Help with voltage question

[greggpratt]

My dad called today, he has a problem with his recessed cans. There are 8 of them. When turned on, the first 7 work correctly while the 8th on is dim. I am a journeyman in another state. I live 500 miles from him. I told him to change light bulb first. He did-still dim. It is still dim in the off position of the switch. So even when 7 are off the 8th is still dim. He used his meter. He has 40volts to ground even in the off position. I do not know how his house was wired. I believe it is a problem between the 7th to 8th can. Bad connection at 7 or 8. Scraped wire? Any ideas? Thanks

 

[Dennis Alwon]

Are these CFL bulbs on a dimmer?

 

[cadpoint]

I'm going to go with a pinched wire on the neutral to frame. Pinched wire from nailing, something got rubbed or scraped as you say.

I'm also going to state that there might be a shared neutral on the last light, IE the light is in one of those impossible places, and theres a buried box between the string and the last light where they tied into another boxs neutral or even seperated it to the wrong circuit. Oh course if they mis-circuited the neutral then there is another problem on the other circuit!

This would smoke a Mystro-Luton dimmer BTW, if they have the lights on a dimmer don't add one till they make sure there's no pinched wires, and only have the correct voltage everywhere.

I beleive a reostat dimmer could handle this if there is one in the circuit now.

Welcome to the forum.