know what the culprit of his situation may be.

 

[petersonra]

I am getting 16 volts on a circuit at ground and grounded conductors. The breaker and contactor that control the circuit are off. Why?

This could be perfectly normal.

Some more infomration is in order.

Voltage?

Single or three phase?

Where is this being measured? At the panelboard or a long way away.

 

[hockeyoligist2]

I am surprised no one has asked if he is using a digital or a "wiggy" as Ya'll call it?

 

[celtic]

I am surprised no one has asked if he is using a digital or a "wiggy" as Ya'll call it?

Cuuld you even read 16v on a "wiggy"?

By "read" I mean, how do you know it's 16v and not 26v ~ 16v seems to a rather "exact" number...I think he used a DMM here.

 

[brian john]

Actually when I get this emergency call Rather than sending a tech out to the site, I tell the customer ( an electrical contractor of facility electrician) to use his wiggy, or use an incandescent lamp and see if either shows the circuit is energized (note I only recommend this when the caller is in the trade and the voltage level is low and the circumstance lends itself to be this "so called" Ghost Voltage" (somebody else's term not mine.)

 

[brantmacga]

I am surprised no one has asked if he is using a digital or a "wiggy" as Ya'll call it?

wiggy is the name brand of a voltage tester made by square D i think. and its not possible to read 16v on a wiggy. deductive reasoning leads me to believe it was a digital meter.

 

[brian john]

I'd bet you deductive reasoning is correct, the use of a 'wiggy" in conjunction with a digital proves this 16 volts is induced. A wiggy (I DO NOT BELIEVE) will not read that low should it be an energized circuit.

wiggy is a Square name but like Frigidaire it is a brand name that has become synonymous for a solenoid type tester.

What I use, I like the size, but the test leads are a bit short.

 

[sparky59]

This sounds like a good time to put the fluke away and drag out the 25 yr old radio shack micronta analog meter...(that still works great...by the way.)

 

[catchtwentytwo]

The attached file has some interesting stuff on the "Wiggington Tester" which seems to have been invented in 1918.

I'm mad at myself for tossing my dad's old one away...it'll probably become a collector's item.