voltage on dead circuit

[jumpinjohnny]

electrical theory is not my forte. So I was wandering if anyone could explain why I get a voltage reading of 15 to 23 or so volts on a dead circuit. There are no other circuits on the neutral.

 

[mdshunk]

Phantom voltage... use a Wiggy next time...

http://www.nema.org/stds/eng-bulletins/upload/Bulletin-88.pdf

 

[lowryder88h]

voltage

voltage

Happened around our area, 14v to ground people getting zapped when they would go to the outside sill cock to wash their feet before entering the swimming pool. After mcuh discussion w/POCO after months of denial, the POCO engineers found a bad ground a a set of their capacitor bank around a mile down stream. I would get in touch w/ your local POCO.

 

[roger]

I would follow Mdshunks advice and use an analogue or solenoid type meter / tester before going much further.

Roger

 

[tom baker]

Fluke makes a new DMM model 117 that has a "Low Z" function to load the circuit much as an old analog meter would.
Fluke also has an adapter for a meter that solves the ghost voltage reading.
I haven't used either of the above.
I intent to purchase a Fluke 117. I don't care for Wiggys.

 

[catchtwentytwo]

Fluke makes a new DMM model 117 that has a "Low Z" function to load the circuit much as an old analog meter would.
Fluke also has an adapter for a meter that solves the ghost voltage reading.
I haven't used either of the above.
I intent to purchase a Fluke 117. I don't care for Wiggys.

I agree with Tom about Wiggys, the inductive "kick" from their solenoids can be a problem in this solid-state +/- 5 volt world.

 

[flanative78]

Are there any other circuits (not nessecarily on the same neutral)that are close enough to cause induced voltage? For instance, where the circuit terminates in the panel. Is it a very long run, or a short run?

 

[BarryO]

Fluke makes a new DMM model 117 that has a "Low Z" function to load the circuit much as an old analog meter would.

Great Idea. I could retire that 1 Meg resistor that I put across the test leads in cases like this.

 

[George Stolz]

Lowryder88h, the phenomenon Jumpinjohnny was referring to was most likely induced voltage, not stray voltage.

 

[coulter]

george -

What's "stray" voltage? I may know, but if you have a good definition, I'd like that.

carl

 

[tallgirl]

george -

What's "stray" voltage? I may know, but if you have a good definition, I'd like that.

carl

Current that's trying to find a way back to its source, and it happens to be going through wherever you happen to be, instead of going back along whatever conductors were intended to carry the current.

 

[George Stolz]

...if you have a good definition, I'd like that.

Without looking to a qualified text, I would say off the top of my head that stray voltage is unbalanced return current travelling through dirt trying to return to it's source.

Induced voltage is imparted onto unenergized conductors in close proximity to, but not physically touching, energized conductors.