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SMD6 Leaking Voltage

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prattz99

Member
Location
Long Island NY
Occupation
Electrician
Hi all,

I'm back at it again with another weird one. I was removing a down light similar to a Halo SDM6 surface mount down light (I'm sorry I don't know the exact fixture at this point) when I did so I got a small tingle when I touched the metal soffit. I took a voltage reading and found it was 50 volt AC when the dimmer switch was on. Fast forward to today when I go to replace the fixture and I measured 30-32 volts from a clip on the housing of the SDM6 to ground. My question is: Is this acceptable to install? I thought it might be a defective fixture so I tested another Halo SDM6 fixture and it measured the same voltage. If it's less than 50 I think it's okay but I'm curious what you all think. Also, would it "level off" if the fixture was connected to ground?
 
Dsg319

Dsg319

Senior Member
Location
West Virginia
Occupation
Wv Master “lectrician”
prattz99 said:
Hi all,

I'm back at it again with another weird one. I was removing a down light similar to a Halo SDM6 surface mount down light (I'm sorry I don't know the exact fixture at this point) when I did so I got a small tingle when I touched the metal soffit. I took a voltage reading and found it was 50 volt AC when the dimmer switch was on. Fast forward to today when I go to replace the fixture and I measured 30-32 volts from a clip on the housing of the SDM6 to ground. My question is: Is this acceptable to install? I thought it might be a defective fixture so I tested another Halo SDM6 fixture and it measured the same voltage. If it's less than 50 I think it's okay but I'm curious what you all think. Also, would it "level off" if the fixture was connected to ground?
Click to expand...
What kind of meter are you using. Low impedance or a high impedance?
 
Dsg319

Dsg319

Senior Member
Location
West Virginia
Occupation
Wv Master “lectrician”
ptonsparky said:
Hi meter impedance or low doesn't mean a lot if you are feeling a shock. Simplest procedure would be to turn the lights off before you install them.
The problem you have is determining where the current flow is coming from. It could be the soffit is energized.
Click to expand...
That’s true. If it’s significant enough to actually feel a shock. Ghost/phantom voltage should be ruled out.
 
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prattz99

Member
Location
Long Island NY
Occupation
Electrician
ptonsparky said:
Hi meter impedance or low doesn't mean a lot if you are feeling a shock. Simplest procedure would be to turn the lights off before you install them.
The problem you have is determining where the current flow is coming from. It could be the soffit is energized.
Click to expand...

The soffit is not energized
 

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prattz99

Member
Location
Long Island NY
Occupation
Electrician
ptonsparky said:
Nice meter. I like the dual display.

Now, put a low impedance meter like a Wiggy in parallel with your Amprobe. What's the voltage?
Insert an amp meter and measure the leakage current. Is it this fixture only or all of them?
Plug that pigtail into a GFCI. Does it trip?
Click to expand...
Will do! I've never understood the uses for a Wiggy but I have one in my car. The GFCI does not trip when it is plugged in there. Yes, both of the SMD6 fixtures measure the same voltage. At this point I'm thinking the new ones are fine but the older one that was up there that had given me the tingles and measured 50 volts to the soffit was a bad fixture. As a result I got faked out thinking there was a bigger issue than just that.
 
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